Easy Spicy-Sweet Thanksgiving Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes. If you’re looking for a fresh, seasonal vegetable to add to your Thanksgiving table, look no further. They are fast, easy to cook, and their flavor combines well with a variety of dressings.

This particular recipe was inspired by my boyfriend. He began making them for me in the fall a couple of years ago. His original recipe uses brown sugar and red pepper flakes. It’s delicious, but I wanted to spruce it up a little bit for this year’s festivities. After trying a few variations, I’ve finally found my favorite spicy and sweet flavor combination.

I went with a fresh cherry pepper instead of dried red pepper flakes. Cherry pepper are just the right amount of spicy – they don’t overwhelm the palate, but they provide a decent kick as well as flavor. They are not just blind heat.

A splash of vinegar brings out the flavor in the pepper while providing a welcome complement to the sweetness of the brown sugar. It’s almost like a barbecue sauce, but not quite. I use unfiltered apple cider vinegar because it offers a little bit of sweetness that other vinegars don’t have. I also find the acidity of apple cider vinegar is a lot more mellow than other vinegars.

I like to buy my Brussels sprouts while they’re still attached to the stalk for optimum freshness. This may mean buying a couple of stalks depending on how large the sprouts are. Err on the side of too much, rather than too little.

Brussels sprouts are part of the brassica family of vegetables. They’re an ideal Fall food for a reason. Not only do they have a particularly long growing season (they aren’t even ready for harvest until late October!), but they benefit from the cold. Brassicas – including greens like kale and collard greens – taste better after they’ve spent some time in the cold fall air. The cold causes them to accumulate more sugars and you’ll avoid the bitter flavor greens can acquire in the summer.

Try subbing out the brown sugar for fresh maple syrup. If you can’t find cherry peppers, you can use 1-2 dried chili (seeded) or 1-2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes. If you can find fresh young ginger at your local market or grocery store, I suggest giving it a try. It offers a sweeter, more mild ginger flavor.

This year, we’re spending Thanksgiving in upstate New York with my family. I’m looking forward to making this dish to contribute to the already large meal my mom always prepares. You can definitely make this dish a day ahead of your festivities.

What’s your favorite way to make Brussels sprouts?

Easy Spicy-Sweet Thanksgiving Brussels Sprouts

This dish can easily be made ahead of time, either the day before or the morning of your Thanksgiving festivities. To reheat, simply place the Brussels sprouts in a casserole dish with about 1/4 cup of water. Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for about 30 minutes or until warmed through.

1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (quartered if they’re large)
1-2 cherry pepper, halved and sliced (remove the seeds if you don’t want the dish too spicy)
2 Tbs olive oil
3 Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1” ginger, freshly grated
salt to taste

1. In a large, heavy skillet, add the olive oil and the cherry pepper slices to a cold pan. Turn the heat on medium and cook until the peppers begin to sizzle. Add a pinch of salt.

2. Add ginger and cook 2-3 minutes, until the ginger is fragrant.
3. Add Brussels sprouts and saute 1-2 minutes.

4. Add 1/2 cup water. Bring it to a high simmer (this should happen very quickly).
5. Add brown sugar and apple cider vinegar.

6. Cook over medium heat (a little higher if you are having trouble maintaining a strong simmer) for 10 minutes, or until liquid is very reduced and sticky.

7. Serve buffet style alongside all your favorite Thanksgiving dishes.

Variations:

• Try roasting the Brussels sprouts in a 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 15 minutes and then finishing them in the pan with the sauce. After you saute the peppers, skip right to adding the water and brown sugar to make a sauce. Bring to a simmer and add the Brussels sprouts. Cook five minutes to reduce the liquid and coat.
• There are a variety of hot peppers to try out there. Do some experimenting to see what you like best. You can even experiment with some dried guajillo chili peppers for a more smoky flavor. You can toast them in a dried pan to bring out their flavor and then blend them with some water to make a paste you can add to your cooking liquid.
• If you make them the day before, try reheating them with some turkey stock instead of water for an infusion of rich, meaty flavor.