How to Cut Brussels Sprouts, with Photos & Recipe Suggestions

People ask all the time, What's the best way to cut up Brussels sprouts? Is there an easy way? A quicker way? My answer, sorry, is that it depends. That's why I'm sharing four ways to cut Brussels sprouts. One method works best for cooking Brussels sprouts whole; another way works best for roasting and sautéeing; another for cooking quickly and lightly; still another for quick-cooking just the leaves. Step by step photo illustrations of each technique.

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Buying, Washing & Trimming Brussels Sprouts
#1 Best for Cooking Brussels Sprouts Whole
#2 Best for Roasting or Sautéing
#3 Best for Cooking Quickly & Lightly
#4 Best for Cooking Just the Leaves

Some times, you look at a vegetable and wonder how in heavens to cut it up for cooking. Take Brussels sprouts. The baby cabbages may look like green golf balls but take a closer look, they're really tightly bound leaves surrounding a dense core.

(While we're at it, how do we spell Brussels sprouts? THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY Just remember Brussels sprouts, with an S at the end, like the Belgian city. THIS IS THE WRONG WAY Forget the incorrect spelling, Brussel sprouts, no S.)

Step by step, these photographs demonstrate the best ways I've found to cut Brussels sprouts, depending on how they're going to be cooked. Each technique has something in common: breaking up the dense center core. That's because:

Brussels sprouts cook more evenly when more heat reaches into the core.
Brussels sprouts taste better (even to people who typically don't like them) when some of the naturally occurring chemicals are leached out when the cores are broken up.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED
A cutting board
A sharp knife
Fresh Brussels sprouts
That's all!

LOOKING JUST FOR A LIST OF BRUSSELS SPROUTS RECIPES? You’ll find them all here, in Brussels sprouts recipes.

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What Are Those Funny-Looking Stalks? A Good Way to Buy Super-Fresh Brussels Sprouts! In winter, grocery stores some times sell fresh Brussels sprouts still right on the stalk. Don't be intimidated by the other-worldly appearance. The sprouts are attached to the very source of their life, so this is good! It keeps the sprouts especially fresh!

Choose Brussels Sprouts of Consistent Size Large or Small, Just Be Consistent. It can take a few minutes but right in the store, break off truly fresh Brussels sprouts from their stalks, unless the stalks are priced/sold as is, of course! You'll want to choose sprouts that are roughly equal in size. This is far more important than selecting "small sprouts" especially if you plan to cook the Brussels sprouts whole. I never get it when other cooks say, "Pick only the smallest sprouts." Really? Sure, chicken tenders are the most tender part of a chicken but do you really want to give up the wings? For me, everything in its time and place.

Loose Sprouts Are More Common And They're Great, Too. Mostly, however, we find fresh Brussels sprouts already off the stalk, loose in bins or some times in pre-packed bags. I also appreciate the bags of Brussels sprouts from Sam's Club, of all places! Loose Brussels sprouts mean that the stem cuts can be a few hours or a few days old and thus a little gnarly. Some times the outer leaves are bruised or yellowed, too.

First, Wash Well! Every.Single.Time. First! Please do wash the Brussels sprouts well, even if planning to cut off all the exterior bits. Why? Because if there's anything unsavory on the outside, then just putting it on the cutting board will contaminate the board; anything that gets cut on the board is at risk of contamination, too. In addition, the knife will cut through the outer areas so will transfer any contamination into the interior areas.

And Then Trim the Brussels Sprouts Be Sure to Allow Extra Time. So get out a sharp knife and just slice off the rough part of the stem, sometimes that's a thin slice, some times it's a little bit more. Toss it into the compost or the rubbish bin. If the outer leaves are unappetizing, slice them off too. Do allow some time. It takes me about 15 minutes to trim a pound of Brussels sprouts. (And if you don't have one, I love our pair of melamine compost bowls. It's My Most-Used Kitchen Tool!) NOW, choices. What you do next depends on how you expect to cook the Brussels sprouts.

