Bourbon Barrel Stout Glazed Carrots are the perfect side dish to your Thanksgiving meal.
Today marks our three year anniversary in South Florida. I got a little emotional thinking about being away from my family for 3 whole years. Of course I still get to see them, but we haven’t been to Georgia since February, and it’s been over 4 months since I’ve seen my parents. I’m really missing everyone! And I feel like I miss so much being away. My family is sitting around the table right now, talking about their day, and I’m here. Missing it.
It’s hard moving away from your entire family. This year, we traveled a lot, and I was working the office job, so going home was hard. Do you spend your vacations traveling or seeing family? For someone with a MAJOR case of wanderlust, the answer isn’t so easy.
I say that and then I sit here and cry because I want to see my family and I miss them. We’re going home for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. Back to back trips. We’ve planning to fly home for Christmas, luckily! Which reminds me, we need to get a move on buying tickets and making plans at the boarder for the dogs. The 9 hour drive makes going home even harder! There really isn’t a point for us to drive, when we can take a 1.5 hour flight and be there. Unfortunately, I waited too late to buy tickets home for Thanksgiving.
We’ve missed the last 3 Thanksgivings, and I’m really missing the food. My grandmother’s dressing, my mom’s pecan pie, the sides, spending time with family. I can’t wait. And then there is Huck’s family Thanksgiving meal. His mom’s mashed potatoes are to die for {All the butter and sour cream really will kill you! But that’s what makes them so good!} I also love her stuffing. It’s way different than my Grandmothers, but so good.
Last year, I actually Skyped with everyone at my Grandparent’s house on Thanksgiving. Everyone took turns coming up to the computer to say hi. My mom called me out for starting to cry. It was great being able to feel like I was kind of there with Skype, but it wasn’t the same. Better than nothing, for sure!!
All weekend, all I thought about was what to make and eat on Thanksgiving. We’re also going to Friendsgiving this weekend. These Bourbon Stout Glazed Carrots are the perfect side for a thanksgiving spread. They’re a souped-up version of tradition glazed carrots made with boozes. What’s not to love!
I actually just started experimenting with glazed carrots a few months ago. I wasn’t a fan of cooked carrots until I had some at a restaurant a while back. I’m not sure what changed, but I loved them now.
I used a Bourbon Barrel Stout, with hints of vanilla, for this recipe. This was a homebrew Huck made. Here is a list of a few other beers I’d recommend trying since his isn’t available in stores… yet!
Other Beers to Try:
- Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout- Kentucky Ale
- Bourbon County Stout- Goose Island Beer Company
- Wild Turkey Bourbon Barrel Stout- Anderson Valley
When I got ready for the pictures, I thought it needed a little color, but I was out of Parsley. I decided to use Cilantro, since that’s all I had on hand, just for the pictures. I personally, really like Cilantro, and thought it added great flavor. I highly recommend using it for this recipe.
- 1 Cup Bourbon Barrel Stout
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 2 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 1.5 Tablespoon Honey
- ⅓ Cup Water
- 16 oz. Baby Carrots
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- Cilantro- Garnish
- In a large stock pot, heat the Beer over medium low heat until reduced by ⅓. {Watch beer to insure it does not boil over or burn}
- Add Butter, Brown Sugar, Honey, and Water to pot. Once sugar is dissolved, add carrots and stir to coat. Allow to cook until carrots tender, about 10-15 minutes.
- Sprinkle with Cilantro and enjoy.
- *The beer I used had a sweet flavor, so I did not need a lot of additional sugar. Adjust sugar based on beer you're using.
Time sure Flies. We Love and Miss You All Too. Can’t wait to see Y’all next week. I Love You Mom
One more week :)