Brussel sprouts mystery

[Gamer]

I live in the city of Plymouth UK but no matter what grocers (big or small) that I go to to buy b. sprouts, the chances are that they haven't got any in stock.
Their excuses are usually that they're "out of season", but why is it that virtually any other vegetable IS on sale anytime, anywhere?
Can anybody shed some light on why b. sprouts are so hard to get, is it just a British thing or are they hard to get in the USA and other countries too?

[scoop]

Plenty of Brussels here in Las Vegas.

[DDJ]

I would guess that it is a supply and demand situation.  When I tell people I have Brussel sprouts growing in my garden there is a shocked look on their face often followed with "Why would you grow those".  They are not a very liked Veggie so I would not be suppressed that they are just not offered because they are not bought.  That said we can get them regularly in the store here in Ohio as well.  Often very high price though.  They are also late season so finding them in season is not when you would look.  I am thinking here they are ready to eat in October from my garden.

Again not an expert but my 2cents.

[fritz_monroe]

Supply and demand would also dictate if they are imported from somewhere else.  No use having them imported if you can't sell them.

In MD, USA, all the stores have them, but they are usually those huge ones.  The ones about 2" in diameter.  I prefer them small.

[Mr. Bill]

It's probably Brussels taking revenge on the UK for Brexit.

[Stwood]

Hardly ever see them here at home in the stores we go to. (Missouri)
I don't like them, so never really pay attention to them, except if I do spot them in the produce section. Then I just give them the evil eye.....

[Redman]

Mostly you see them frozen here in the Houston area, seldom fresh. When I see them fresh I get them and various root vegetables. I love them roasted with root vegetables and seasoned with olive oil, salt, garlic, black pepper and maybe onion powder.

BTW frozen brussel sprouts are nasty.

Oh, a tip for getting them fresh. Ask the produce guy, manager, at the store you shop at if he can get them. Chances are he can, it's that demand thing.

[Morning Sunshine]

Hardly ever see them here at home in the stores we go to. (Missouri)
I don't like them, so never really pay attention to them, except if I do spot them in the produce section. Then I just give them the evil eye.....

I always liked them as a kid - they were ALWAYS frozen then steamed.  I tried that the other day.  NASTY.  The way I have been preparing them for the last few years - half or quarter, depending on size.  Toss with your favorite oil - olive or bacon grease - copious salt and pepper.  Maybe some lemon pepper or garlic powder.  I like them roasted then eaten cold the next day.  My kids like them raw, so I usually flavor the whole batch, then cook half and let the kids go to town on the raw.

My Costco usually has bags of fresh 'sprouts.

[Redman]

I always liked them as a kid - they were ALWAYS frozen then steamed.  I tried that the other day.  NASTY.  The way I have been preparing them for the last few years - half or quarter, depending on size.  Toss with your favorite oil - olive or bacon grease - copious salt and pepper.  Maybe some lemon pepper or garlic powder.  I like them roasted then eaten cold the next day.  My kids like them raw, so I usually flavor the whole batch, then cook half and let the kids go to town on the raw.

My Costco usually has bags of fresh 'sprouts.

Steamed = NASTY, absolutely

Roasted 

[LvsChant]

Steamed = NASTY, absolutely

Roasted 

^^^ This.

Actually, I tend to buy them mostly when they look really good and are a reasonable price, so that is typically in the 1st quarter of the year, it seems. That being said, I can get them pretty much year-round and usually for not more than $2.99/lb. They last quite awhile in the fridge, so I have been known to stock up when they get down to $1.99/lb

[mountainmoma]

I live by one of the main growing areas , pretty easy to find in stores too.  Yep, they grow things like artichokes and brussel sprouts out here.... and lots and lots and lots of strawberries and raspberries and then ship them out to the rest of the country. 

I like them cut in half and stir fried, so I dont like them soft all the way thru or otherwise over cooked

from wikipedia

The first plantings in California's Central Coast began in the 1920s, with significant production beginning in the 1940s. Currently, several thousand acres are planted in coastal areas of San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Monterey counties of California, which offer an ideal combination of coastal fog and cool temperatures year-round. The harvest season lasts from June through January.

Most U.S. production is in California,[8] with a smaller percentage of the crop grown in Skagit Valley, Washington, where cool springs, mild summers, and rich soil abounds, and to a lesser degree on Long Island, New York.[9] Total U.S. production is around 32,000 tons, with a value of $27 million.[2]

About 80 to 85% of U.S. production is for the frozen food market, with the remainder for fresh consumption.[9

so, they are harvesting them most of the year, 8 months

wikipedia also says that the UK grows more than we do, more than double, and you have less people.  I would say, it is a mystery why you cant get any !

