These smoked Brussels sprouts are the ultimate side dish for your upcoming summer barbecues! Cooked in rendered bacon fat and cooked on the smoker to soak up all of that smoky goodness. All you’ll have to do is add a sprinkle of bright Cajun BBQ dry rub and a drizzle of Nashville hot honey on top to get some sweet heat. Your guests will definitely ask for seconds of these smoked Brussel sprouts.

Pair with any of my other favorite smoker recipes and make a feast for your next gathering!

💪 Why Smoked Brussels Sprouts Are Delicious

• Simply bursting with smoky and spicy flavors thanks to the addition of a dry rub and Nashville hot honey.
  
• It only requires 10 minutes of prep work before you put the vegetables in the smoker.
  
• Sure to please — every time I make this side dish, someone always ends up asking for the recipe!
  
• A fun way to enjoy Brussels sprouts. Even your kids will love them.
  
• It’s versatile and can be adapted for vegetarians!

🍽 Smoked Brussel Sprouts Ingredients

You won’t need a lot of ingredients to make these smoked Brussels sprouts. Make sure to refer to the printable recipe card below for all the details on quantities.

• Brussels sprouts. I’m using 2 pounds that have been sliced in half for easy eating.
  
• Bacon. Make sure it’s thinly sliced and chopped.
  
• Onion. I have a preference for white onion for this recipe, but you can use yellow too. You could also opt for red onion if you have it at home.
  
• Garlic. For a more savory-garlic flavor, of course! Use four cloves or more if you love garlic!
  
• Cajun rub seasoning. I can’t say enough good things about my homemade Cajun rub. You could also use your favorite brand like the Spiceology Black Magic Cajun rub.
  
• Nashville hot honey. As I mentioned, I love Nashville hot honey. You can make it yourself or buy it at the grocery store. You can usually find it near the specialty cheese section or the deli near the fancy charcuterie accompaniments.

👨‍🍳 How To Make Smoked Sprouts

The moment of truth: how to make smoked Brussels sprout! Remember to scroll down to the printable recipe card for more detailed step-by-step instructions for this recipe.

1. Preheat your smoker (I love my Traeger), or use any grill with wood chips for the smokiness.
   
2. Place your pan, cast iron skillet, or Dutch oven on the grates.
   
3. Add the chopped bacon and cook until the fat has rendered.
   
4. Reduce the heat and drain most of the bacon fat.
   
5. Add the onions and cook a bit before adding the garlic.
   
6. Transfer the Brussels sprouts to the skillet and add the Cajun seasoning on top.
   
7. Toss to coat the sprouts in the bacon fat, onion, and garlic, then cook until they’re brown and tender.
   
8. Drizzle the hot honey on top and serve!

⏳ How Long to Smoke Brussel Sprouts at 225°F

I always smoke my Brussels sprouts until they are fork-tender, but it usually takes about 90 minutes on the Traeger. Smoking them at 225°F allows for the optimal amount of smokiness flavor to infuse into the sprouts.

You can also smoke the Brussels sprouts at 250°F or 300°F. Check on them after 30 minutes, and be prepared to take them off the smoker around the 60-minute mark if you are smoking at higher temperatures.

😉 Tips For a Smoking Success

• Use the right pan. A large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven work perfectly for this recipe.
  
• Don’t skip the draining step. If you do, the dish will become too greasy. I find that draining ¾ of the bacon fat works best.
  
• Keep an eye on the cooking time. Smoked Brussel sprouts should cook up perfectly in about 1-1 ½ hours. Start checking on them after about 30 minutes to make sure they don’t burn. Be sure to give them a stir so that they cook and brown evenly.
  
• Add the hot honey at the end. If you add the honey too early, it may burn with prolonged exposure to heat. You also risk degrading the honey, and it will lose its wonderful flavor.
  
• Dial the heat down. If you prefer to keep it mild and dial the heat down, use regular honey or maple syrup instead of the Nashville hot honey.

