• If you have a question about commercial production or the hot sauce business, please post in The Food Biz.

Parsnips Vs. Carrots

I have been pondering using Parsnips instead of carrots for some sauces. I find they have a little bit of a bite and being white instead of orange would be good color wise for some I have been working on.

Does anyone have experience using parsnips in sauces?
 
Brian, not a hot sauce maker but I like adding parsnips to stews and soups and think it would definately be worth experimenting with. Sure enjoying the Piney, still haven't cracked the orange but will soon.
 
Parsnips interesting, I grow them. I normally just boil them. I've also made a custard like pumpkin or sweet potato pie with them.(Yum) And you've thought of using them in a sauce before I did you bastard!
icon_wink.gif
Though I've never made hot sauce with them I would think they would go well as a mildly sweet sauce. They have a what I would call a "perfumy" taste so I'd play with ginger, allspice ,nutmeg etc... Maybe even honey. If you didn't use to much of them. I have parsnips , and some parsley roots(They are a lot like parsnips) in the garden that will be ready come spring. I may play with sauces them if I have any mash left.
 
Ah if it's just for color white carrots work too. I grew some of those this year too, they seem to taste the same as the orange ones. So that wouldn't cause any change.
 
Unfortunately right now I am working with the market and what I can get there. I just haven't seen a parsnip based sauce and I was wondering if there was a reason other then possibly their cost.
 
Parsnips are excellent. Unfortunately right now I can not grow them. They are sweeter and smoother. I had thought of using them in a hot sauce. I dont think they will make a big difference and they are kind of expensive to purchase.

Around here parsnips cost 4 times the price of carrots. $2 /lb compared to 50
cents /lb.

But if you have parsnips, jump right in. The sauce will be better for them. I would not even blink. I would use them in a flash. But then I am always experimenting. That is how I learn. No other way to answer your question than for you to just dive in and do it and find out for yourself. Everyone's taste buds are different. Some will say it is better and some will say it is less good. Who knows. I feel strongly that I would love it with parsnips. But for you. only you can answer the question of taste by actually doing it.
 
I was thinking the same Tabby. Just wanted to know if anyone had bad experiences. Around here a pound of carrots is 99 cents and parsnips are 1.98 a pound. Of course 5 pounds of carrots is under 3 dollars and I don't know about bulk parsnips. I don't think I would need that many at any one time though. I am thinking of trying a strawberry / habanero sauce and may try parsnips in it.
 
Hal I tried them in one and just couldn't get around that perfumy taste they have. It really messed with the flavor profile and were just a pain to deal with.
 
if it's a color thing there are several alternatives, white carrots, Plantains, Winter Squashes, Tapioca, etc...
 
Just take a walk around your produce department and see what they have.
 
Halbrust said:
3+ year necro bump​
 ​
I searched for parsnips in sauce, and this is the only thread I found.
Justaguy, did you make a parsnip sauce?
Has anyone else?
I worked with them and came up with my Seventh Circle. I found their flavor is powerful, but after adjusting and playing around they do great in that sauce.
 
I tired parsnips once for a white sauce didn't work too good. Now I use White, Yellow, Purple, and orange carrots for the colors I am looking for. Purple carrot with Purple Bhuts, White Carrots with white peppers and sometimes a red pepper to give me a pink color.etc.
 
RocketMan said:
Hal I tried them in one and just couldn't get around that perfumy taste they have. It really messed with the flavor profile and were just a pain to deal with.
 
 
This, although I've not tried a hot sauce with them I despise cooking with and eating them in general. Perfumey is a good way to describe them for sure.
 
texas blues said:
2 foods I cannot eat because they make me gag and want to blow chunks.
 
Parsnips and liver.
 
Rutabaga is also high on the list of foods I don't want.
 
Add cow tongue to that list too.
 
I don't wanna' be tasting anything that's tasting me back.
 
Back
Top