How to Make Carrot Oil

Making Carrot-Infused Oil

Peel and grate the carrots. Wash two carrots and use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. You can discard the peels. Grate the carrots against the narrow sides of a box grater to shred the carrots finely. If you don't have organic carrots, try to use homegrown carrots instead.

Place the grated carrots in a slow cooker with oil. Get out a small slow cooker that's between one and two quarts (0.9 to 1.9 liters) in size. Transfer the grated carrots into the slow cooker and pour enough oil to cover the carrots. You can use a neutral oil such as olive, coconut, sunflower, or untoasted sesame. For example, if you have a one-quart (0.9 liter) slow cooker, you'll probably need to use about 2 1/4 cups (540 ml) of oil.

Heat the oil on low for 24 to 72 hours. Put the lid on the slow cooker and turn it on to low. Leave the oil to infuse with the carrots for 24 to 72 hours. The oil should start to turn orange as it infuses. If your slow cooker has a warm setting, use that instead of low.

Strain the oil through cheesecloth. Turn off the slow cooker and lay a piece of cheesecloth in a strainer. Slowly pour the oil and carrots through the cheesecloth to strain out the solids. You can discard or compost the carrot solids.

Store the carrot-infused oil. Transfer the oil to a clean glass jar. Secure a tight fitting lid on top and place the oil in the refrigerator. You can store the oil for six to eight months.

Making Carrot-Macerated Oil

Wash and slice the carrots. Get out one bunch of carrots. You should have six to eight fresh carrots. Wash them well to remove any dirt and trim off the green ends. Use a sharp knife to slice them into rounds that are about 1/8-inch (3-mm) thick. You can discard the leafy ends or save them for a different recipe.

Blanche the carrot slices for three minutes. Get out a large bowl and fill it with ice water. Set it next to the stove. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the carrot slices and let them boil for three minutes. Turn off the heat and use a slotted spoon to scoop the carrots directly into the icy water in the bowl next to the stove. Submerging the carrots in the ice water will stop them from cooking and help them keep their bright orange color.

Arrange the carrots on a tray and turn on the oven. Preheat the oven to its lowest setting (about 160 °F (71 °C). Drain the carrots and lay all of the carrot slices on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Leave space between each carrot slice so air can circulate and dry out the carrots. If you have a dehydrator, place the carrot slices in a single layer on the dehydrator tray.

Dehydrate the carrots until they're completely dry. Put the sheet of carrots in the low oven and bake them for 9 to 12 hours or until they're dried. If you're using a dehydrator, dehydrate them at 125 °F (52 °C) for 12 to 24 hours.

Place the dried carrots in a blender with olive oil. Cool the dehydrated carrots and put them into a powerful blender or food processor. Pour enough oil in the blender to cover the carrots completely. You may need up to 1/2 cup (120 ml) of oil. Consider using a neutral oil such as olive, coconut, sunflower, or sesame oil.

Pulse the carrots with the oil. Put the lid on the blender or food processor and pulse the mixture on and off for about a minute. The carrots should become roughly ground up and the oil should turn a little orange.

Pour the carrots and oil into a clean jar. Get out a clean four-ounce (120-ml) glass jar. Transfer the carrot and oil mixture into the jar and seal it shut with a tight fitting lid.

Let the carrots and oil rest for four weeks. Place the jar of carrots and oil in a cool, dry place. Leave the carrots to flavor the oil for about four weeks before you begin using the oil.

Strain the oil through cheesecloth. Place a piece of cheesecloth in a small, fine mesh strainer. Set the strainer over another small glass jar. Slowly pour the macerated carrot oil through the cheesecloth and discard the solids. You can discard or compost the carrot solids.

Store the carrot oil. Fasten a tight fitting lid on the jar and store the oil in the refrigerator. Use the carrot oil within six to eight months.