Chef John’s Bourbon Glazed Carrots

Description

These butter-soaked bourbon-glazed carrots are the greatest special-occasion carrot side dish of all time. Sweet, savory, and oh so glossy.

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter
• 2 pounds carrots, peeled, cut into equal-sized pieces
• ½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
• ½ cup bourbon whiskey
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves for garnish (Optional)

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
2. When butter foams up
3. add carrots. Season with salt and cook
4. stirring
5. until liquid from carrots evaporates and carrots begin to brown around the edges
6. 5 or 6 minutes.
7. Reduce heat to medium-low. Carefully pour in bourbon. Cook and stir until bourbon is almost evaporated
8. about 2 minutes.
9. Sprinkle in brown sugar. Stir until carrots are almost cooked through
10. about 5 minutes.
11. When carrots are nearly tender
12. raise heat to medium-high to thicken the glaze
13. 15 to 30 seconds.
14. Season with cayenne pepper and ground black pepper. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with fresh thyme leaves
15. if desired.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 25 mins

Servings: 6