One Simple Prep Step Gives Grilled Vegetables A Bonus Layer Of Flavor

Root vegetables don't usually get much attention at a cookout. They're shuffled to the side of the plate next to the eye-catching burgers and ribs — treated like an afterthought, even though a pile of charred carrots or sweet potatoes might be the most quietly essential thing on the table. Done right, they bring color, sweetness, and a tender-crisp bite that plays perfectly against the richness of grilled meat — the key phrase being "done right." Celebrity chef Alex Guarnaschelli says that means braising before they ever hit the grates.

Start by searing the vegetables until they've picked up some color, then get a braising pan going with your root vegetables, tap water, some fat, and seasoning, letting them cook low and slow until just tender but still firm to the bite. During that time, they pull in moisture and soften partway through, which means when they hit the heat, the outside can caramelize and char the way they're supposed to, without the inside lagging behind. The result is something with genuine depth: smoky and charred on the outside, soft and rich in the middle — far more interesting than anything that went straight from the cutting board to the grate.

There's plenty of room to push the braise even further, and the easiest place to start is the liquid itself. Water works, but chicken or vegetable stock (preferably homemade, if you have the time) is the smarter starting point — it gives the vegetables a savory foundation that carries through to the final dish. From there, smashed garlic, thyme sprigs, or a bay leaf can only make it better. Over the course of an hour or so, the aromatic liquid will work its way in, layering flavor well before the grill ever gets involved.

The fat, too, can use an upgrade. Reach for something with flavor — extra-virgin olive oil or butter both work well. They make everything taste richer while pulling in all the aromatics you added to the braise.

And last but not least, don't skip the seasoning before the grill. Salt and pepper cover the basics, but smoked paprika, Aleppo pepper, and celery seed each bring something worth having — smokiness, a gentle fruity heat, or that herbal quality root vegetables take to so well. Add a light coat of oil right before the grates, and you've built a side dish with enough depth that it stops feeling like a side dish at all.