Simple? Four basic ingredients combine to make a sweet and subtle side that will get everyone's attention. Roasted Carrots with Cane Syrup...the natural sweetness of carrots and creamy butter is intensified through roasting. Cane syrup, made from Louisiana sugar cane, adds a tangy, sweet complexity without overpowering its partners. Finally, it's punctuated with the fragrant and penetrating flavor of thyme. Simple to make, but nothing simple about its flavor. Here’s a look at how to make Sweet Daddy D’s Roasted Carrots with Cane Syrup.
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[Publishers Note: I originally published this article in June 2018. I am publishing this update to provide some clarifications with step-by-step instructions and web-friendly photographs of each step. In May 2017 I published a recipe (Sweet Roasted Carrots with Thyme) that is very similar to this recipe, so I have consolidated them into this final version. The Sweet Roasted Carrots with Thyme recipe is no longer be available on First...you have a beer, but if you would like me to email a copy of it to you, just leave me a note in the Comments section below. Let me know what you think.]
What's So Special?
Side dishes are usually an afterthought. So much work goes into making the main dish just right (and let's face it, many recipes are over-complicated) that we scurry at the last minute to find something suitable to serve alongside. Many times you end up with boiled carrots or corn, some plain spinach or a potato dish that was scraped together at the last minute. It dawned on me when I was young, it doesn't have to be that way.
There was a small, family-owned restaurant on Brashear Avenue in Morgan City where we would go on some Sundays. The food was always good and I enjoyed eating there. But what I really looked forward to was the candied carrots. The first time I had those, my mind was blown. It didn't matter what the entree was, all I could think about was getting to those candied carrots, which seemed to elevate the entire meal. I have been working on a recipe based on those very candied carrots for years and have finally come up with this recipe made with lots of butter and the drawn-out sweetness of roasted carrots and thyme. The finishing touch of glaze from Louisiana Pure Cane Syrup adds an earthy, sweet molasses-like flavor without any of the bitterness.
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Here's What You Need
This is really a simple recipe, basically four ingredients, but the way they tie together is special.
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Cane syrup is made from boiling sugar cane juices derived from crushing the cane. Steen’s Pure Cane Syrup is the leading brand, known by its iconic yellow can and labels. Production of Steen’s started in the early 20th Century in Abbeville, Louisiana, and by the 1950’s Steen’s was a household name. There are other producers of Cane Syrup in Louisiana, all delicious but none as widely recognized as Steen's.
Equipment
Here is some of the equipment I used to prepare this recipe:
Cutting board, chef's knife, prep bowls-cambro, prep bowls-glass, measuring spoons, stockpot, parchment paper, baking sheets.
Here's What You Do
First...you have a beer. This is a side dish, so you probably already have that vibe going. Anyway, even though this is a simple recipe, you still need to prepare yourself and the ingredients properly to make it no-angst. So, take a swig of beer and read the complete recipe. Your mise en place will be as simple as this recipe, but it’s still integral in your enjoyment of the process.
Prep and parboil the carrots
Preheat the oven to 425 and bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Peel the carrots and cut them into about 1" pieces, halving or quartering the larger pieces so that they are all about the same size.
Place the carrots in heavily boiling water with a couple of tablespoons of sugar. Pull the carrots out after three minutes (after the boil returns) and drain them.
You can use a slotted spoon to place the carrots into an ice bath. A 3 or 4-minute dunk will stop this part of the cooking process, but that’s optional. Drain the carrots in a colander. You don't want to overlook these, just looking for a slight softening.
Add butter and dry thyme
While the carrots are draining, add the butter to the same pot in which you parboiled the carrots. That pot should still be very warm. Add back the drained carrots and the dry thyme and stir well to combine and coat all the carrots in butter.
Roast the carrots
Spread the buttery carrots in a single layer on a lined sheet pan. You can line the pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Place a few sprigs of fresh thyme on top and place the baking pan into the 425-degree oven.
Stir in the cane syrup
After 15 or 20 minutes, check the carrots and if they are starting to slightly brown on the edges, pour the cane syrup all over and mix well so that all the carrots are coated in the cane syrup and butter. If the carrots have not started to brown at this point, place them back in the oven and check every 5 minutes.
Place the baking sheet pan back in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes to achieve a sweet glaze. There you have it, that's all there is to it. This is such a simple recipe that it shouldn't taste this good...but it does.
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Hints and Tips
Absolutely. I would recommend baby-cut carrots. These will be already peeled and washed. The best thing about frozen carrots (and most frozen vegetables, for that matter) is that they are frozen at the peak of freshness, so there is very little, if any, loss of nutrients. You should not thaw them out first. Roast the frozen carrots without parboiling.
If you don't want to parboil the carrots first, just roast them a little longer. Skip the parboil step if you are using frozen carrots. Melt the butter and pour over the carrots right on the sheet pan and add the dry thyme before mixing well. Throw the fresh thyme on top and stick it in the oven. Cover the pan with aluminum foil for the first 10 minutes to encourage a little steaming action. Return to the oven and check in 10 minutes to make sure they are starting to brown.
Leftover Roasted Carrots with Cane Syrup can be refrigerated for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave. You can also freeze the Roasted Carrots in an airtight container for up to 9 months. The carrots may lose some texture during that time but the flavors should be fine. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave.Â
No cane syrup? Substitute some molasses or try this version of the same recipe but with honey or maple syrup.
Carrots are a good source of beta-carotene, fiber, potassium, antioxidants and Vitamins K and A. Check out this short article, 8 Amazing Health Benefits of Carrots, to learn more about carrots.Â
Cane Syrup comes from cooking down sugar cane juice so, of course, it's high in sugar. You should take that into consideration in your overall diet sugar intake. Check out this information on the nutrition of Steen’s Pure Cane Syrup.
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Recipe
Roasted Carrots with Cane Syrup
Here's What You Need
- 2 pounds fresh carrots See Notes for using frozen carrots
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup Butter
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme leaves
- 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
- â…“ cup cane syrup
- Kosher salt and Fresh Ground Pepper taste
Here's What You Do
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a shallow baking sheet by covering with aluminum foil and a coating of non-stick oven spray.
- Clean and slice carrots in about 1 to 1 ½ inch lengths; half or quarter thicker pieces so they are all relatively the same size. See Notes if using frozen carrots.
- Add the carrots to about 4 to 5 cups of boiling water with a pinch of salt and the sugar. Parboil them for about 3 minutes (after water comes back to a heavy boil) until they just start getting soft.
- Drain off the water but leave the parboiled carrots in that same pot. The pot should still be warm, so add the butter and mix well until all the carrots are liberally coated. Don't skimp, use a little more butter if you need to.
- Add the dry thyme leaves, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper; mix well.
- Pour the carrots onto the prepared baking sheet; spread out until the carrots are in a single layer, add the fresh thyme sprigs on top of the carrots.
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until the carrots are beginning to brown and the butter is getting a little bubbly. See Notes if using frozen carrots.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Pour the cane syrup over all the carrots and mix well with a rubber spatula or spoon, careful not to break the carrots.
- Return the carrots to the oven and roast for about 5 to 10 minutes, until the cane syrup and butter begin to form a glaze.
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