Creamed Brussels Sprouts Recipe – Oma's Rosenkohl Rezept (2024)

FAQs

How do you make Brussels sprouts not mushy? ›

Any disdain you may harbor for Brussel Sprouts probably originated by eating them steamed or boiled. Steaming and boiling use moist heat, and moist heat can make Brussel Sprouts mushy and stinky—not a good combo. Give them the treatment they deserve by roasting them instead.

The bitter taste of Brussels sprouts comes from compounds called glucosinolates and their degradation products, he explains. These bitter tasting compounds are an important part of the plant's defence mechanism against leaf-eating enemies, such as insects, nematodes, slugs, and herbivores, like pigeons and deer.

It turns out that giving Brussels sprouts a good soak can help them to cook evenly throughout. Not only will the sprouts have a better texture after being soaked, but you won't have to choose between burning the outside and undercooking the inside.

Like all cabbages, Brussels are unavoidably fibrous and dense. You must overcome this by either cooking them in salty water until fork tender (blanching), or by roasting at a high (over 425F) temperature for upwards of 20 minutes. To guarantee great texture, do both!

Roast the Brussels Sprouts at high heat

If you don't hear them crisping up in the oven, add a little more oil and roast them for a few more minutes until your desire crispiness is achieved!

The crispy exterior, however, is achieved by preheating the sheet pan itself in a 450° oven. You're essentially treating the baking sheet like a sauté pan, searing an entire side of the brussels sprouts. Without preheating the pan, they'd overcook before they got to the ideal crispy state.

In the late 1990s scientists identified specific chemicals, called glucosinolates, that made Brussels sprouts taste bitter. Plant breeders started growing old seeds, previously discarded for producing paltry harvests, to identify tastier versions with lower levels of these compounds.

A splash of lemon juice, or even apple cider vinegar, works wonders on bitter sprouts. Another key ingredient is fat, which helps Brussels sprouts to crisp up.

"People with certain genetic variants in the TAS2R38 gene can detect bitter taste more than others and therefore may be more likely to dislike sprouts,” 23andMe senior product scientist Alisa Lehman recently told the Daily Record. "There are many factors outside genetics that play a part in the foods we like.

To maximize the flat areas, which get the most crispy surface area, cut your Brussels sprouts in half. If your Brussels sprouts are very small, you can leave them whole (and if they are very large, quarter them).

How long should you soak brussel sprouts in salt water? ›

Contributed by Whole Foods Market, Inc. To prepare, soak Brussels sprouts in a bowl of cold, salted water for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F.

Method. Tip the brussels sprouts into a pan and add a couple of cm water and a pinch of salt – a large pan works better so they're not piled up too high. Cover and bring the water to the boil, turn down to a simmer and cook with the lid on for 3- 5 mins depending on size.

If any of the leaves have brown spots or are yellowing, it's a sign of early spoilage. If you remove the blemished leaves and the interior looks OK, you can still use the sprout. However, if the interior leaves are also showing blemishes or yellowing, it's best to toss it (or compost it, if you can).

Prepare the vegetables: leave them whole or cut them in half if large, then blanch them in salted boiling water until crisp-tender (al dente), about 4 min. Drain well, then serve.

Rinse a couple of times a day to keep the seeds/sprouts moist. This also flushes away carbon dioxide and metabolic wastes that could cause spoiling. Use cool water when rinsing to ventilate and cool the sprouts to prevent overheating. Sprouts generate warmth as they grow.

Watering just right is key to preventing mushy Brussels Sprouts leaves. It's like a dance with nature—know the steps. Water thoroughly until it drains from the bottom, then let it be. Overwatering is a no-go; it's the fast track to Soggyville.

Not using enough oil.

The other secret to ridiculously crispy Brussels sprouts is tossing them in plenty of oil. We like to use olive oil, but plain vegetable oil is great too. If the sprouts are well-coated, they'll caramelize and char instead of simply softening in the oven.

If you feel a slimy film or if your brussel sprouts have soft tender spots, then throw them away instead of eating them. Black or brown spots Brussel sprout leaves normally look bright green and have light green or white stalks.