Traeger Brussel Sprouts With Balsamic and Bacon Recipe

Easy Roasted Brussel Sprouts Ingredients

Most of these ingredients you probably already have. Just a few items from the grocery store and you are good to go.

• 2-3 cups fresh brussels sprouts
• 5 slices thick cut bacon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
• minced shallot
• balsamic vinegar reduction - either bottled or home made
• spices including kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder
• freshly grated parmesan cheese

Helpful Supplies for this Recipe

Such simple tools. If you don't have a medium or large sized cast iron skillet, you should definitely grab one. They are inexpensive and can be used so many ways, especially if you cook regularly on a pellet grill.

• large cast iron skillet - 9"-10" is ideal for this recipe 
• cutting board and sharp knife
• Traeger Grill or other pellet smoker

Step by Step Instructions

1. Preheat your Traeger Grill to 425F. Place a cast iron pan on the grill grates to preheat while you prepare the brussel sprouts.
2. Prepare the brussel sprouts for roasting by washing them and cutting them in half longwise. Remove any fibrous outer leaves. For larger sprouts, cut them into quarters so they cook evenly.
3. Place them in a large bowl and set aside. 
4. Prepare the bacon by cutting thick strips through 4-5 slices of bacon. Cook in a large skillet until they are crispy. Transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon fat.
5. Mince a small shallot. Saute the minced shallot in the reserved bacon fat until they are tender and slightly browned.
6. While the onions cook, you can prepare the brussel sprouts. Season the cut brussel sprouts with the avocado oil or another high-heat option, salt, pepper, garlic powder and black pepper. 
7. Once the Traeger has reached 425 degrees f, add the brussel sprouts to the cast iron pan and spread them out into a single layer. Stir them half way through the cook time so they can brown on all sides.
8. Cook the brussel sprouts for 20-25 minutes. For smaller sprouts, cook for 15-20 minutes. 
9. For the last 5 minutes of cook time, add the bacon and cooked shallot. Stir everything together to finish cooking.
10. Remove the cast iron pan from the traeger and finish with a lite drizzle of balsamic glaze and parmesan cheese is desired.

What to Serve These Traeger Brussel Sprouts With

Roasted brussel sprouts are one of my favorite steakhouse side dishes. The charred flavor of the sprout leaves stands up to a big steak. They are also a great option for a Sunday falmily dinner like a whole chicken with mashed potatoes and something special for dessert. Ideally, you can cook these alongside a main dish that also requires high heat or finishes at a high heat. 

• Whole Roasted Chicken
• Tri Tip
• Filets

Recipe Options and Modifications

A popular version of this recipe calls for the Traeger Chicken Rub which happens to be one of my favorite bbq seasonings made by Traeger. It packs great flavor from citrus and black pepper. You can substitute a tablespoon of rub for the spices I listed above.

If you are not a big fan of balsamic vinegar, you can use hot honey or thai chili sauce instead to brighten up the roasted flavor of sprouts and bacon. 

You can also follow this recipe for air fryer brussels sprouts. Cook them on a higher heat setting- about 400 degrees or so for 5 minutes. Remove the air fryer basket and give the sprouts a shake to move them around. Return the air fryer basket and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.