Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Lemon

1. Prep

Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Trim the Brussels sprouts, removing any yellow or damaged leaves, and slice them in half. Dice the bacon into small pieces to ensure it renders evenly.

2. Render

Place a cast iron pan over medium heat and add a splash of oil and the bacon. Render the bacon for 7-10 minutes, until it's a bit shy of fully rendered. You want to give it a bit of room so that the small pieces don't burn in the oven.

3. Roast

Once the bacon is rendered, move it the edges of the pan and place the sprouts in, cut side down to sear. Season them with salt and let them caramelize on the cut side for a few minutes. Once deeply browned, flip them over and transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Let them roast for 5-10 minutes, until they're tender throughout and deeply browned on both sides. Brussels sprouts have a lot of sweetness once they're fully cooked, so they can handle significant browning before becoming overly bitter. Don't skimp on the roasting and searing steps to get the most flavor.

4. Finishing Touches

Once the Brussels sprouts are roasted, squeeze the lemon juice over top. Plate and serve them right away.