In Continental Europe, the largest producers are the Netherlands, at 82,000 metric tons, and Germany, at 10,000 tons. The United Kingdom has production comparable to that of the Netherlands, but its crop is generally not exported.[7]

[Redman]

Well all the talk of the sprouts has got me hungry for them. Since they are almost never found fresh here I wondered if frozen sprouts could be roasted acceptably. I've only ever had frozen cooked to death so a quick search got quite a few hits. This is a particularly interesting recipe.

https://girlandthekitchen.com/balsamic-glazed-oven-roasted-brussels-sprouts/

Since I don't have all the ingredients on hand it will have to wait until I get everything. Today I'll get a couple boxes of sprouts and put oil and a mix of salt, garlic powder, granulated onion and white pepper on them and roast. The salt mix is one I keep on hand, I like the white pepper flavor profile better than black pepper for many things.

[Nom]

I grew up with nasty steamed and boiled sprouts but once I learned to cook them I'm definitely a fan. When I roast fresh, I halve or quarter them if they are large, I saute quarters and even slice them green like I would cabbage for tacos or salads.

Frozen is interesting, they do lose a bit of moisture and they get a little funky, but if you defrost them for 30 mins in cold tap water (I add a little salt too) then let them drain for a bit. I then use them like fresh.

The best friend to a Brussel Sprout is BACON, (and not over cooking it) Chopped 1/2 cooked bacon or just bacon grease will enhance the flavor, salt will help with older sprouts , when they're fresh we use the Montreal seasoning that we use on most roasted vegetables.

There is a food truck in Portland that cooks up a tray of brussel sprouts with bacon that is to kill for, they spice them first and fry them with some bacon shards.

Don't give up on this vegetable, it's one that makes me want to figure out how to cook liver in a way I can eat it.

[Redman]

Frozen is interesting, they do lose a bit of moisture and they get a little funky, but if you defrost them for 30 mins in cold tap water (I add a little salt too) then let them drain for a bit. I then use them like fresh.

The best friend to a Brussel Sprout is BACON, (and not over cooking it) Chopped 1/2 cooked bacon or just bacon grease will enhance the flavor, salt will help with older sprouts , when they're fresh we use the Montreal seasoning that we use on most roasted vegetables.

There is a food truck in Portland that cooks up a tray of brussel sprouts with bacon that is to kill for, they spice them first and fry them with some bacon shards.

Don't give up on this vegetable, it's one that makes me want to figure out how to cook liver in a way I can eat it.

The frozen sprouts I roasted with oil and seasoning came out pretty good. Not quite like fresh but good enough to continue doing them.

Keep working on the liver Nom. I find that cooking it quickly and not over cooking it works well for me. Liver cooked with onions, bacon and bacon grease. Umm good, I can hear my arteries hardening now.

[DDJ]

Sorry but I have to flow with the drift.  Lever must be smothered in Mashed potatoes.  That hides it.

My wife uses Frozen sprouts all the time some she froze and some store packaged frozen.

[David in MN]

I did a quick query of the top exporters of Brussels sprouts and found it in this order:

    Netherlands: US$74.3 million (40.9% of total Brussels sprouts exports)
    Mexico: $52.6 million (28.9%)
    United States: $23.2 million (12.8%)
    Belgium: $9.5 million (5.2%)
    Canada: $3.7 million (2%)
    Morocco: $3.5 million (1.9%)
    Guatemala: $2.7 million (1.5%)
    United Kingdom: $1.4 million (0.8%)

So you'd think it would be readily available in the UK. They are the 8th largest exporter. Granted they don't have the cultural backing of the Netherlands or Belgium and lack the growing seasons and size of the US and Mexico but you'd think an exporter would have some kind of supply. Maybe not a local favorite?

As far as cooking, I like them split in half and caramelized in bacon fat with shallots. Serve with meatloaf and mashed potatoes and slather it all with mushroom gravy and a dollop of horseradish sour cream.

[Gamer]

BTW, the only reason I asked in my starter post was because every so often I get a craving for sprouts (well perhaps "craving" is to strong a word) it's just that I fancy some every now and again, as if my body is telling me it wants some because they contain some vitamin or other..

[jamessmithee]

Lots of sprouts here in Washing, too!

[Mr. Bill]

Here's the NPR article linked in the comic:

From Culinary Dud To Stud: How Dutch Plant Breeders Built Our Brussels Sprouts Boom