Best time to pick brussels sprouts?

[Isoceles]

This year was the first time I planted brussels sprouts. Anyway, Im in Quebec and no one near me has grown them, so I checked online and it said the best time is when the leaves start to yellow. So I waited until the beginning of October because I wanted them to get bigger (which they did), but the leaves never really turned yellow, and I guess I picked them too late because they were a bit bitter, edible but bitter.

 

[lovinglife]

Sounds to me like they were old also. I like them when the heads are still hard and the leaves are tightly wrapped still, but that could just be me.

 

[gwydion]

Partly it tends on the variety and when you plant them. But the smaller they are, the sweeter they will be. The best guide will always be the size and firmness of the sprouts. They should be very firm and typically anything between 2cm and 3cm (about 1 inch) can be picked. As they grow bigger and older they will become bitter.

If they are bitter, then one way to cook them is to boil in plenty of salted water until just tender then drain and quarter. After this stir-fry with soy sauce. Salt flavours help counteract bitterness, not just by leaching out bitter compounds, but also because salt is the opposite of bitter in how we perceive flavours.

 

[iluvmario]

I love brussel sprouts. They are a part of my dream garden so I would like to know this too. OP, about how big do the brussel sprouts get? What kind did you plant?

 

[Jack Rouse]

Brussel sprouts shouldn't be picked until they have had a frost or two on them, it's been proven that this breaks down a natural chemical that makes them taste bitter, after a frost they tend to taste a lot sweeter.

Putting them in the freezer after picking for some reason does not work, it has worked in tests in you put the whole plant in the freezer !