Brussel Sprouts with Turkey Rashers Recipe

Get ready for the festive season with this Brussel Sprouts recipe, using turkey rashers to boost the flavours, making the perfect side dish!

I remember my very first holiday season in the UK. That was when I had my first traditional British Christmas meal, having a proper roast, and I thought whilst it was all very festive, the food was rather underwhelming. One of the dishes that stood out most to me were these “mini cabbage”-looking vegetables, i.e. Brussel Sprouts, which I never tried before prior to moving here.

But oh my did they taste bad when I first tried it!

It was bitter. A very sharp bitterness that I thought should have no business being associated with the jolly festivities. There’s almost a pungent mustardy flavour to it as well which I DID NOT enjoy.

I refused to believe a festive staple to be tasting so un-festive like. So I started looking up what variations of cooking are out there in hopes to find the perfect flavour combo for this unique vegetable.

Brussels Sprouts with Turkey Rashers

How to get better flavours out of Brussels Sprouts

(1) Half them. The compounds responsible for the bitter taste are concentrated in the centre of the Brussels Sprout, so it helps to release and get rid of the bitterness if you slice each of them in half before cooking.

(2) Introduce a savoury flavour element to it. Hence the popularity of the use of bacon – and in our case, the use of Turkey Rashers. The addition of a savoury element helps to “cover-up” the bitterness and adds an extra layer of flavour.

Brussels Sprouts with Turkey Rashers

How to cook Brussels Sprouts with Turkey Rashers

Bacon is out of the question. A halal substitute would be turkey rashers. However, turkey rashers don’t carry as much fat like bacon, so the idea of cooking the Brussel Sprouts in bacon fat doesn’t work quite the same way as using turkey rashers.

So what I did here is sautéing them. The dish can then get the savoury flavours from the use of garlic, turkey rashers, and a splash of chicken broth. The turkey rashers still play a big role in contributing its smoky flair of flavour and savoury touch.

If you want an extra flavour boost, substitute the cooking oil with animal fat. I’ve saved up some duck fat from making a roast duck and used it here in replacing cooking oil. The animal fat added such a umami touch of flavours to it and made the dish taste even better!

P.S. if you haven’t already noticed, you can spy this dish making a cameo appearance on the photos of my Indian-Style Stuffed Roast Chicken Recipe! Spot it yet? Go check out the recipe too to complete your roast dinner!

Brussel Sprouts with Turkey Rashers Recipe

ET Food Voyage
Get ready for the festive season with this Brussel Sprouts recipe, using turkey rashers to boost the flavours, making the perfect side dish!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine British, European
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 200 g Brussel Sprouts halved
  • 2 cloves Garlic finely chopped
  • 3 slices Turkey Rashers sliced
  • ¼ cup Chicken Broth
  • Salt & Black Pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp Cooking Oil or Animal Fat

Instructions
 

  • Heat vegetable oil or animal fat in a pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
  • Add in turkey rashers, cook until it starts to slightly crisp up.
  • Toss in Brussel Sprouts, saute and mix well with garlic and turkey rashers. Season with salt & pepper.
  • Stir in chicken broth and let cook until the Brussel Sprouts are tender and cooked through. The liquid should be reduced and you can add more water if it gets too dry. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Halving the brussels sprouts help to eliminate the bitter mustardy taste. Alternatively, you can shred them as well.  
  • Using animal fat in replacement of cooking oil gives an extra flavour boost to the dish.
Keyword Brussels Sprouts, Festive Recipes, Turkey Rashers, Vegetables

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Brussels Sprouts with Turkey Rashers Recipe
Brussels Sprouts with Turkey Rashers Recipe

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