Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts

An impressive Thanksgiving side dish need not be time intensive, nor terribly difficult. Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts with crunchy pecans and a dash of bourbon (optional, but delicious!) are super easy, but a total showstopper both in flavor and presentation. They can be partially prepared in advance, and then finished in less than 15 minutes. A Thanksgiving dinner (or really any dinner) side dish winner!

Ingredients:
1½ lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
4 strips bacon, diced into ½” sections
½ cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon ground mustard
2 oz bourbon, or 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoon maple syrup
ground pepper, to taste

Instructions:
Fill a large pot with enough water to fully submerge the Brussels sprouts, and place over high heat. Bring the water to a boil and season with the kosher salt. Add the Brussels sprouts to the boil water and give them a good stir. Boil 4-5 minutes, until the sprouts are tender but still bright green in color. Drain in a colander, run under cold water to stop the cooking process, then lay on a kitchen towel to dry.
Place the bacon in a 12″ skillet and heat over medium heat. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and bacon is crisp, 7-8 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place onto a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
Increase the heat to medium high, then add the blanched Brussels sprouts and pecans to the rendered bacon fat. Saute over high heat, stirring frequently, until the sprouts are crisp, 4-5 minutes.
Sprinkle the mustard powder over the sprouts and pecans, then stir constantly for 1 minute. Pour the bourbon (or cider vinegar) into the pan to deglaze; stir and scrape constantly until any browned bits have been scraped up and the bourbon is completely absorbed, 2-3 minutes.
Add the bacon back to the pan, then pour in the maple syrup. Give everything a good toss, then cook 1 minute more, until the syrup is slightly thickened. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper if needed. Serve right away, and enjoy!

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