The Ultimate Guide to Perfectly Smoked Brussels Sprouts: Sweet, Tangy & Irresistible
If you’re looking for the absolute best way to enjoy Brussels sprouts, look no further than smoking them. This method isn’t just good; it’s a culinary revelation that transforms these often-misunderstood vegetables into incredibly flavorful, tender-crisp bites. Prepare to have your mind changed about Brussels sprouts – because once you taste them kissed with wood smoke, a sweet and tangy glaze, and savory bacon, there’s no going back.
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Watch the Magic Unfold: Smoked Brussels Sprouts Video Guide
Curious to see exactly how these incredible smoked Brussels sprouts come to life? This video guide will walk you through each step of the process, from prepping your sprouts to achieving that perfect smoky finish and decadent glaze. Watch and learn how to master this transformative side dish!
Why Smoked Brussels Sprouts Are a Game-Changer
For many, Brussels sprouts have a reputation for being bitter or mushy, often relegated to the “disliked vegetable” category. But I promise you, these smoked Brussels sprouts are a completely different experience. They are beyond great; they are truly exceptional. Smoking imparts a depth of flavor that roasting or steaming simply cannot achieve, transforming them into a side dish that even sprout skeptics will rave about.
The magic lies in the cooking process. The low and slow smoke infusion tenderizes the sprouts while the later high heat creates a delightful char on the outside. This combination yields a perfect texture: a slightly crispy, caramelized exterior giving way to a tender, savory interior. No more bland, watery sprouts – these have a satisfying “bite” and a complex flavor profile that will convert even the most ardent nay-sayers.
The distinctive smoky flavor elevates the natural earthiness of the sprouts, while a hint of sweetness from honey and a touch of tang from balsamic vinegar create a perfectly balanced glaze. Add in the salty crunch of bacon, and you have a symphony of flavors and textures that makes these sprouts a perfect side dish for any meal. They pair incredibly well with grilled or smoked meats, complementing dishes like my smoked spatchcock chicken or smoked prime rib, but are versatile enough for any main course.
Essential Ingredients for Flavorful Smoked Brussels Sprouts
One of the best things about this smoked Brussels sprouts recipe is how simple the ingredients are, yet how powerfully they combine to create such an incredible dish. We’re focusing on fresh, high-quality components that enhance each other, rather than masking anything. The true brilliance comes from the interplay of flavors: the natural sweetness of honey, the bright tanginess of balsamic vinegar, and the irresistible saltiness of the bacon, all harmonizing beautifully with the smoky essence of the sprouts.
Choosing fresh Brussels sprouts is key. Look for firm, bright green sprouts with tightly packed leaves. Avoid any that are yellowing or have soft spots. Freshness ensures the best texture and flavor absorption during smoking.
What You’ll Need
You’ll be surprised how quickly these easy-to-find ingredients, many of which you likely already have in your pantry, come together to create this fantastic smoked Brussels sprouts recipe.
Core Ingredients & Seasonings
- Fresh Brussels Sprouts (cut in half)
- Bacon (preferably thick-cut for optimal crispiness)
- Olive Oil (for coating and seasoning adhesion)
- Salt & Pepper (to taste – sea salt or kosher salt works best)
Sweet & Tangy Glaze
- Honey (a natural sweetener that caramelizes beautifully)
- Balsamic Vinegar (adds a rich, complex tang)
Optional Toppings
- Dried Cranberries (for a pop of tartness and color)
Prepping Your Brussels Sprouts for Smoking
Proper preparation is crucial for achieving perfectly smoked Brussels sprouts. A little attention to detail here will make all the difference in the final texture and flavor. Let’s get these little green powerhouses ready for their smoky transformation.
Cleaning and Slicing
First, always start by rinsing your Brussels sprouts thoroughly under cold, fresh water. This removes any dirt or debris. After rinsing, it’s important to dry them completely with paper towels. Excess moisture can steam the sprouts rather than letting them get that desirable char in the smoker, and it can also prevent your seasonings from sticking properly.
Next, grab a sharp knife and get ready to slice. Begin by trimming off both ends of each Brussels sprout. These ends are typically tough and don’t contribute much to the flavor or texture. As you cut, some of the loose outer leaves might fall off – simply discard these along with the trimmed ends. The goal is to get to the firm, inner leaves.
Then, slice each Brussels sprout in half. You can cut them lengthwise or crosswise, but lengthwise is often preferred as it exposes more surface area for both seasoning and smoke penetration, leading to more flavor and a better char. This increased surface area is also vital for the glaze to adhere beautifully.
