Trader Joes - Kosher Frozen Brussel Sprouts! Cheap!

medola

Thu, Dec 22 2011, 7:09 pm

This totally made my day.

I love Brussel Sprouts. Used to be that the only place I could get them where I am was at the only kosher grocery store, and that was only on the random occasions they had it in stock. And I'd be paying $6 for a tiny bag consisting of 8 or so measly Bodek brussel spouts. Well - good news for me and all the other brussel spout lovers out there (there's gotta be at least someone else out there..)! Trader Joes has a frozen bag with a [1K] symbol (which the CRC told me is a reputable heksher from Belgium) --and it's only $1.19 !!! Instead of $6!!! Oh, joy!
Truly a miracle. Hashem must love me.

mommalah

Thu, Dec 22 2011, 9:17 pm

Funny. I was at TJ's the other day and saw brussel sprouts (didn't look to see if they were kosher or not), and made a mental note to try it sometime. I have never tasted one. I'll buy some next time I go. How does one prepare it?

PinkFridge

Thu, Dec 22 2011, 9:27 pm

medola wrote:

No judgments here but did the CRC mention if that goes for bugs or just the prep?

seeker

Thu, Dec 22 2011, 11:05 pm

And if it does go for bugs, can we get broccoli and cauliflower there too?! Broccoli is probably the single biggest killer on my grocery budget. No kidding. I can't do without it because it is the healthiest vegetable everyone likes here (we're picky eaters...) but we only eat bodek or equivalent...

jewels

Fri, Dec 23 2011, 12:58 am

mommalah wrote:

I love brussel sprouts! Op thanks I never would've thought about even checking if they were kosher.

So easy to prepare, just toss with a bit of olive oil (extra virgin cold pressed tastes best) salt, pepper, and little garlic, and roast them on 400 until they're browned.

PinkFridge

Fri, Dec 23 2011, 7:55 am

seeker wrote:

I was just asking about this particular hashgacha.

jewels

Fri, Dec 23 2011, 8:51 am

mommalah wrote:

Not sure why the quote button is not showing up on my screen....

is that fresh garlic?
thanks so much!

Sorry, either a couple cloves minced or just garlic powder. You don't even have o add the garlic, plain salt and pepper is yum also

medola

Sat, Dec 24 2011, 9:09 pm

(OP here)

Pinkfridge-
This is 1K's website... http://www.1kosher.org/Welcome.html

"1K Kosher, the Kosher supervision department of Maayan Hay, is recognized by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and major Kashrut Agencies worldwide. "

I would imagine that since there's a hechksher it means it has already been checked for bugs.

Seeker - I didn't look to see if TJ's had broccoli or cauliflower with a hechsher, but I'd kind of doubt it. It's a killer on our list too, tho we get WIC and we use the veggie check almost always on broccoli.

As for prep - I heat up maybe 2-3 tbs olive oil in a skillet. Add some lemon juice (I add lemon juice to everything - but it's very good with brussel sprouts.) I put 2-3 minced garlic cloves (or try the frozen in those dorot cubes - so easy!). Salt and pepper really bring out the taste in the brussel sprout. So yum! Just watch them and stir/flip so they cook evenly. Maybe 10-15mins. Delish!

mommalah

Sat, Dec 24 2011, 9:53 pm

jewels wrote:

mommalah wrote:

Not sure why the quote button is not showing up on my screen....

is that fresh garlic?
thanks so much!

Sorry, either a couple cloves minced or just garlic powder. You don't even have o add the garlic, plain salt and pepper is yum also

Thank you!

alte mamme

Sun, Dec 25 2011, 1:56 am

I don't think you can assume that because it has a hechsher, it's been checked for bugs. I think the hechsher tells you that there are no non-kosher ingredients in the package, but you are responsible for checking for bugs yourself.
The star K website says that brussels sprouts are infested and cannot be checked when fresh and can only be used frozen when "certified insect free". See the other thread "how do you check brussel sprouts" for more along these lines.

Mimisinger

Sun, Dec 25 2011, 9:43 am

How does it make any sense that you can't possibly check a vegetable when fresh but you can when frozen? Especially something like brussel sprouts that are all closed up.

Also, re. a previous poster. You don't just check cabbage by taking off the outer few layers, you also have to cut it into quarters and check the quarters for infestation. Otherwise, you have to check each individual leaf up to a light.

shanie5

Sun, Dec 25 2011, 10:46 pm

alte mamme wrote:

As insects are not kosher, if the package has a hechsher it should mean bug free too. (just syaing, no idea about this product. Its the kind of thing I would call my rov about first.)

Fabulous

Sun, Dec 25 2011, 11:00 pm

shanie5 wrote:

alte mamme wrote:

As insects are not kosher, if the package has a hechsher it should mean bug free too. (just syaing, no idea about this product. Its the kind of thing I would call my rov about first.)

I would think so too. But I bought cole slaw in the summer from Shoprite upstate that had a star K (dole), which is a very good hechsher, yet my Rav said that he didn't think it was for bugs. It was more that it was shredded without being in contact with any non kosher items and the like. His family only uses a company like bodek that is specifically checked.

September June

Sun, Dec 25 2011, 11:03 pm

I believe Star K holds that cabbage only needs to be washed well and does NOT need to be checked. Also, if the vegetable it shredded, it's less of a tolaim problem.

Also AFAIK, a reputable hechsher covers insects as well. (This is why store bought broccoli never has a kashrus symbol.)