Published November 1, 1995.
Braising is the preferred way to prepare these "little cabbages," with microwaving a close second.
The taste of Brussels sprouts is often maligned simply because the sprouts are not prepared properly. True, they can be bitter and limp if overcooked, but they can also be crisp, tender, and nutty flavored when handled appropriately.
To find the best and simplest way to prepare Brussels sprouts, we chose to investigate boiling, steaming, microwaving, and braising. The result we were looking for was a tender, not-too-bitter, attractively green-colored Brussels sprout that could be prepared with little fuss.
Braising, which refers to cooking food with a small amount of liquid in a tightly covered pan, was the last cooking method we tried. This method produced all of the above-mentioned criteria we had established for the perfectly cooked Brussels sprout. Because braising in water was so successful, we tried braising in other liquids as well. Overall, the tastiest Brussels sprouts we cooked came from braising them in heavy cream, a classic French technique for cooking vegetables.
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