Roasted Carrots

By DreiFromBK

Roasting carrots draws out their natural sugars and intensifies their flavor, but too often carrots shrivel up and turn jerky-like under the high heat of the oven. We wanted roasted carrots with a pleasingly al dente chew and earthy, sweet flavor.

To compensate for the oven’s arid heat, we tried adding liquid to the roasting pan. While our carrots turned out moist, they weren’t browned and lacked the intense roasted flavor we wanted. Our science editor then explained that no additional moisture was necessary. While a carrot’s hard, woody structure doesn’t suggest it, the average carrot is actually 87.5 percent water by weight. For our next test we tossed the carrots with melted butter, spread them onto a baking sheet, and covered the sheet tightly with foil. We roasted the carrots, covered, just until softened, then we removed the foil and continued to roast them to draw out their moisture and brown them. The result? Rich-tasting, tender carrots with a nutty flavor. Best of all, the technique worked just as well when we paired the carrots with other roasted root vegetables: parsnips, fennel, and shallots.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled, halved crosswise, and cut lengthwise if necessary to create even pieces
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Table salt and ground black pepper

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. In large bowl, combine carrots with butter, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; toss to coat. Transfer carrots to foil- or parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and spread in single layer.

2. Cover baking sheet tightly with foil and cook for 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to cook, stirring twice, until carrots are well browned and tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to serving platter, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.