Seasoning for Success
Once your sprouts are cleaned and halved, it’s time to season them. In a large glass or aluminum bowl, place the cut Brussels sprouts and drizzle them generously with olive oil. The olive oil acts as a binding agent for your seasonings and helps the sprouts achieve that fantastic crispiness.
Season generously with salt and pepper. I prefer using sea salt for its coarser texture and nuanced flavor, but kosher salt works equally well. Don’t be shy with the seasoning; sprouts can handle a good amount of flavor. Toss everything together vigorously to ensure that every single sprout half is evenly coated with oil, salt, and pepper. This initial seasoning forms the delicious base layer for the smoky flavors and sweet-tangy glaze to build upon.
Choosing the Right Smoker & Wood for the Job
The beauty of smoked vegetables is that you can achieve fantastic results with various types of equipment. The best smoker to use, hands down, is the one you already own and are comfortable with! Don’t have a smoker yet? No worries, I’ll walk you through the most popular options to help you choose the best one for your needs. For even more in-depth information and recommendations, be sure to check out our comprehensive smoker reviews.
Pellet Smoker: Ease and Consistency
Pellet smokers, like the Camp Chef 36 smoker or Traeger 780, are my go-to for smoking these Brussels sprouts. They are incredibly user-friendly, offering precise temperature control and consistent smoke generation. A wood pellet grill allows you to impart fantastic smoke flavor without the constant babysitting required by traditional smokers. Simply set your desired temperature, add your pellets, and let the smoker do the work. This makes them ideal for both beginners and experienced pitmasters who appreciate convenience.
Traditional Offset Smoker: Authentic Smoke Flavor
For those who love the traditional art of smoking, an offset smoker such as the Oklahoma Joe’s Smoker is an excellent choice. While they require a bit more attention to maintain a steady temperature, the deep, authentic smoke flavor they impart onto your cook is truly unparalleled. Managing the firebox, coals, and wood chunks is a rewarding experience for many, and the results speak for themselves.
BBQ Grill: A Great Alternative for Smoky Flavor
Don’t have a dedicated smoker? No problem! A charcoal grill or gas grill is another great way to cook these Brussels sprouts and still infuse them with a smoky essence. While you won’t achieve the same depth of wood smoke flavor as a dedicated smoker, you can still get excellent results. For charcoal grills, you can add wood chips directly to the coals. For gas grills, use a smoker box filled with wood chips over indirect heat.
The open flame and direct heat on a grill will definitely impart more flavor and a better char than simply cooking them in an oven. You’ll get some delicious smoky notes and a wonderful texture, making your grilled sprouts a flavorful addition to any meal.
Best Wood for Smoking Vegetables
When it comes to smoking vegetables, selecting the right wood is crucial to enhance, not overpower, their natural flavors. Opting for lighter flavored woods works wonderfully with vegetables. Heavy, intense woods can sometimes make delicate flavors taste acrid or overly smoky.
My top recommendations for smoking Brussels sprouts include applewood chips, cherry wood, or hickory wood chips. Applewood offers a mild, slightly sweet, and fruity smoke that complements the sprouts beautifully. Cherry wood provides a similar mild and fruity flavor with a slightly rosy hue. Hickory offers a stronger but still pleasant smoky flavor that is a classic for BBQ and works well when balanced with the sweetness and tanginess of our glaze. These woods will give your Brussels sprouts that perfect smokiness without overwhelming the other ingredients.
If you’re using a pellet smoker, a competition blend or trophy blend of wood pellets is another fantastic option. These blends are expertly crafted to provide a nice, smooth smoke flavor that is versatile and not harsh. They are designed to enhance a variety of foods, making them ideal for these sprouts. I personally use these blends all the time for their consistent quality and balanced flavor profile.
The Smoking Process: Step-by-Step Perfection
With your smoker chosen and your wood selected, it’s time to bring these Brussels sprouts to life with the magic of smoke. A grill basket is an essential tool here, as it will keep your sprouts contained and prevent them from falling through the grates while allowing maximum smoke exposure and easy tossing. Make sure you have one ready!
First, place your grill basket in the smoker and pre-heat your smoker to a steady 225°F (107°C). This lower temperature is ideal for infusing the sprouts with a deep, smoky flavor without overcooking them too quickly. Allow the smoker to reach and stabilize at this temperature before adding your food.
Once your smoker is pre-heated and holding steady, carefully pour the seasoned Brussels sprouts into the grill basket, spreading them out into a single layer as much as possible for even cooking and smoke exposure. At the same time, place your bacon strips directly on the grill rack alongside the sprouts. Smoking the bacon simultaneously allows it to render slowly and develop incredible flavor. Smoke both the sprouts and bacon for an initial 20 minutes.
