eat make read

Candied sweet potatoes are a staple at our Thanksgiving (which, by the way, is only two weeks away!!) table. They’re so tender and sweet and caramelized that it’s hard not to like them. In fact, I was beginning to think you couldn’t get much better than the regular old candied yam until I found this recipe for candied sweet potatoes that uses bourbon. Ummmm, match made in heaven!

This recipe instructs you to first steam the potatoes, which I did, but I just read the reviews and all sorts of folks are saying you don’t need to. All I know is it didn’t hurt. After steaming I made the sauce that trumps all sweet potato sauces… a little brown sugar, butter, water, a teeny bit of salt and bourbon. Sweet, sweet bourbon. Simply pour the sauce over the steamed potatoes and place them in the oven where they’ll reach candied goodness.

Once out of the oven and on the table, the sweet potatoes look like orange gems basking in a rich brown syrup. When your fork hits the potato it simply glides right through, having reached ultimate tenderness. The syrup is of course quite sweet but the bourbon adds a richness to it and brings a rounder flavor profile. If you’re anything like me, you’re going to be dipping everything on your plate in that sauce, it’s so good.

candied sweet potatoes with bourbon
from epicurious
makes 8 servings

3 pound large sweet potatoes, peeled and halved crosswise
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/3 cup bourbon

Preheat oven to 375°F

1
Cut each potato half lengthwise into fourths. Steam potatoes on a steamer rack set over boiling water, covered, until just tender, 10 to 15 minutes, then cool, uncovered.
2
Transfer to a buttered 3-quart shallow baking dish.
3
Simmer brown sugar, butter, water, and salt, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and syrup is thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in bourbon to taste.
4
Drizzle syrup over potatoes and bake in middle of oven, basting occasionally, until syrup is thickened, about 1 1/4 hours.