Broiled Bacon and Brussels Sprouts with Maple Glaze
- Savory
- Oven
Halved Brussels sprouts and bacon roast under high heat until the edges char, then get brushed with a sticky maple glaze. A sweet-savory side or light main that is not spicy.
- Total
- 40 min
- Prep 15 · Cook 25
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Roasting · Rendering fat
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 220°C with a rack in the upper third. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment if you have it.
~10 min
The upper third gets the strongest top heat, so the sprouts and bacon brown and crisp rather than steaming on the lower racks.
-
Trim the Brussels sprouts and cut them in half lengthwise. Cut the bacon into 2 cm pieces. Roughly chop the chestnuts.
~5 min
-
Spread the Brussels sprouts cut side down on the baking sheet in a single layer. Scatter the bacon and chestnuts around them and season with the salt and black pepper.
~3 min
Cut side down puts the flat face in direct contact with the hot pan, giving deep browning, and a single layer lets moisture escape instead of steaming.
Pat the Brussels sprouts dry before they go on the tray: surface moisture steams them instead of letting the cut sides brown.
Roasting Arrange sprouts cut side down in a single layer with space between them; crowding traps steam and leaves them pale and soft instead of browned.
-
Roast for 15 minutes, until the sprouts are browned at the edges and the bacon is crisp.
~15 min
The bacon renders its fat as it crisps, basting the sprouts in savory fat while the high heat drives off moisture for browning.
Roasting Arrange sprouts cut side down in a single layer with space between them; crowding traps steam and leaves them pale and soft instead of browned.
Rendering fat Give the bacon time over high heat until the fat turns translucent and the pieces crisp; pulling it early leaves chewy, unrendered fat.
-
While step 4 cooks
While the tray roasts, melt the butter in a small bowl in the oven for 1 minute, then stir in the maple syrup.
~1 min
Warm butter blends smoothly with the syrup into an even glaze that brushes on thinly instead of pooling and burning.
-
Switch the oven to broil. Brush the sprouts, bacon and chestnuts with the maple butter and broil for 4 to 5 minutes, until the glaze bubbles and the edges char. Watch closely so the maple syrup does not burn.
~5 min
Broiling blasts the glazed surface with intense top heat, caramelizing the maple sugars into a sticky, lightly charred coating in minutes.
Add the maple glaze only at the broil stage. Maple syrup scorches quickly, so brush it on late and pull the tray when the edges darken.
