Cleaning and trimming your own Brussels sprouts is a lot easier than you think if you follow a few simple steps. This recipe will show you how to clean and trim Brussels sprouts and how to choose the best ones at the store so you have the best Brussels sprouts at your next meal.
I make a lot of Brussels sprouts recipes, whether it is simple caramelized Brussels sprouts or fancier Italian Brussels sprouts, in all of them I always tell people to buy their Brussels sprouts fresh and clean and trim them at home themselves.
If you are one of those people who buys bags of pre-cut and washed Brussels sprouts at the store, I am here to tell you to stop. Those Brussels sprouts are not fresh and that tough woody stem on the bottom of the sprouts is always left on when they are prepared by the stores.
That is not something anyone wants to eat. I will show you how to clean and trim Brussels sprouts the right way so you can buy them fresh at the store and prepare them at home easily.
How to choose the best Brussels sprouts at the store
When buying Brussels sprouts at the store, I recommend buying the whole Brussels sprouts versus the partially prepped ones (where the store cuts the sprouts for you).
The reason for this is the stems are always left on when the store does it. No one wants to eat the stems. Never ever!
What you want to look for when buying fresh Brussels sprouts is bright green leaves that are firm. You want to avoid Brussels sprouts that have holes or wrinkling or even yellow as this means they are not fresh.
Look for bright to deep green color and firm buds.
How To Clean and Trim Brussels Sprouts
Rinsing And Cleaning Brussels Sprouts
The first you want to do is clean the Brussels sprouts by washing them under cold water and then dry them off. This part takes just a few minutes but it helps get all of the dirt off of the Brussels sprouts.
Removing the stems from the Brussels sprouts
The next you want to do is cut all the stems off of the Brussels sprouts. They are tough and will ruin your experience eating this delicious vegetable if you leave it on.
Once you have removed the stems, you'll want to take one single layer of the Brussels sprout's leaves off the outside of the Brussels sprout. You can skip this step for the ones that look nice and green.
Brussels sprouts do have some outer leaves that will look ugly even if they're clean and fresh. While it is still edible, that outside layer can be pretty ugly and not something you want to serve to others. Depending on the batch you get, it may not need lots of peeling or it may need a little.
That is it. This is what I have found to be the best way to clean and trim Brussels sprouts.
If you find some of these steps too labor intensive, it makes a great project to enlist some help from another person in your home. Kids, family members, or friends, get them in the kitchen to help.
Cleaning and trimming the Brussels sprouts at home makes all the difference in the taste and experience of eating them and the time it takes is well worth it.
Storing
To make things easier, Brussels sprouts can be cleaned and trimmed ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to one week.
Brussels sprouts recipes
Now that you have prepared and trimmed your own Brussels sprouts, here are some great recipes to put them to use:
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How to Clean Brussels Sprouts (Easy Steps)
Ingredients
- 1 pint Brussels sprouts whole
- ⅛ cup of olive oil
- 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon tsp of kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
Cleaning Brussel Sprouts
- First, you want to prep your Brussels sprouts by rinsing them well under cold water then dry them.1 pint Brussels sprouts
Preparing Brussels Sprouts For Cooking
- Cut the woody stem off of the bottom of the Brussels sprouts.
- Remove the outer leaves if they are dirty.
- Now, slice your brussel sprouts in half paying attention to making sure they are all around the same size so they all cook at the same time. If you have larger ones then go ahead and cut them into quarters.
To Cook Brussels Sprouts
- In a large heavy bottom pan, heat your olive oil on medium heat. Once pan is heated, add your brussel sprouts to the pan making sure they are not overlapping and that they are all touching the pan.⅛ cup of olive oil
- You are going to be browning them and getting a nice char on the outside.
- Cook them without touching them for about 4 minutes.
- After 4 minutes toss them around with a spatula and you should start to see the nice browning happening. Press them all back down in the pan after tossing so they do not overlap and Cook for another couple minutes.
- Now, at this stage squeeze your lemon over the top and add your salt. The lemon will start to sizzle and begin steaming your brussel sprouts while the salt will start pulling the moisture from them.1 lemon
- Go ahead and toss around again and flatten out again.
- Just keep repeating this process every couple of minutes until the brussel sprouts are fork tender (about another 5 minutes).
- Add salt and pepper and mix well for one minute.1 teaspoon tsp of kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper
- Taste and add any additional salt and pepper and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition Values are estimates only.
See full nutrition disclaimer hereTried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!
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