Recipe by Dan Pelosi (@GrossyPelosi) Check the original recipe on his blog!

Serves 6-8 people


Aunt Janet brings her famous carrots to every big family meal, but Thanksgiving dinner is where they really shine. My favorite part of Thanksgiving is the way the flavors combine together on an overly stuffed plate. If you take a bite of one thing, you take a bite of everything. Aunt Janet's carrots, much like Aunt Janet herself, provide a sweetness to the meal that compliments the other tart, savory, and salty flavors on the rest of the plate.

Aunt Janet gleefully shared her recipe with me to play with, and I must say I have made them significantly more decadent than her version. Janet, always a beacon of health, uses much less butter and sugar than my version of this recipe, but Grossy believes we deserve a little indulgence now and then, especially on Thanksgiving.


WHAT YOU'LL NEED

4 lbs carrots
olive oil
¾ cup dark brown sugar
⅓ cup orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
6 tablespoons salted butter


WHAT YOU'LL DO
Preheat your oven to 400º.

Peel and cut your carrots into 4 pieces, once in each direction. Coat your carrots in olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. Roast at 400º for an hour or so, tossing them halfway until they are as dark and crispy as you deserve. Set your carrots aside.

A note: This is great step to do in advance. You can roast carrots and keep them in the refrigerator until you are ready for them. Just be sure to put them on the counter so they come to room temperature before the next steps!

Okay, let's get our glaze going! In a large pan, add ¾ cup dark brown sugar, ⅓ cup orange juice, 1 tablespoon orange zest, and 6 tablespoons salted butter. If you only have unsalted butter, just add a pinch of salt. Over medium heat, whisk the HECK out of your ingredients until they reduce into the goopiest glaze you have ever seen that begins to bubble.

Add your carrots to the pan, tossing them in the glaze to coat and reheating them as needed. After a few minutes in the glaze over medium heat, your carrots will be glossy and glowing and delicious!

Place your carrots in your serving dish, pouring all extra glaze over the top of carrots ensuring they are just the most decadent thing you have ever seen in your life!!!

Make it step-by-step with me below!

1. Preheat your oven to 400º.

Peel and cut your carrots into 4 pieces, once in each direction.

2. Coat your carrots in olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. Roast at 400º for an hour or so, tossing them halfway until they are as dark and crispy as you deserve.

3. This is just about where like them! Set your carrots aside.

A note: This is great step to do in advance. You can roast carrots and keep them in the refrigerator until you are ready for them. Just be sure to put them on the counter so they come to room temperature before the next steps!

4. Okay, let's get our glaze going! In a large pan, add ¾ cup dark brown sugar, ⅓ cup orange juice, 1 tablespoon orange zest, and 6 tablespoons salted butter.

Please note that in the above photo there is no orange juice. This is completely my fault—I got excited and snapped the picture too early. I will carry this mistake to my grave. Rest assured, you want orange juice in that pan!!!!!!!!!!!!

5. Over medium heat, whisk the HECK out of your ingredients until they reduce into the goopiest glaze you have ever seen that begins to bubble.

6. Add your carrots to the pan, tossing them in the glaze to coat and reheating them as needed.

7. After a few minutes in the glaze over medium heat, your carrots will be glossy and glowing and delicious!

8. Place your carrots in your serving dish, pouring all extra glaze over the top of carrots ensuring they are just the most decadent thing you have ever seen in your life!!!