Add 1.5 inches of water to a saucepan and bring the water to a boil over high heat.
Peel the carrots, cut off the ends, cut them in half crosswise and then cut the fat halves in half lengthwise, as shown in the video below. Your goal is to achieve fairly equal-sized chunks of carrot. Place the prepared carrots in the steamer basket.
When the water boils, carefully place the steamer basket in the saucepan, cover, and steam the carrots until just tender - check with a fork, and start checking after 10 minutes. Also, keep an eye on the water to make sure they don't completely evaporate.
Remove the carrots from the steamer onto a serving plate. Drizzle them with melted butter and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Make sure not to overcook the carrots. You want to steam them until just tender - so check with a fork, and start checking after 10 minutes. It's better to slightly undercook them than to overcook.