BBQ Glazed Smoked Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Add zest to your side dishes this season with these BBQ Glazed Smoked Brussels Sprouts loaded with bacon and served with a quick homemade aioli. So good, you’ll watch everyone come back for seconds!

Brussels Sprouts. Everyone loves to hate them. But once you give them a chance, you can end up really enjoying them. As with most things, it’s all about how they are cooked.

Smoking sprouts keeps them tender without them getting mushy and infuses a serious blast of flavor from the bacon and barbecue sauce glaze. The cast iron gives the sprouts that golden crisp edge and makes clean up a breeze.

These smoked brussel sprouts with bacon have become a staple recipe for my family dinner parties now. They are both the perfect smoked side dish and an appetizer on their own with the zesty dipping aioli.

While you’ve got the Traeger smoker fired up, you have to try these easy smoked baked potatoes and smoked cabbage side dish recipes too!

Can you smoke Brussel Sprouts?

Yes. And this bacon-loaded Brussels recipe will convert any skeptics and make bigger fans out of those who already love these mini-powerhouses.

Brussels sprouts take incredible well to the signature charcoal and wood flavors from the grill. Similar to roasting, they do well under the heat, and unlike boiling them, they don’t get mushy, which is what makes this recipe work so well.

The addition of a barbecue glaze at the end, along with the bacon, pops a bit of zing into the dish and livens it up.

What you need

To make this recipe, you will need

Chances are you have most of these ingredients in the pantry begging to be used.

How to Smoke Brussels Sprouts

Start by prepping your grill. If using a pellet grill (Pit Boss, GMG, Traeger, etc) place the grill on the sear setting and allow your cast iron to preheat.

If using a traditional smoker or gas grill, make a two-zone fire for indirect or direct heat, placing the cast iron on the hot side.

Start by crisping the bacon. Once it’s cooked remove it from the pan and carefully drain off any excess fat, leaving about 2 to 3 tablespoons in the pan.

Once the bacon is cooked, add your onion and Brussels sprouts to the pan and toss to coat in the bacon fat. This adds tons of flavor and helps prevent sticking.

Season your sprouts with your bbq seasoning of choice before you shut the lid to cook them on the grill.

When they are almost done cooking, toss them in barbecue sauce to glaze everything.

When the sprouts are done remove them from the grill and add the remaining bbq sauce and chopped bacon.

Whip up the spicy aioli by whisking the sour cream, mayo, a tablespoon of bbq sauce, and a teaspoon of bbq seasoning together in a bowl for additional dipping and flavor.

What temperature to smoke brussels sprouts

Aim for a temperature of 225-250 and about 1 to 1 1/2 hours to cook until fork tender.

The kind of smoker and temp you are running will change the cooking time. I used a Traeger pellet smoker for this recipe but it can be made on any type of grill or also in the oven if you don’t have a smoker.

See my guide on how to get BBQ flavor with wood chips on a gas grill here.

Tips, tricks, and notes for this recipe

No grill? No problem.

You can cook brussels sprouts in the oven. Follow this recipe for roasted maple brussels sprouts as a guide for how to make these.

Look for fresh brussels sprouts

Find them in the bulk area of the produce department at your market. Frozen sprouts are not recommended and do not work the same for this recipe.

Use good bacon

One that is too thin will get too brittle and crispy when frying in the cast iron. If you feel creative, pancetta or ham steak would be great substitutes for the bacon.

Use cast iron

I love cast iron for cooking on the grill because it can handle the heat, but when working with cast iron over a grill, never leave it unattended for too long. Cast iron holds heat, and if things get too hot, you will char your veggies beyond repair.

How to store

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. and reheated in the oven. They will get softer as the days go on tho and are best served right off the grill.

Make sure to store the aioli in a separate container and use it within 3 days as well. Try it on all of your veggies, like roasted broccoli, a smoked baked potato, smoked cabbage, or green beans too!

What to serve grilled brussels sprouts

Brussels go well with most hearty proteins and this recipe is perfect as a Thanksgiving or holiday side dish with a Traeger smoked turkey, paired with grilled roast beef for Sunday supper. Or keep it simple and serve with pan-seared chicken thighs or sausages on busy weeknights.

The best part is, these are keto-friendly and you can choose whatever bbq sauce or spice blend is right for your dietary needs.

More side dish recipes

If you’ve tried my BBQ Smoked Brussels Sprouts with Bacon recipe, or any other recipe on GirlCarnivore.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below. I get inspired by your feedback and comments! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram @girlcarnivore as well as on  Twitter and Facebook.

These smoked sprouts are grilled in cast iron, tossed with crispy bacon, a barbecue glaze and your favorite spices. Serve them with the spicy aioli for dipping.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going to sleep

Prep the GRill

• Preheat the smoker to high, or sear setting. Place a cast iron skillet over the hot area of the grill to preheat.

• Add the bacon to the pan, and cook until crisp.

• Remove from pan and drain, reserving the bacon fat in the pan.

Smoke the Brussels Sprouts

• Reduce the heat on your smoker to around 250°F.

• Place the cast iron skillet back on the grill.

• Add the onions, garlic, and brussels to the pan and toss to coat in the bacon drippings.

• Sprinkle the barbecue spice blend over top.

• Cover the lid of the grill and allow to smoke for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the sprouts are fork tender.

Glaze the sprouts

• For the last 20 minutes of smoking, toss the brussels sprouts in half of the barbecue sauce.

• Carefully, remove the cast iron pan from the smoker.

Make the spicy aioli

• Whisk the sour cream, mayo and barbecue sauce together in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

• Sprinkle the barbecue spice blend over top and serve alongside the smoked brussels for dipping.

This recipe is featured on a Traeger grill but can be made on any pellet smoker, gas grill, smoker, or even in the oven. 
You can make this recipe up to 2 hours ahead of time and keep the sprouts warm for serving later. 
Store leftovers up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. However, the brussel sprouts do become soggy over time, so the sooner they are consumed the better. 
 

Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 387mg | Potassium: 446mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 690IU | Vitamin C: 66.1mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 2.5mg

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, barbeque