Honey Roasted Brussel Sprouts

My husband likes bacon, I don’t, but sometimes he’ll buy a pack and beg me to make it for him. I’ll put bacon slices in the roasting pan and crisp it up that way (nice and even), and while he munches on his favorite cured meat, I’ll wonder about what to do with all that bacon fat that’s been rendered out into the pan. I don’t like to waste food, so while sometimes I will mix it in with my poultry feed to give them an extra boost of oils (especially during the winter when they need more fuel to say warm), I will also cook with it.

That’s when roasting vegetables come in handy, because while I don’t like to eat bacon, I do like the smokiness it imparts to food that has been made with it, brussel sprouts being one of them.

Brussel sprouts, once roasted, take on a sweet and nutty flavor. It’s something I never had until I was an adult, since Asian families don’t tend to eat them. They’re in the cabbage family, and are cool weather crops. I didn’t grow any this year, but may do it next year.

In any case, it’s a great way to utilize leftover bacon grease, and my husband gets to basically eat his bacon twice. This dish is sweet and savory, perfect for a roast dinner in nippy fall weather. You can use olive oil in place of bacon fat if you want it vegetarian/vegan.

Ingredients

• Brussel sprouts, halved
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Bacon grease, liquid state
• 1 tablespoon honey for every pound of brussel sprouts

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a roasting pan, toss the brussel sprouts in the bacon grease, honey, with a dash of salt and pepper, until evenly coated. Spread them so it is one layer.
3. Roast in the oven for 20 – 25 minutes, or until tender and slightly charred.