Toasted Butter Brussel Sprouts with Pecans

Butter is good. Even Paula Deen knows that. But it's a little known fact that butter can get even better - you guessed it - a la Traeger.

Brown butter is a butter that has been slowly cooked until it develops a toasty golden color and delicious nutty taste. Imagine all of the yumminess of toast with no bread required.

Revolutionary.

We upped the ante by giving the butter some quality smoke time. It's equivalent to your birthday falling on a Saturday, times 57. We tossed all of that flavor on some roasted brussel sprouts mingled with toasted pecans and a finish of tart dried cranberries. Oh, it's good.

TOASTED BUTTER BRUSSEL SPROUTS WITH PECANS

PREP TIME: 5 minutes
COOK TIME: 55 minutes total, including smoke time for butter
RECOMMENDED PELLETS: Mesquite, Hickory or Cherry
SERVES: 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 lbs fresh brussel sprouts
1 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 teaspoons salt, give or take to taste
Olive oil
Freshly cracked black pepper

PREPARATION

Start the Traeger on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (about 5 minutes, give or take).

Put the butter into a pan on put on the Traeger to smoke for about 30 minutes. (Don't worry if the butter melts.)

Turn the heat on the Traeger up to 250 degrees F to toast butter for 10 to 15 minutes or until it turns golden brown and smells nutty. (Strain out the bits before using the butter.)

Set the butter aside and turn the heat up to 350 degrees F and preheat.

Remove any damaged leaves from the brussel sprouts and cut in half through the base of the brussel sprouts.

Very lightly drizzle the brussel sprouts with olive oil and toss together with the pecan pieces. Spread them out over a large baking sheet, arranging the brussel sprouts cut-side down. Season with the salt and pepper.