how do you pre cook sweet potatoes

Okay, so sweet potatoes are sweet, but theyre not that sweet, right? I mean, sure, you could add maple syrup or honey, and marshmallows on top, but I wouldnt wish one of those monstrous casseroles on my worst enemies, let alone my own family (though, come to think of it, theres some pretty significant overlap between those two groups).

Much better than those casseroles are really well-roasted sweet potatoes. At their best, theyre creamy, flavorful, and sweet, with a slightly crisp, caramelized crust. Too often, though, they end up mealy, starchy, and bland. How can the same vegetable produce such different results? How does one get a sweet potato to really live up to its name? Well talk about that in a second, but first, a few words on sweet potatoes.

The Best Roasted Sweet Potatoes

• 3 pounds (1.4kg) peeled or skin-on sweet potatoes, quartered, and cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 6 tablespoons (90ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar

• Place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Heat water to 160°F (71°C) as registered on an instant-read thermometer. Cover and set aside for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, adjust oven racks to upper middle and lower middle positions and preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Drain sweet potatoes and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with 3 tablespoons olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread sweet potatoes on 2 rimmed baking sheets and roast until bottom side is browned, about 30 minutes. Carefully flip potatoes with thin offset spatula and roast until second side is browned and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes longer.
• Transfer to a large bowl. Toss with remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, parsley, and honey (or maple syrup or agave nectar, if using). Serve immediately.

I Yam What I Yam: Sweet Potatoes 101

So, as all of you highly educated and well-groomed Serious Eaters probably already know, the thing that we call a yam in the US is not, in fact, a yam. A true yam is a gigantic, starchy, sticky root from a large, grasslike plant native to Africa. These days, theyre mostly found in Africa, South America, and the Pacific Islands. Very rarely do they make their way to the US.

Up here, the things we call “yams” are actually a type of sweet potato, a different plant entirely. Sweet potatoes come in a few different varieties, but can basically be broken down into two groups that behave differently when cooked.

• Dry sweet potatoes, like the white-fleshed American sweet potato or Okinawan purple potatoes, are starchier and less sweet than moist sweet potatoes. They turn fluffy when cooked, and in many recipes can act as a good substitute for normal potatoes, albeit with a unique flavor all their own.
• Moist sweet potatoes, like Garnet or Ruby yams, are the more widely available variety in the US. They have higher water content and sugar content than dry sweet potatoes, and they cook up creamy and rich, rather than fluffy.

The latter is the one were interested in roasting today.

Best Ever Roasted Sweet Potatoes Recipe – How to Bake Sweet Potatoes

FAQ

Can you prepare sweet potatoes in advance?

Can you bake sweet potatoes ahead of time and reheat?

How long should I boil my sweet potatoes before baking?

How do you soften sweet potatoes before cooking?

How do you cook sweet potatoes in the oven?

Prep the potatoes: Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes thoroughly with a brush, then pat them dry. Poke the sweet potatoes with a fork 3 to 4 times to ensure that steam can escape during baking. Bake the potatoes: Place the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet.

What is the best way to cook sweet potatoes for nutritional value?

Boiling sweet potatoes retains more beta-carotene and makes the nutrient more absorbable than other cooking methods such as baking or frying. However, boiling potatoes can lower their nutritional content like vitamin C and B vitamins if they are boiled without skin. Boiling them with skin can save nutrients that may lost in cooking water. Try to use minimal water like with steaming for maximum nutritional value.

Can you cook whole sweet potatoes?

You can easily cook whole sweet potatoes in the oven or peel, cube, and roast them. By following a few simple steps, you’ll have a scrumptious side dish in no time! Wash the potatoes then pierce them with a fork. Hold the potatoes under running water and use a scrub brush to remove dirt from them.

How do you rewarm a baked sweet potato?

TO REHEAT: Remove the baked sweet potato from the refrigerator and let it come to as close to room temperature as time will allow. Rewarm in a 425°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, turning it over once halfway through.