🤔 Substitutions and Variations

• Make this recipe with any type of vegetable. Mushrooms, zucchini, summer squash, potatoes, corn, bell peppers…use up anything you have around the house to give it your personal touch!
  
• Make it vegetarian by replacing the bacon with one or two cups of sliced mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms in a couple tablespoons of oil in place of the bacon. The extra umami flavor will be a welcome addition to the dish.
  
• Use a different type of seasoning/garnish. Some of my favorites from Spiceology are Black Magic, Purple Haze, and Greek Freak.
  
• Use the charcoal grill. If you don’t have a smoker pellet grill, no worries! I have also made these Brussels sprouts on my Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800 and Weber kettle. The charcoal grill also gives a great flavor, and you can add smokiness with wood chips in a smoke tube.
  
• Serve with a dipping sauce. Try out this Donkey sauce (AKA garlic aioli), honey mustard sauce, or my Kansas City-style BBQ sauce.
  
• Hot honey ain’t your thing? Mix it up and drizzle the sprouts with regular honey or maple syrup.

🥡 Store and Reheat Smoked Brussels Sprouts

I recommend making this dish right before you are ready to serve it because the Brussels sprouts will get soggy if you make them too far in advance. However, if you want to make smoked Brussels sprouts ahead of time to help you get ready for a party, they will keep in the fridge for 3 days. Store them in an airtight container.

For best results, reheat them in the air fryer at 360°F for 10 minutes. Give them a shake and air fry them again at 400°F for 3-4 minutes. This will help to bring them back to life and give them a bit of a crisp.

Interested in freezing them? Once they have cooled completely, place them on a baking sheet (make sure they don’t touch) and flash-freeze them for an hour or so. When they’re completely frozen, place them in a freezer-safe container. They will keep for up to 1 year!

You can reheat smoked Brussel sprouts in the oven, air fryer, or microwave. Thaw them first before cooking.

• Oven: Heat at 360°F for 15-20 minutes.
• Air Fryer: Heat at 360°F for 8 minutes and again at 400°F for 3-4 minutes.
• Microwave: Heat in 30-second bursts until warmed through.

🥦 Easy Smoked Veggie Recipes

• Smoked Cauliflower
• Smoked Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
• Smoked Asparagus
• Smoked Au Gratin Potatoes

🤤 More Must-Try Recipes

• Smoked Baked Beans
• Air Fryer Cherry Tomatoes
• Smoked Cream Cheese
• Smoked Pork Loin
• Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes

🌱 Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts

You can use the air fryer to take these smoked Brussels sprouts to the next level. After cooking them on the smoker and before the hot honey drizzle, toss the Brussels sprouts into the air fryer basket and cook them at 400°F for 3-4 minutes. This will crisp up the exterior.

You can also check out this recipe for air fryer Brussels sprouts with bacon.

🛠 Grill Tools and Smoker Equipment

• Traeger Timberline 1300 – my workhorse for smoking!
  
• Masterbuilt Gavity Series 800 – perfect for that famous charcoal grilled flavor. Add a smoke tube for that wood smoke flavor.
  
• John Boos butcher block – dice and chop away! Don’t forget the knife!
  
• 12″ Lodge cast iron skillet – a must-have for any backyard cooking enthusiast or home cook.
  
• Lodge Dutch oven – such a versatile piece of cookware.
  
• de Buyer carbon steel pan – my favorite carbon steel is the de Buyer Mineral B Pro 12.5″

❓ FAQ

🎁 Wrap Up

Congratulations, now you know how to make smoked Brussels sprouts! With simple ingredients, a smoker, and a little bit of time, you’ll be well on your way to whipping up this unique side dish. I hope this recipe has inspired you for any upcoming get-togethers you may have in the works!

Be sure to let me know how you make out when you create this dish on your own. I love hearing from you in the comments!

💬 Tell Me What You Think!

Did you try out this recipe? Please leave a comment below and let me know how you liked it. Also, snap a picture and post it to your favorite social platform. Be sure to tag me at @alicensetogrill and let me know how you liked it!

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