All About: Sweet Potatoes

Handling Sweet Potatoes Substitution Yield

What we call sweet potatoes are not really members of the potato family at all, although they are a tuberous or root vegetable. They are actually members of the morning glory family. They have light brownish/orange or red skin and sweet, darker orange flesh. A related tuber is the yam. Often confused with sweet potatoes, yams have lighter colored flesh and a tan skin, but they are seldom available in the United States.

Choose sweet potatoes that are heavy for their size and are well shaped. The skin can be somewhat spotty, but should not be bruised. Bruising promotes decay, and sweet potatoes bruise very easily.

Handling Sweet Potatoes

How to Store

Do not store sweet potatoes in the refrigerator. Very cold temperatures can darken the potato. They should be kept in a cool dark place and used within 5 to 6 days.

How to Cook

Scrub sweet potatoes in cool water with a soft vegetable brush just prior to cooking to remove any dirt.

To bake: Prick the skin with a fork to allow steam to escape, and bake at 375ºF for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size. The potatoes are done when they can be easily pierced with a metal skewer or fork. Baked sweet potatoes are excellent plain, or they can be served with butter.

To boil or steam: Cut into chunks no larger than 2 inches, leaving the skin attached. Boil or steam for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender.

To parboil: Parboiling is partially cooking food by boiling it briefly in water. This technique is used for dense foods to decrease cooking time. Many recipes for candied sweet potatoes call for them to be parboiled to soften so that they can be glazed quickly at a high temperature. Cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch-thick slices or cubes and boil for 6 to 9 minutes.

To make sweet potato chips: Add Crisco Oil to a depth of about 1-inch in a deep-sided saucepan or skillet and heat to 375ºF. Use about 2 inches of oil for a deep fryer. Peel and thinly slice sweet potatoes. Fry for 3 to 5 minutes, or until brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Serve sprinkled with salt or a combination of salt and granulated sugar.

  • Boil or steam sweet potatoes with the skin on. It is easier to peel the skin from boiled potatoes and more of the vitamins are retained.
  • Substitute sweet potatoes for all or part of the white potatoes in your favorite potato pancake recipe. Fry them in light-tasting Crisco Oil.
  • Mashed sweet potatoes can be used in place of canned pumpkin in pie filling recipes.

Back To Top

Substitution

Yams and sweet potatoes can be used interchangeably in recipes, and the best substitution for both are winter squash and pumpkin. They can be used almost identically.

Back To Top

Yield

1 pound = 1 to 1-1/2 potatoes = 2 to 3 servings

Back To Top