Turning Up the Heat for Crispy Perfection
After the initial 20 minutes of smoking, it’s time to shift gears and achieve that desirable crispy texture. Open your smoker, give the Brussels sprouts a good stir or toss within the basket to ensure even cooking, and then turn the heat of your smoker up to 400°F (204°C). Keep both the Brussels sprouts and the bacon in the smoker as the temperature rises. Set a timer for another 20 minutes, remembering that this time includes the duration it takes for your smoker to reach the higher temperature. The sprouts will continue to cook and tenderize while the smoker heats up.
By the end of this 20-minute cycle at higher heat, your bacon should be beautifully crisp and golden brown. Carefully remove the bacon from the smoker and place it on a paper towel-lined plate to cool. The excess bacon fat will conveniently drain out of your smoker into the grease trap. If your smoker doesn’t have a grease trap, or if you prefer a different method, you can also cook the bacon in a cast iron pan placed directly on the smoker grates, allowing the fat to collect in the pan.
While the sprouts are still in the smoker, now is the perfect time for the glorious glaze. Pour the prepared honey and balsamic glaze directly over the Brussels sprouts in the grill basket and mix well, ensuring every sprout is thoroughly coated. Allow them to cook for another 10 minutes. This final cooking period allows the glaze to caramelize slightly and adhere to the sprouts, making them wonderfully sticky and intensely flavorful, while also ensuring they reach a perfect fork-tender consistency. While the sprouts finish glazing, take the cooled bacon and crumble it into small, bite-sized pieces.
Elevate Your Dish: Toppings and Pairings
Once your smoked Brussels sprouts are perfectly tender and glistening with that sweet and tangy glaze, it’s time for the final touches that truly make this dish shine. Toppings aren’t just for decoration; they add essential layers of flavor and texture that complete the experience.
The Best Toppings for Smoked Brussels Sprouts
My absolute favorite topping for these sprouts is crumbled bacon. It’s a classic for a reason! Bacon provides a fantastic salty flavor and an irresistible crispy texture that contrasts beautifully with the tender sprouts and the sticky glaze. Frankly, you can never go wrong with adding bacon to vegetables – it almost always makes them better, and in this case, it’s an essential component for the ultimate flavor bomb.
So, generously sprinkle that crumbled bacon on top of your hot smoked Brussels sprouts. But don’t stop there! A handful of dried cranberries adds another wonderful dimension. Their tartness provides a bright counterpoint to the sweetness of the honey and the richness of the bacon, while their chewy texture offers another layer of interest. The vibrant red color also makes the dish visually appealing.
For those who love an extra touch of savory flavor, you can also give the finished dish a small pinch of sea salt, especially if you went a little light on the crumbled bacon. Other optional toppings could include toasted pecans or walnuts for an earthy crunch, or a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese for a sharp, umami boost.
These smoked Brussels sprouts are simply amazing on their own, but they truly excel as a versatile side. Pair these with your favorite main dish, and they will undoubtedly elevate your meal to the next level! They are perfect for holiday feasts, backyard barbecues, or even a simple weeknight dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions About Smoked Brussels Sprouts
Here are some common questions about cooking and enjoying smoked Brussels sprouts:
Yes, absolutely! Brussels sprouts are a nutritional powerhouse. They are incredibly high in fiber, which aids digestion, and packed with essential minerals like potassium and manganese. They are also an excellent source of vitamins, particularly Vitamin C and Vitamin K, making them a fantastic addition to a balanced diet.
The desired finish for smoked Brussels sprouts is to be tender enough to easily pierce with a fork, but not so soft that the fork slides through without any resistance. You want them to retain a slight structural integrity and have a little crunch or “bite” on the outside from the charring. This tender-crisp texture, combined with the smoky flavor and glaze, is when they are truly perfect.
While you can certainly add a little brown sugar to the glaze if you desire more sweetness, I find that the honey provides ample sweetness on its own and perfectly balances the tang of the balsamic vinegar. Experiment to find your preferred level of sweetness, but for a balanced flavor, honey alone is usually sufficient.
While smoked Brussels sprouts are best served fresh for optimal texture, you can prep them a day in advance by cleaning, halving, and seasoning them. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheating them in an oven or air fryer will help regain some crispness, but they won’t be quite as tender-crisp as fresh off the smoker.
Bitterness in Brussels sprouts can vary by freshness and variety. Smoking and the sweet-tangy glaze significantly reduce bitterness. Ensure your sprouts are fresh, not overcooked, and consider adding a tiny bit more honey to the glaze if you are particularly sensitive to bitterness.
