Smoked Brussels Sprouts

5 from 1 vote

These Smoked Brussels Sprouts are the perfect side dish for those summer barbecues! The sprouts are cooked in the rendered bacon fat, soaking up the smoky goodness. Add in the sprinkle of Cajun BBQ rub and a drizzle of Nashville hot honey, and this smoked dish will have everyone at your party asking for more.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Grilling

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bacon brussels sprouts, honey brussels, smoked brussel sprouts, smoked brussels sprouts

Servings: servings

Author: Joshua Boquist

Equipment

Ingredients

2 lb Brussels sprouts cut in half
1 lb bacon thinly sliced and chopped
1 white onion diced
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp Cajun rub seasoning
2 tbsp hot honey

Instructions

Preheat your Traeger or pellet grill to the highest setting.
Place a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven on the grates and add the chopped bacon. Cook until the fat has rendered, but before it gets crispy.
Reduce the smoker to 225°F. Drain ½ to ¾ of the bacon fat from the skillet and add the onions. Cook the onions until translucent, and then add the garlic. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the Brussels sprouts to the skillet and sprinkle the Cajun rub seasoning on top. Toss to sprouts to coat them in the bacon fat and seasoning.
Close the smoker lid and cook at 225°F for 1 to 1-½ hours or until they are browned and tender.
Drizzle the hot honey over the Brussels sprouts and toss them.
Serve the smoked Brussels sprouts hot!

Notes

Be sure to drain some of the bacon fat; otherwise, the dish will be overly greasy. I found that draining ¾ of the bacon fat was best.
If you prefer a vegetarian version, replace the bacon with 2 cups of sliced mushrooms. Be sure to also add 2-3 tablespoons of oil to compensate for the bacon.
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. Plate the Brussels sprouts and drizzle with the hot honey.
If you want to dial the spice down, use regular honey or maple syrup in place of Nashville hot honey.

Reheat

If you have leftovers, you can reheat the Brussels sprouts. For best results, I recommend using the air fryer so that you can bring them back to life and make them slightly crispy.

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

Nutrition