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# Roasted Brussels Sprouts in Bacon Fat (Thanksgiving and Christmas Side)
- URL: https://thefoodiekitchen.net/roasted-brussels-sprouts-bacon-fat/
- Published: 2026-11-11T17:51:15.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-11T17:55:31.000Z
- Description: Brussels sprouts roasted hard in rendered bacon fat, then tossed in garlic butter with the crisp bacon. A seed-oil-free Thanksgiving and Christmas side.
- Author: Savannah Ryan
- Tags: MAHA Recipes

**The short answer:** render the bacon first, then roast the halved sprouts cut side down in its fat at 220°C (425°F) until the faces are deep brown, and finish them in garlic butter with the crisp bacon. No seed oil, nothing extra to buy for frying, and the best Brussels sprouts you will put on the table this Thanksgiving (Thursday 26 November) or Christmas.

Brussels sprouts have a bad name because most of us grew up eating them boiled grey. Roasted hard in a hot oven, in the fat that has just run out of a pan of smoked bacon, they are a different vegetable entirely: crisp, nutty leaves on the outside, tender in the middle and salty-sweet all the way through.

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Air fryer recipes cooked in tallow, ghee and butter rather than seed oils. **PDF download (117 pages), $4.99**, sold in our own shop.

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## Why bacon fat (and a little butter)?

Bacon fat is rendered pork fat with the smoke and cure of the bacon built in, which makes it a seasoning as well as a cooking fat. Cooking the lardons slowly from a cold pan melts the fat out of them before they crisp, so you end up with crunchy bacon for the finished dish and around 3 tablespoons of flavourful fat to roast in. That fat clings to every leaf and browns the cut faces of the sprouts in a way a thin oil never quite does. If your bacon is lean, top it up with [lard](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/what-is-lard/), which is the same kind of fat without the smoke.

Butter goes in only at the end, off the high heat. Its milk solids would scorch long before the sprouts were done in a 220°C oven, but melted gently with garlic it gives the finished dish a rich, rounded flavour. There is no reason to reach for vegetable, canola or sunflower oil here; see our [guide to cooking fat smoke points](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/cooking-fat-smoke-points/) for how the traditional fats compare.

**Serves:** 6 as a side · **Prep:** 15 minutes · **Cook:** 35 minutes · **Total:** 50 minutes

## Ingredients

- 900g (2 lb) Brussels sprouts
- 200g (7 oz) smoked streaky bacon, cut into 1cm lardons
- 1 tbsp lard, only if the bacon gives you less than 3 tablespoons of fat
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Flaky sea salt, to taste (add it last; the bacon is already salty)
- 15g (1 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp maple syrup for Thanksgiving, or a squeeze of lemon juice
- 100g (3½ oz) cooked, peeled chestnuts, roughly broken (optional, for Christmas)

## Method

1. Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan, 425°F, gas 7) and put a large rimmed sheet pan in to heat up.
2. Trim the sprouts: slice off the woody base, pull away any loose or yellowed outer leaves and halve each sprout through the stem. Quarter any very large ones so everything cooks at the same speed.
3. Put the lardons in a large cold frying pan and set it over a medium-low heat. Let them cook slowly for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until they are crisp and the fat has run out. Lift the bacon out with a slotted spoon and set it aside, leaving the fat in the pan. You want about 3 tablespoons of fat; if the bacon was lean, add the lard and let it melt.
4. Take the pan off the heat, add the sprouts and a good grinding of pepper and toss until every sprout is glossy with fat.
5. Tip the sprouts onto the hot tray and turn them cut side down in a single layer, with space between them. Use two trays rather than crowd one; crowded sprouts steam instead of browning.
6. Roast for 20 minutes without touching them, until the cut faces are a deep, even brown. Turn them, scatter over the chestnuts, if using, and roast for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the tip of a knife slides easily into the thickest sprout.
7. While they finish, melt the butter in the bacon pan over a low heat, add the garlic and cook for about a minute until fragrant but not coloured. Stir in the maple syrup (or leave it out and use lemon at the end).
8. Tip the roasted sprouts and the bacon into the pan and toss everything in the garlic butter. Taste, add flaky salt only if it needs it, and serve straight away while the edges are still crisp.

## Tips for the best roasted sprouts

- **Hot tray, single layer, cut side down.** This is the whole trick. Preheating the tray starts the browning the moment the sprouts land, and space between them lets the steam escape.
- **Dry sprouts brown better.** If you wash them, pat them thoroughly dry before they go into the fat.
- **Salt last.** Smoked bacon varies a lot in saltiness, so taste the finished dish before adding any.
- **Loose leaves are a bonus.** The leaves that fall off while you trim turn wonderfully crisp in the oven. Roast them on the same tray.
- **Safe leftovers.** Refrigerate within 2 hours, eat within 3 to 4 days and reheat to 165°F (74°C), as the [USDA FSIS leftovers guidance](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/leftovers-and-food-safety) recommends.

