Grill-Roasted Baby Root Vegetables

Root vegetables are packed with natural sugars, and the secret to making them truly spectacular on the grill is coaxing out those sugars until they caramelise into something deeply sweet and a little smoky. This recipe does exactly that — the veg goes tender and toothsome inside, while the outside catches a gorgeous char. It's the kind of side dish that quietly steals the show.

Ingredients

• 500g baby carrots, scrubbed
• 300g baby parsnips, scrubbed and halved lengthways if thick
• 300g baby beetroot, scrubbed and halved
• 250g baby turnips, scrubbed and quartered
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried)
• 1 tbsp runny honey
• Small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, to serve

Method

1. Fire up your BBQ grill and set it up for indirect heat at around 200°C. If you have a thermometer on the lid, aim for that — you want steady, oven-like heat rather than fierce direct flame.
2. Toss all the root vegetables in a large bowl with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and thyme. Make sure everything is well coated.
3. Transfer the veg to a sturdy grill-safe roasting tin or a large piece of doubled-up heavy-duty aluminium foil formed into a tray with raised edges. Spread them out in a single layer as much as possible — crowding means steaming, and you want caramelisation.
4. Place on the indirect heat zone, close the lid, and roast for 25 minutes, turning once halfway through.
5. Drizzle the honey over the vegetables, toss gently, and continue cooking for a further 10–15 minutes until the veg is tender when pierced with a knife and the edges are caramelised and catching some colour.
6. Remove from the grill, scatter over the fresh parsley, and serve straight away.

Originally published by Bull BBQ. Adapted for UK audiences by Cedar Kitchen in the Garden.