Hairy Bikers' honey roast parsnips recipe

With just four ingredients and three easy steps, you can have these sticky, roast parsnips on the table in no time.

This Hairy Bikers’ honey roast parsnips recipe is brilliant because it’s so simple. There is no parboiling required, and just three ingredients, plus salt and pepper. Like potatoes, honey roast parsnips are especially tasty roasted in hot goose fat. Don’t worry if you don’t have any though. Using vegetable oil works very well too, and of course, it makes them suitable for vegetarians. This side dish is perfect on a festive table, but parsnips are in season from September all the way through to March, so this simple side dish is a great choice all the through the winter.

Ingredients

• 1kg parsnips
• 2 tbsp goose fat or vegetable oil
• Lots of cracked black pepper and a sprinkling of sea salt
• 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/355°F/Gas 4. Peel and cut the parsnips into chunks. We tend to cut off the pointy end and then cut the stouter top into pieces roughly the same size so they roast evenly. Smaller parsnips can just be peeled and cut in half lengthways. Heat the oil or goose fat in a roasting tin until smoking.
2. Toss the parsnip pieces in the hot fat or oil until they are nicely coated, then sprinkle with the black pepper and sea salt. Place them in the oven and roast for about 45 minutes or until cooked and starting to turn golden. The exact cooking time will depend on how big you cut the chunks, so keep an eye on them.
3. Add the honey or maple syrup and roll the parsnips in the sticky juices. Return them to the oven for 10 minutes and continue cooking until golden.

Top tips for making Hairy Bikers’ honey roast parsnips

The Hairy Bikers say: 'Don’t leave the parsnips in the oven too long or the honey (or syrup) will caramelise too much and turn black and bitter.' If you’re roasting potatoes at the same time, we recommend using different trays where possible so you can put the parsnips in a few minutes later, as they take less time to cook.

How do I pick the best parsnips?

Parsnips are in season from late summer until about March, thought they're available most of the year. At the beginning of the season, they are usually smaller and look pretty when they are roasted just halved down the middle, rather than chopped. However, later in the season, they get bigger and sweeter, especially after the first frost, so these are lovely to eat too. Really large ones can get woody in the centre - in this case, you can always cut out and discard the core.

Do I need to parboil parsnips?

There's not need to parboil parsnip, particularly if they are small, young ones. However, older, woodier specimens can be parboiled so they stay nice and tender in the centre when you cook them.

Do I need to peel parsnips before cooking them?

It's not always necessary to peel parsnip before cooking them, especially younger or thinner ones. Scrub them with a vegetable brush to remove all the dirt. If your parsnips have been at the bottom of your fridge of vegetable basket for a few days, you may prefer to peel them as the skins can become tougher.

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