## Building the holiday menu

For Thanksgiving, these sit beside our [tallow roast turkey](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/tallow-roast-turkey/), [turkey gravy with a tallow roux](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/turkey-gravy-tallow-roux/) and [green bean casserole in butter](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/green-bean-casserole-butter-shallots/); the full [seed-oil-free Thanksgiving menu and countdown](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/seed-oil-free-thanksgiving/) has the timings. For a British Christmas dinner, add the chestnuts and serve them with [tallow roast potatoes](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/tallow-roast-potatoes/) and [Yorkshire puddings in beef dripping](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/yorkshire-puddings-beef-dripping/), and read our guide to [a British Christmas in traditional fats](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/british-christmas-traditional-fats/).

What you'll need

- [Nordic Ware aluminium half sheet pans (2-pack), so the sprouts are never crowded](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0049C2S32?tag=thefoodieki0f-20)
- [Lodge 12-inch cast iron skillet, for rendering the bacon and the garlic butter](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G2XGC88?tag=thefoodieki0f-20)
- [Fatworks pasture-raised leaf lard, to top up lean bacon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011YMC8P2?tag=thefoodieki0f-20)

Affiliate links: as an Amazon Associate, The Foodie Kitchen earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. [Disclosure](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/affiliate-disclosure/).

## FAQ

### Why roast Brussels sprouts in bacon fat rather than oil?

Because the bacon gives you two things at once: crisp, salty pieces to scatter through the dish and the fat to roast in. Bacon fat is rendered pork fat carrying the smoke and cure of the bacon, so it seasons the sprouts as they brown. It is not a seed oil, and you do not have to buy anything extra to cook with it. If you want the same effect without pork, use beef tallow; our [lard vs tallow guide](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/lard-vs-tallow/) explains the difference.

### Why are my sprouts bitter or soggy?

Usually because they were boiled, steamed or crowded on the tray. Overcooked sprouts go soft and develop a strong, sulphurous smell. Roasting them cut side down in a hot oven with plenty of space browns the cut faces, and that browned sweetness balances their natural bitterness.

### Can I make them in the air fryer?

Yes. Toss the halved sprouts in about 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat and cook them in a single layer at 200°C (400°F), shaking the basket halfway, until browned and tender. Small baskets will need two batches. Then finish them in the garlic butter as in step 7\. For more air fryer recipes in tallow, ghee and butter, see the [seed-oil-free air fryer guide](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/seed-oil-free-air-fryer-guide/).

### Can I prepare them ahead for Thanksgiving or Christmas Day?

Yes, partly. The day before, trim and halve the sprouts and cook the bacon, then refrigerate the sprouts, the bacon and its fat separately. On the day, warm the fat until it is liquid and carry on from step 4\. The roasting itself is best done just before serving, because roasted sprouts lose their crisp edges as they sit.

### Can I use frozen sprouts?

You can, but they will not be as crisp. Roast them straight from frozen, without thawing, in a single layer and allow extra time.

### How should I store leftovers?

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking, use them within 3 to 4 days, and reheat them to 165°F (74°C). Reheat sprouts in a hot oven or frying pan rather than the microwave to bring back some of the crispness.

### What do I do with the leftover bacon fat?

Strain any fat you do not use through a fine sieve into a clean jar, cover it and keep it in the fridge. It is excellent for roast potatoes, cornbread and frying eggs.

## Sources

- [USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service: Leftovers and Food Safety](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/leftovers-and-food-safety) (refrigerate within 2 hours; 3 to 4 days in the fridge; reheat to 165°F).

More ideas: [seed-oil-free Thanksgiving](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/seed-oil-free-thanksgiving/) · [lard vs tallow](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/lard-vs-tallow/) · [is lard a seed oil?](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/is-lard-a-seed-oil/) · [cast iron lard cornbread](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/lard-cornbread-cast-iron/) · [Christmas pudding with beef suet](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/christmas-pudding-beef-suet/).

**Find more in:** [American recipes](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/seed-oil-free-american-recipes/) · [Sides, Soups & Breads recipes](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/seed-oil-free-sides-soups-breads/) · [Butter recipes](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/butter-recipes/) · [Lard recipes](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/lard-recipes/) · [All recipes](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/seed-oil-free-recipes/)