Melting Sweet Potatoes - The Original Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it okay to eat sweet potatoes every day? ›

If you enjoy sweet potatoes, you can absolutely enjoy them daily. However, eating multiple sweet potatoes every day could cause a harmless condition called carotenodermia, where your skin turns yellow-orange. You may also want to be cautious about your sweet potato intake if you have a history of kidney stones.

The key to perfect Caramelised Sweet Potatoes is to cook them slowly so that they have time to caramelise and turn a beautiful golden brown colour. If you cook them too quickly, they'll just end up being roasted sweet potatoes. Another tip is to make sure you drizzle the honey on before you put them in the oven.

Soak them. I was always a little skeptical when I read this in recipes, but it's essential. Soaking the sweet potatoes removes excess starch, which allows them to crisp up easier. You will want to put them in cold water for at least 30 minutes, but the longer you can go, the better.

Cut into eighths and place in a large pot. Add enough water to just cover the potatoes, and a pinch of salt. Boil sweet potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are tender when pierced with a fork. It will take less time if you cut the sweet potatoes into smaller pieces.

Therefore, from a nutritional standpoint, boiling rather than baking should be recommended for cooking sweet potato. Boiling may theoretically be best, but sweet potatoes are so incredibly healthy that the actual best way to prepare them is whichever way will get you to eat the most of them!

If your sweet potato is soft in spots, smells rotten, or oozes a mysterious liquid, that potato should be discarded. Another sign that sweet potatoes have taken a turn for the worse is if they start growing stalky purplish sprouts.

Freeze Time for Sweeter Sweet Potatoes

So if you want a sweet, sweet potato, you have to cook it until it reaches 135–170°F (57–77°C). And you want to keep sweet potatoes in that range for as long as possible. That will maximize how sweet the potatoes taste.

While boiling makes sweet potatoes tender, it doesn't help much with their flavor. Most dishes that call for boiled sweet potatoes would be improved if you used roasted or baked sweet potatoes.

You can control the amount of maltose produced when cooking sweet potatoes by varying the cooking time. The longer and slower you cook a sweet potato, the more maltose is formed and the sweeter it will taste.

What about soaking? Some recipes for homemade sweet potato fries ask you to soak the fries before cooking. The theory is that soaking draws out starch from inside the potatoes, helping them crisp up.

Why does vinegar make potatoes crispy? ›

The acid in the vinegar can also help to slightly break down the surface of the potatoes, aiding in the development of a crispier texture during frying. Additionally, the vinegar can contribute to a golden-brown color on the exterior of the fries.

While personal taste preferences can vary, some reasons why some people may dislike sweet potatoes include their naturally sweet flavor, texture, and aroma. Additionally, the way in which they are prepared can impact their taste and texture.

(Another hot tip if you're boiling your sweet potatoes: Don't overcook them! They tend to absorb water, which could make the filling watery.) So, say you do have some undercooked bits of sweet potato. You have two choices: Pick them out or bake your sweet potato casserole long enough to soften the underdone pieces.

You can discard the water used to boil sweet potatoes. Some people repurpose it as a base for soups and stews as it contains nutrients. If making mashed sweet potatoes, you may want to reserve a cup to add to the mixture to help make them fluffy and creamy.

A good rule of thumb for whole baked sweet potatoes: 45 minutes to 1 hour at 400 degrees F; 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes at 350 degrees F; 1 and 1/2 hours at 325 degrees F. You'll know the sweet potatoes are done by piercing the center of the sweet potato with the tip of a sharp knife; the flesh should yield easily.

Sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene, and their excessive consumption can lead to hypervitaminosis A (vitamin A toxicity), in which excess vitamin A accumulates in the liver. Although it is not considered harmful, the color of the skin and nails may turn orange.

Being a rich source of potassium, sweet potatoes help promote a healthy heart. Higher potassium intake helps manage sodium levels and as a result promotes healthier blood pressure, which may reduce your risk of heart disease.

You can substitute some rice with sweet potatoes to lose weight, but rice should not be switched out entirely. Vegetables, fruits, and protein should still be consumed to maintain a balanced diet.

Though they can both be part of a healthy diet, sweet potatoes are generally healthier than regular potatoes, partly because of their incredibly high vitamin A content. Sweet potatoes are also lower on the glycemic index, meaning that they are less likely than regular potatoes to make your blood sugar spike.