Pro Tips for the Best Smoked Brussels Sprouts
To ensure your smoked Brussels sprouts are nothing short of spectacular every single time, keep these expert tips in mind:
- Choose Thick-Cut Bacon: For the absolute best texture and taste, always opt for thick-cut bacon, such as Wrights hickory bacon. Thicker slices stand up better to the smoking process, rendering slowly to become incredibly crispy and adding a substantial savory element that thin bacon just can’t match.
- Adjust Sweetness to Your Liking: If you prefer a noticeably sweeter glaze, feel free to add an extra tablespoon of honey to the balsamic mixture. Taste as you go and adjust to find your perfect balance between sweet and tangy.
- Consider a Cast Iron Pan for Bacon: While smoking bacon directly on the grates is convenient, using a cast iron pan for cooking the bacon offers several advantages. It collects all the rendered fat, which you can then use for other cooking, and it ensures the bacon cooks evenly without drying out. For an in-depth guide, check out my post here to learn how to make the best bacon on a smoker, which includes tips for using cast iron.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Grill Basket: For optimal smoke penetration and even charring, avoid piling the Brussels sprouts too high in the grill basket. Work in batches if necessary, or use a larger basket to ensure they are spread out in a relatively single layer. Overcrowding can lead to steaming rather than crisping.
- Toss Frequently: Especially during the higher heat phase, make sure to toss the sprouts regularly in the grill basket. This ensures all sides get exposed to the heat and smoke, promoting uniform charring and preventing any burning.
Delicious Main Dishes to Pair with Smoked Brussels Sprouts
These smoked Brussels sprouts are so versatile, they complement a wide array of main courses. Their smoky, sweet, and tangy profile makes them an ideal partner for many grilled and smoked meats. Here are some fantastic main dishes that pair exceptionally well with this recipe, transforming any meal into a truly memorable feast:
- Perfectly Smoked Prime Rib Recipe
- Perfectly Smoked Steak (Ribeye)
- Tender Smoked Pork Butt (Pork Shoulder)
- Smoked Spatchcock Chicken (Crispy Skin)
Whether you’re hosting a holiday dinner, a summer BBQ, or just enjoying a cozy meal at home, these Brussels sprouts are guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser and a perfect complement to your protein of choice. Their robust flavors stand up beautifully to rich meats, while their sweet and tangy notes provide a refreshing contrast.
Smoked Brussel Sprouts (Sweet & Tangy)
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 24 ounces brussel sprouts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Glaze
- 3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoon honey
Toppings
- 3 slices bacon
- ¼ cup cranberries (dried)
Equipment
Instructions
- Rinse brussel sprouts with cold fresh water and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Cut off both ends of sprouts and discard.
- Slice each sprout in half, either lengthwise or crosswise, ensuring more surface area is exposed. Place in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, then season generously with sea salt and black pepper. Toss to evenly coat all sprouts.
- Pre-heat your smoker to 225°F (107°C) and place a grill basket inside the smoker to heat up.
- Once the smoker is pre-heated, carefully pour the cut and seasoned Brussels sprouts into the grill basket, spreading them as evenly as possible. Also, place the 3 strips of bacon directly on the smoker rack and smoke both for 20 minutes.
- While the sprouts and bacon are smoking, prepare the glaze: mix together the honey and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl until well blended. Set aside.
- After 20 minutes, open the smoker and give the sprouts a quick toss. Then, turn the heat of the smoker up to 400°F (204°C) and continue cooking for another 20 minutes, or until the bacon is wonderfully crispy. Remove the bacon from the smoker and allow it to cool on a paper towel-lined plate. Once cooled, crumble the bacon into small pieces and set aside.
- After removing the bacon, pour the prepared balsamic and honey glaze over the Brussels sprouts in the grill basket and mix thoroughly to ensure full coating. Cook for another 10 minutes to allow the glaze to caramelize and the sprouts to become perfectly fork-tender.
- Remove the glazed sprouts from the smoker and transfer them to a serving plate. Sprinkle generously with the crumbled bacon and dried cranberries on top. Serve immediately and enjoy the incredible flavors!
Pro Tips
- Use thick cut bacon, like Wrights hickory bacon, for the best texture and taste.
- Add an extra tablespoon of honey for a little more sweetness.
- Use a cast iron pan for cooking the bacon. Check out my post here to learn how to make the best bacon on a smoker.
- Don’t overcrowd your grill basket to ensure even cooking and better smoke penetration.
- Toss the sprouts occasionally, especially during the higher heat phase, for uniform charring.