Bacon Sprouts

This recipe is from my good friend, Jonathan Dunne. He made these for us back in July and I knew they would be perfect for Thanksgiving, so I’ve been saving this recipe for months. I was hoping this was his families old Irish recipe, but turns out it’s just a recipe he came up with and likes. And so does everyone else. I had three guys who “don’t like sprouts” picking out of the bowls before I was even done photographing them. The three of them polished off all the sprouts you see in this photo. They’re that good! Thanks Jonathan for the recipe that I’ll definitely be making this Thanksgiving. If you don’t have a heavy-duty roasting pan, you can cook the Brussels sprouts in 2 batches in a large skillet, returning the first batch to the cooked second batch to heat through.

Serves 8 to 10

1 pound bacon, cut into medium dice
2 pounds Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and halved
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Fry bacon in a large roasting pan over two burners on medium-high heat until fat has rendered and bacon is just cooked. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a bowl; set aside. Reduce heat to medium-low and add enough oil (or remove some of the bacon drippings) to equal 1/2 cup. Add sprouts, cover loosely, and cook, stirring frequently and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper, until impressively browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Return bacon to pan; continue to cook until heated through. Serve.