#1 Best for Cooking Whole Brussels Sprouts The Magic of an X! Cut an X into the core with the tip of a knife, I usually get out a paring knife which has a thinner tip. If the sprout is large, cut deep into the core, just don't cut through the whole sprout. What's magic about an X? A cut deep into the core lets heat reach inside the dense core. This means the centers can fully cook without burning the outer leaves. It also releases some of the chemicals that make some people not like Brussels sprouts. Try it, truly! Recipe Suggestions: Brussels Sprouts with Dijon Brussels Sprouts with Apricot Glaze Lemony Creamy Brussels Sprouts & Celery

#2 Best for Roasting or Sautéing Maximizing Flat Surfaces for Caramelization! Cut the sprout in half, vertically, cutting right through the core. This means that during cooking, the heat needs to penetrate only half as far so the sprouts will cook evenly. But it retains the flat surface that's so important for creating the crusty edges that are ever so delectable. If you like, slice into the core a bit with the tip of a knife so that the heat can penetrate. Recipe Suggestions: Roasted Brussels Sprouts Fast Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Remove the Entire Core? Waste Not :: Want Not Some times, a recipe will suggest cutting out the core with a deep V cut. This removes the core entirely so that the sprouts will cook still more quickly. If the sprouts will be tossed in a sauce, you might want to twist the sprouts to open up the leaves a bit so that the sauce has more surface area to coat. But cutting out the core means throwing away a lot of the edible sprout – so wasteful. Life is full of choices!

Instead, Cut Into Quarters or Sixths Instead of cutting out the cores, cut the halves in half again (for quarters) or into thirds (for sixths). These will cook still more quickly (and retain some flat edges) but won't be as wasteful as removing the cores. Recipe Suggestions: Creamy Brussels Sprouts Gratin Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta & Garlic Braised Brussels Sprouts

#3 Best for Cooking Brussels Sprouts Quickly and Lightly Think Thin! To cook Brussels sprouts the most quickly, a quick sauté, say, you want the thinnest pieces. You might start with a whole sprout and cut it crosswise into thin rounds – although I don't recommend this, for it concentrates the cores into just a few slices, rather than spreading them around.

But Halve First Instead, first cut the sprouts in half lengthwise, then place a half facedown on the cutting board and cut it crosswise in thin strips. Recipe Suggestions: Bodacious Brussels Sprouts

#4 Best for Cooking Only Brussels Sprouts Leaves The Trick is Separating the Leaves from the Core First, when trimming the stem off, you might want to cut deeper, more than a little bit, as much as a third can work. Then cut the Brussels sprouts in half and then cut out the cores with a deep V cut. (Yes, I know I warned against that earlier. This is different!)

Then Twist! With your hands, twist off the outer layers of leaves, then break apart the centers. Recipe Suggestions: Lemony Leaves of Love

But Wait, There's More! I hope this step-by-step guide is useful to you! If so, considering sharing in the usual places, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. And to help you wrangle with other vegetables, check out these other photo guides! Together, we won't let these vegetables get the best of us! Asparagus & Woody Ends (photos) Asparagus & Woody Ends (video) How to Cut Corn Off the Cob, Keeping All Ten Fingers, Capturing Every Delicious Kernel and Every Drop of Sweet Corn "Milk" How to Cut, Peel & Cube a Butternut Squash and Keep All Ten Fingers

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MORE FAVORITE BRUSSELS SPROUTS RECIPES

~ How to Cut Brussels Sprouts with Recipe Suggestions ~

~ Creamy Brussels Sprouts Gratin ~
~ Fast Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts ~
~ Raw Brussels Sprouts Salad ~
~ more Brussels sprouts recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture

~ Bodacious Brussels Sprouts ~
~ Marinated Brussels Sprouts ~
~ more Brussels sprouts recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade, my food column

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Main image adapted by me, original from Marco Verch on Flickr, used with thanks via Creative Commons.