Thanksgiving Grill-Roasted Root Vegetables

If you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year, your menu may be looking a little bleak at the moment. If you are short on time or creativity, don’t worry! We will help you create an impressive Thanksgiving meal with popular ingredients that can be grilled outside on your grill. Grill-Roasted Root Vegetables features a medley of sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnip, rutabaga, and butternut squash slowly cooked with olive oil, fresh herbs, cranberries, and pecans. Hearty and savory, these veggies are the perfect complement to the golden-brown bird in the middle of the Thanksgiving spread.

Root vegetables are perfect for grilling because they have high water content and won't quickly dry out. They also hold up well to fragrant flavors like thyme and rosemary, making them ideal for Thanksgiving when so many people come over to share in the feast! Combine the cubbed veggies with the herbs, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a roasting pan or large cast-iron skillet. Grill over medium heat until tender and golden, and remove from the grill. Toss in dried cranberries and pecans and serve.

Grilling your vegetables may not be the quickest way to prepare, but it gives them an intense flavor from caramelized sugars. This process gives you a sweeter and richer taste that is very satisfying.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients for Thanksgiving Grill-Roasted Root Vegetables

• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 turnip, peeled and cubed
• 2 rutabagas, peeled and cubed
• 1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded, and cubed
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh sage
• ½ tsp. fresh thyme leaves
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup pecan halves
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Directions for Thanksgiving Grill-Roasted Root Vegetables

1. Prepare grill for medium heat cooking, approximately 350 degrees. Once the grill comes to temperature, add 2-3 chunks of your favorite smoking wood.  Place vegetables in a roasting pan, add olive oil and fresh herbs and toss to coat well.  
2. Place the roasting rack on the grill, cover the grill, and allow the vegetables to roast for approximately 45 minutes until tender, stirring them every 10 minutes to promote even cooking.
3. Remove the vegetables from the grill and toss with dried cranberries and pecans.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Taken from grillocracy.com  https://www.grillocracy.com/blog/2015/11/10/grill-roasted-root-vegetables