Here's a primer on how to cut brussels sprouts, trim brussels sprouts, and the best cooking methods to using the produce. After purchasing, learn how to store them before and after the vegetable is cut.
The way a brussels sprout looks, smells, and feels tells everything about it's quality. Once you pick your produce now the question is how do you cut brussels sprouts? To maximize its characteristic texture and flavor, here's a guide to how to cut brussels sprouts, trim and prep the produce for when you are ready to use for recipes like iron skillet fried brussels sprouts.
Jump to:
- What are Brussels Sprouts
- How to pick brussels sprouts
- How to prepare and wash brussels sprouts for sauteing and cooking
- How to cut brussels sprouts quickly
- How to trim brussels sprouts
- How to shave or shred brussels sprouts
- How to store brussels sprouts
- Tips to cut brussels sprouts without falling apart
- Recipes and different ways to cook brussels sprouts
- Frequently Asked Questions
- How To Cut Brussels Sprouts
What are Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are a native vegetable to the cabbage family. Just look at them, they look like little baby cabbages! Foods such as cabbage, collard greens, broccoli, broccoli rabe, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kale, arugula, and mustard greens are cruciferous vegetables (aka crucifers) - and bring out the best of each other when combined in recipes.
Crucifers help to decrease the risk of a variety of cancers, including intestinal and lung cancer. Brussels sprouts are rich in vitamins such as B vitamins and A, C, E, and K.
Eat brussels sprouts for maximum nutritional density of these nutrients! They have 10 times the nutrition found in green cabbage. They also help to lower cholesterol, increase good cholesterol, purify the liver, spleen and blood.
But how to cut brussels sprouts for eating? Keep reading!
How to pick brussels sprouts
When looking for brussels sprouts in the grocery story or farmers market, look for produce that is firm, and has dense heads. The outer leaves should be bright green with compact leaves and not brown or yellow. Avoid ones with wilted or yellowing leaves, spots, blemishes, or signs of insects.
How to prepare and wash brussels sprouts for sauteing and cooking
Remove any leaves that are yellow or brown. Add brussels sprout heads to a colander and rinse with filtered water. Then place them in a bowl of salted water to set for about 10-20 minutes to remove bacteria and debris. Strain the water and trim the bottoms.
How to cut brussels sprouts quickly
Repeat for all the brussels sprouts and either cut them into halves or quarters on-by-one.
How to cut brussels sprouts in half: Cut each brussels sprout in half from the top to the bottom (where the stem was).
How to cut brussels sprouts into quarters: To cut into quarters, place each half flat-side down. Cut from the top to the bottom again.
How to trim brussels sprouts
If buying a whole stalk of brussels sprouts, here is how to trim them off. Cut them off as close to the stem of the head of each brussels sprouts. Keep some of the stem (or core) so the leaves do not fall off. When a recipe says trim bottoms, just cut off a slight layer of the part that starts to brown before you prepare them. That's it!
How to shave or shred brussels sprouts
To shave them down into shredded brussels sprouts, using a pairing knife, prepare into halves and lay the flat side down on a cutting board. Finely cut them down into thin slices starting from the top to the bottom.
How to store brussels sprouts
Washed brussels sprouts: Washed brussels sprouts tend to rot faster since there is liquid on them so it is best to use them right away. If you can't, once you achieve the method on how to cut brussels sprouts, store them in a plastic bag with a paper towel in the fridge for about 1 day.
Unwashed brussels sprouts: Store unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Tips to cut brussels sprouts without falling apart
Don't you just hate when all the leaves fall off and it appears that there is no round head of a brussels sprout left? Or when you start cooking them the leaves burn. So how do you cut brussels sprouts without falling apart? This is the same method for how to core brussels sprouts. Just cut the slight browning edge of the core or stem at the base, but keep it intact so the leaves stay on, which is the base that holds it together.
You can also just remove the leaves and use single leaves in recipes.
Recipes and different ways to cook brussels sprouts
Cooking methods for brussels sprouts are to serve them raw in salad (like coleslaw or this shaved brussels sprouts salad), roast, boil, steam, or sauté. Here are our favorite healthy recipes to get you started!
Frequently Asked Questions
The stem of a brussels sprout is the part you cut off. When you cut it, just cut it as close to the core as possible to remove any browning. The base or stem is what holds the leaves in-tact so you co not want to cut it too close or you lose lots of leaves.
Trimming brussels sprouts is really easy, although you may be wondering how much do you trim off brussels sprouts? Just cut off the browning base and remove any lose leaves or ones that are yellow or with brown spots. Do this for each one.
Here is a quick checklist for cutting brussels sprouts quickly:
1. Rinse and was the brussels sprouts using a colander.
2. Soak for 10-20 minutes in salted water.
3. Remove any yellowing or brown leaves.
4. Trim the stem slightly, close to the core just removing any browning.
5. Cut from top to bottom to halve brussels sprouts.
6. Lay each half facing down and cut again top to bottom to quarter them.
The leaves usually fall off easily. For fresh green vegetables, use your hands and peel off the outer leaves. You can just peel ones that are yellow or brown or go ahead and remove all the outer layers of leaves.
To remove choke and bitterness from brussels sprouts is simple. Cut an x at the bottom of the stem. This helps to release the bitterness when cooking.
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How To Cut Brussels Sprouts
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Equipment
- paring knife
Ingredients
- 1 lb. brussels sprouts
Instructions
- Trim brussels sprouts off the stalk, cutting off the spouting stem so you are left with the circular vegetable.
- Remove any wilted and loose leaves or yellowing and brown leaves from each vegetable.
- Rinse the brussels sprouts in a colander under fresh water. Add the brussels sprouts to a large bowl and soak them in salted water for 10-20 minutes. Strain the water and trim the bottoms which is the end of the stem.
- Cut each brussels sprout in half from the top to the bottom (where the stem was). To cut into quarters, place each half flat-side down. Cut from the top to the bottom again. Repeat for the remaining brussels sprouts and either cut them into halves or quarters.
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