Can I cook these with the turkey?

Yes. Put them in on a rack of their own when you bring the Charlie up to 180°C (355°F) for the turkey's last 30 minutes. They finish while the turkey rests.

Can I make them less spicy?

Use one chilli instead of three, or take the seeds out before slicing.

Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / Roast

Cooked in the Charlie Charcoal Oven

Chilli and Sesame Roast Sprouts

Name: Chilli and Sesame Roast Sprouts
Prep time: 20 min
Yield: 8, with leftovers
Ingredients: 2kg Brussels sprouts; 50g Rapeseed oil; Salt; 100g Sesame oil; 50ml Soy sauce; 100g Sesame seeds; 3 Red and green chillies, sliced into rings (the seeds can stay in); Small bunch of parsley, finely chopped

Brussels sprouts halved and roasted until they start to give up their juices, then tossed with sesame oil, soy, chilli and raw sesame seeds and roasted on until the seeds turn golden. The charcoal heat browns the cut sides while the closed door keeps the centres tender.

Mark O'BrienChef

Roast

Prep20 minutes

Cook30 to 45 minutes

Serves8, with leftovers

DifficultyEasy

Oven temperature180°C (355°F)

RackUpper rack

CharcoalAbout half a football of good quality lumpwood charcoal

Ingredients

2kg Brussels sprouts
50g Rapeseed oil
Salt
100g Sesame oil
50ml Soy sauce
100g Sesame seeds
3 Red and green chillies, sliced into rings (the seeds can stay in)
Small bunch of parsley, finely chopped

Equipment

Everything used in this recipe. Already have Charlie? Add the accessories in one go.

Charlie Charcoal Oven$6,400.00Choose your oven, Charlie Charcoal Oven
Flat Bed Plancha Rack$300.00
Charlie Oven Tongs 55cm$46.00

Method

Setting up Charlie

Light a small pyramid of charcoal in the centre of the grates with one or two natural firelighters. Close the door and open both vents fully. When the oven is about 10°C (20°F) short of 180°C (355°F), set both vents to the hold position, about 2.5 cm (1 in) open.

Prepare the sprouts
Trim the outer leaves from the sprouts and cut them in half.
Dress
Spread them over the Flat Bed Plancha Rack, cut side down, and dress them well with the rapeseed oil and a good pinch of salt.
Roast
Cook on the upper runners of the Charlie at 180°C (355°F) until they start to sweat out their liquid.
Add the flavourings
Add the sesame oil, sesame seeds, chillies and soy sauce.
Finish
Keep cooking until the seeds are golden and the sprouts are cooked through. Toss through the parsley and serve.

Tips

Roast the sprouts cut side down in a single layer, so the flat plate browns the cut sides. For this quantity you may need two Flat Bed Plancha Racks.

If your sesame seeds are already toasted, or black, add them at the end.

Works with broccoli, cauliflower, kale or cabbage too.

Part of Mark O'Brien's Christmas menu. Download the full plan, with the shopping list and the timings for Christmas Eve and the day itself.

More recipes

The cook

Mark O'Brien

Chef

Mark O’Brien was a finalist on MasterChef: The Professionals 2026 and the first Irish chef to reach the final. After more than a decade in top London restaurants, he now runs Snake Oil Barbecue in Margate, bringing serious chef skills to his love of American BBQ and cooking over fire.

More recipes by Mark O'Brien

Frequently asked questions

Can I cook these with the turkey?

Yes. Put them in on a rack of their own when you bring the Charlie up to 180°C (355°F) for the turkey's last 30 minutes. They finish while the turkey rests.
Can I make them less spicy?

Use one chilli instead of three, or take the seeds out before slicing.