above this 180°F mark as quickly as possible Searing is one of the best ways to accomplish this, Let’s talk Brussels sprouts, the much-maligned vegetable that happens to be my favorite I love them any number of ways—shredded into crispy hash, roasted in a hot oven, braised with white wine—but certainly my favorite way is seared in a ripping-hot skillet that not only heats them rapidly, but also chars the leaves a bit, developing the sort of rich, sweet, nutty flavors that only the best brassica-tinted dreams are made of Want an even better suggestion? Sear them in pork fat When picking the appropriate pork product for your sprouts, anything fatty and cured will do, really It’s just a matter of personal taste Slab bacon works well I cut it into strips that you can call lardons if you’re fancy or French, or both Equally good, or maybe even better, would be guanciale—salty cured pork jowl I’ve done this with drycured Spanish chorizo as well, which may be my favorite fat to use No matter what, before you start cooking the sprouts, you’ve got to render the fat out of the bacon or pork You could try doing that in a dry skillet, but air is a notoriously poor conductor of heat, which means that only the part of the bacon in direct contact with the pan is really heating up Much better is to start with a little water in the ... conductor of heat, which means that only the part of the bacon in direct contact with the pan is really heating up Much better is to start with a little water in the