Sprout-furious! Chippy is criticized for selling battered Brussels sprouts as the snack is labeled ‘wrong’ on so many levels

A chippy has delighted and horrified customers in equal measure by flogging portions of fried, battered Brussels sprouts – but grinches have branded the snack ‘wrong on so many levels’.

The Almighty Cod in Hartlepool, County Durham, recently caused a stir after revealing they were batter-dipping the controversial vegetables for Christmas, leaving some horrified.

Sprout fanatics raved about the festive addition, while others called it ‘wrong’ and ‘a disgrace to the chippy name’.

The chippy’s defiant manager Michael Dodd admitted it was a controversial move but hoped to convert people.

Portions, containing eight to 10 of the little green balls, cost just £1.80, with foodies able to enjoy a luxury cheese sauce dip until the end of December.

Pictured – the fried, battered Brussels sprouts cut in half, exposing the crispy inside and the soft inside of the sprout

Pictured – a portion of fried battered Brussels sprouts and fried pigs in blankets sold at The Almighty Cod in Hartlepool, County Durham

Here you can see the process: the Brussels sprouts fall into the batter

Michael says: ‘With the holidays approaching, we decided to put fried Brussels sprouts on the menu.

Brussels sprouts are quite a controversial vegetable. A lot of people turn their noses up at them, but I would recommend everyone to try them because they are beautiful.

‘They are smeared with the normal batter used for the fish, they go into the pan where the fish is fried and are placed in the top container as cod would be.

‘The batter is light, golden brown and crispy, the center of the Brussels sprouts is quite mushy so the texture on the outside and inside work well together because of the contrast.

“We’ve been doing it for a few years, but this year they’ve taken off.”

But no festive treat is safe from the deep fryer, as the chippy also serves fried pigs in blankets, pork and stuffing dumplings and even deep-fried mince pies.

The manager continues: ‘Sprouts are controversial because you get people who say they don’t even want them on the menu because they don’t like the smell of sprouts.

‘But when they come [to the chippy] they said, “I’ll try that.” I would like to hope that we can make some sprout converts.’

Social media users are divided, with some labeling the delicious fried treat ‘delicious’, while others branded the item ‘a disgrace to the chippy’

A photo of the heartbreaking festive addition went viral, racking up more than 500 likes, shares and comments.

One person wrote: ‘That’s just wrong on so many levels.’

Another commented: ‘It’s a shame on the chippy name.’

One wrote: ‘Oh I need this!!! I like Brussels sprouts’.

Another commented: ‘Sounds and looks quite delicious.’

One added: ‘Lifting duvets across Hartlepool and beyond.’