I am a huge fan of root vegetables… if prepared properly. Root vegetables have a bunch of natural sugars and the key to making them super delicious is to concentrate and caramelize the sugars. This recipe accomplishes both of those things and the roots themselves gain a wonderful toothsome texture. Plus, the tangy hint of sherry vinegar really brightens the sweetness and brings them to life. I’m pretty convinced this is my new go-to for root vegetables this fall.
One note: your root vegetables should all be cut to the same basic thickness so that they cook at the same time. The sizes of the cuts in the recipes are really more of a suggestion. Parsnips, for example are not as evenly tapered as a carrot. You may want to quarter the top inch or two and then halve the thinner part. One other thing – although I top and tail all of the vegetables, I personally do leave the skin my carrots – just a personal preference.
- 1½ pounds baby (small) carrots (not from the package you give kids), trimmed and halved
- 1 pound red baby beets, peeled, trimmed and quartered
- 1 pound gold baby beets, peeled, trimmed and quartered
- 1½ pounds small parsnips, peeled and halved
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1½ Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 Tablespoon brown sugar
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- Preheat and stabilize your grill for indirect heat with medium-high (400°F). Lightly spray a perforated grill wok or vegetable tray with cooking spray. Add the veggies to shallow dish and toss with oil and seasonings to coat (do red beets separately). Place the wok/tray on the grill, add the veggies in a single-ish layer and cook for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring every 12-15 minutes, until veggies are tender.
Cheers and Happy Grilling!
~Jeff
