Tough Sprouts

[ghost1]

Greetings. New to forum and have a question about brussel sprouts. Last year was first to grow and we harvested two crops. The early one that was ready to pick in summer had large fruit and the fall crop was harvested when much smaller. We pickled and processed early crop and they turned out extremely tough no matter how long we boiled or roasted them. The late smaller crop was frozen and they are perfect. Am I missing something?

 

[headfullofbees]

The only thing I can think of was that maybe it was too hot for sprouts; they are a cool weather crop.
I restrict them to Oct-March, & have few problems.

 

[ghost1]

Thanks for the reply. I did let them grow through hot summer and probably toughened them up.

 

[YumYum]

No luck with Brussels Sprouts here. If I start them in the Spring it gets too hot near the end and they want to open up. If I start them for Fall, it is way too hot to start with and then they don't do good when it gets colder.

 

[Meadowlark]

Some things about Brussels I've learned from experience:

1) they can take 6 months to reach maturity. Hence you must find a window in your climate that has relatively cool temps for most of that time but not falling below about 20 deg F. In my climate, that window is Sept. to Feb. but sometimes the temps can fall below 20 deg F ruining the crop. It's always a gamble.

2) they like nitrogen rich soil and benefit from applications of boron (unless your soil already has boron present in adequate amounts). Without adequate boron in the soil, they will never make a crop.

 

[Nasir]

Brussels sprouts can be a bit tricky to cook, especially if they are harvested when they are too mature or have been left on the plant for too long. It sounds like the early crop you harvested may have been over-mature, which could have made them tough and difficult to cook.

When it comes to cooking Brussels sprouts, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, be sure to select sprouts that are small and firm, with tightly packed leaves. Larger sprouts may be tough and woody. Second, be careful not to overcook them, as this can also make them tough and bitter.

One way to cook Brussels sprouts is to roast them in the oven. Simply trim off the stems and outer leaves, toss them with olive oil and salt, and roast them in a preheated oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-30 minutes, or until they are tender and lightly browned. You can also steam them, sauté them, or even grill them.

If you find that your Brussels sprouts are still tough even after cooking, try blanching them in boiling water for a few minutes before cooking them in your preferred method. This can help to soften them up and make them more tender.

In summary, select small and firm Brussels sprouts, be careful not to overcook them, and try blanching them before cooking if they are still tough. Good luck with your future Brussels sprout crops!

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Greetings. New to forum and have a question about brussel sprouts. Last year was first to grow and we harvested two crops. The early one that was ready to pick in summer had large fruit and the fall crop was harvested when much smaller. We pickled and processed early crop and they turned out extremely tough no matter how long we boiled or roasted them. The late smaller crop was frozen and they are perfect. Am I missing something?

View attachment 94303

 

[headfullofbees]

Here, they are becoming popular served with bacon & roast chestnuts.
Meadowlark, you could probably extend your season by spraying the sprouts with water, which, as it freezes will give off a little heat, if the temp threatens to go below 20f.
I love sprouts, will eat them raw, so they cannot be under-cooked for me, but the missus likes moss-coloured balls of salty slime, so I start hers for Christmas dinner in November.