Cast Iron Brussels Sprouts with Leftover Smoked Turkey Recipe

Got some leftover smoked turkey? Try cutting into cubes and adding it to some sautéed Brussels sprouts cooking in a cast iron pan.

Years ago I became a big Brussels sprouts fan. I came to realize that these mini cabbages were absolutely amazing when they are cooked right (which means never boiled!). There are two things I think make for the best Brussels sprouts dish:

• Getting some char on the Brussels
• Introducing a smoky element

In order to accomplish that, I use a cast iron pan to get some good browning on the sprouts and I add leftover smoked turkey from Thanksgiving to give that smoky flavor. With that added protein of the turkey you totally could make this into a main course dish but also could be served up a side if feeding more people. Anyway you serve it up it will be good!

Ingredients

Here is what you will need from the store to make this recipe.

• 1 lb Brussels sprouts
• ½ cup diced leftover smoked turkey
• Parmesan cheese
• Cooking oil
• Salt

The ingredient list here is pretty simple. You are getting big flavor from browning the sprouts in the pan and adding the smoked turkey. Parmesan cheese also brings a good amount of flavor, especially when you buy a wedge of Parmesan and grate it yourself, which is what I am recommending here.

I suggest salting to taste at the very end of cooking. The smoked turkey may be salty enough on it's own to need not additional salt.

DID YOU KNOW? Did you know Brussels sprouts are sweeter when they are harvested in cold weather? Learn all about the best time of year to get Brussels sprouts in my post on When Are Brussels Sprouts in Season?. There is a such thing as Purple Brussels Sprouts you could use in this recipe. Or mix purple and green together for a pretty side. The purple ones will keep their color when cooked.

Tips

You want the Brussel sprouts to brown not burn. So that means a couple things:

• Don't leave them unattended. You need to be in the kitchen, stirring the sprouts every so often so that they don't burn.
• Use plenty of oil to promote even browning. If the sprouts are too dry, they won't cook well.
• Cut the sprouts in half to cook them, to give them the most surface area for browning. If you quarter them, they will cook faster, however you will have created more sides that you need to brown. I feel it's easier to just do halves. Or another option that is really good and cooks fast is to shred the Brussels sprouts like I did in this Shredded Brussels with Bacon recipe.

Also you don't want to add the smoked turkey to the very end. It's already cooked and just need to be heated up. I add the Parmesan once I turn off the heat.

More Recipes You'll Love

After you give this recipe a try, here are some other recipes that are either using Brussels sprouts or leftover smoked turkey

• Leftover Smoked Turkey Pasta Salad
• Leftover Smoked Turkey Bean Chili
• Sous Vide Brussels Sprouts with Everything Seasoning
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic and Dried Cranberries
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Panko Breadcrumbs