Perfect Glazed Carrots
Glazed carrots are one of those dishes that is really easy to do but oh so easy to mess up. I can never remember quantities and cooking times so I thought I'd include this recipe which in humble opinion is the best there is.
Glazed carrots are one of those dishes that is really easy to do but oh so easy to mess up. I can never remember quantities and cooking times so I thought I'd include this recipe which in humble opinion is the best there is.
- Carbohydrate 33.3723350845541 g
- Cholesterol 9.43250000152163 mg
- Fat 3.87397146427532 g
- Fiber 3.19982882767406 g
- Protein 2.63445486570931 g
- Saturated Fat 2.05884608605448 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (199g)
- Sodium 170.255433900018 mg
- Sugar 30.1725062568801 g
- Trans Fat 0.333719168309272 g
- Calories 172 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring carrots, salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, and chicken stock to boil, covered in 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat (I used a saucepan because I don't have a skillet with a lid when I first made this recipe). Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until carrots are almost tender when poked with tip of paring knife, about 10 minutes.
- Uncover, increase heat to high, and simmer rapidly, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add butter and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar to skillet, toss carrots to coat and cook, stirring frequently, until carrots are completely tender and glaze is light gold, about 3 minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat and add the lemon juice. Toss to coat. Transfer carrots to serving dish, scraping glaze from pan. Season to taste with pepper and serve immediately.
A properly glazed carrot maintains structural integrity while achieving a tender interior and a glossy, concentrated coating that clings rather than pools at the bottom of the dish.
- Slice carrots uniformly to a quarter-inch thickness on a diagonal to ensure even heat penetration during the initial ten-minute simmer.
- Use a wide twelve-inch skillet rather than a narrow saucepan; surface area dictates how quickly the chicken stock reduces during the high-heat phase.
- Test doneness by piercing the thickest piece with the tip of a paring knife; resistance should yield smoothly without crumbling the vegetable.
- Add the lemon juice strictly after removing the pan from the heat to preserve its volatile aromatic compounds rather than boiling away the brightness.
- Incorporate unsalted butter only during the final three-minute toss so the milk solids do not scorch while the sugar turns light gold.
Adjusting the cooking liquid allows for variations like ginger or fresh herbs. Proper control over the reduction phase prevents bitterness and ensures the sugar caramelizes evenly.
