Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / Roast

Tossing roast parsnips with maple syrup and pecans

Cooked in the Charlie Charcoal Oven

Maple and Pecan Roast Parsnips

Large chunks of parsnip roasted until golden, then tossed with maple syrup and toasted pecans and returned to the oven until the syrup turns to a sticky glaze. In the Charlie the heat comes from the walls as well as the fire below, so the parsnips colour evenly across the rack.

Mark O'BrienChef
Roast
Prep20 minutes
Cook40 to 50 minutes
Serves6 to 8
DifficultyEasy
Oven temperature200°C (390°F)
RackMiddle rack
CharcoalAbout half a football of good quality lumpwood charcoal

Charlie Oven — https://charlieoven.com/blogs/charcoal-recipes/maple-pecan-roast-parsnips

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Ingredients

Equipment

Everything used in this recipe. Already have Charlie? Add the accessories in one go.

  • Charlie Charcoal Oven£5,950.00Choose your oven
  • Flat Bed Plancha Rack£250.00
  • Deep Roasting Tray Rack£280.00
  • Charlie Oven Tongs 55cm£40.00
  • Stag British Premium Lumpwood Charcoal£96.50
Flat Bed Plancha Rack, Deep Roasting Tray Rack, Charlie Oven Tongs 55cm and Stag British Premium Lumpwood Charcoal £666.50 together

Method

Setting up Charlie

Light a small pyramid of charcoal in the centre of the grates with one or two natural firelighters. Close the door and open both vents fully. When the oven is about 10°C (20°F) short of 200°C (390°F), set both vents to the hold position, about 2.5 cm (1 in) open.

  1. Prepare the parsnips

    Peel the parsnips and cut them into large, even chunks.

  2. Toast the pecans

    Toast the pecans, then chop them roughly.

  3. Roast

    Spread the parsnips in a single layer on a Flat Bed Plancha Rack or a Deep Roasting Tray Rack and dress them with the rapeseed oil and a good pinch of salt. Roast in a hot Charlie at about 200°C (390°F), turning once, until golden.
    Roast

  4. Glaze

    Add the pecans and maple syrup and mix well.

  5. Finish

    Keep cooking until the syrup has formed a glaze, then serve.

Tips

Cut the parsnips to the same size so they cook at the same rate.

Don't move them too often or they break up. Let them steam off their moisture first so they crisp.

Toast the pecans on the low rack while the turkey cooks. Keep an eye on them, as they colour quickly.

Keep the parsnips in a single layer so they roast rather than steam. If they don't all fit, use a second rack.

Part of Mark O'Brien's Christmas menu. Download the full plan, with the shopping list and the timings for Christmas Eve and the day itself.

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The cook

Mark O'Brien

Chef

Mark O’Brien was a finalist on MasterChef: The Professionals 2026 and the first Irish chef to reach the final. After more than a decade in top London restaurants, he now runs Snake Oil Barbecue in Margate, bringing serious chef skills to his love of American BBQ and cooking over fire.

More recipes by Mark O'Brien

Frequently asked questions

  • Can I prepare the parsnips ahead?

    Yes. Peel and cut them the day before and keep them covered in the fridge. Dry them well before roasting.

  • Can I cook these with the turkey?

    Yes. Put them in on a rack of their own when you bring the Charlie up to 180°C (355°F) for the turkey's last 30 minutes. They finish while the turkey rests.