Sweet potatoes

[koukouvagia]

Last night I made roasted sweet potatoes.  I cut then into chunks, drizzled with olive oil, and tossed salt/pepper and allspice and then roasted them at 390 for about 45min.  They came out delicious but they looked.... unappealing.  I was expecting them to come out golden orange with browned edges but they didn't.  What could I do to roasted sweet potatoes to give them a little oomph?

Recipies and suggestions welcome.

 

[chefross]

Try a higher temperature, and if you have a convection oven...use that.

You could steep a few roasted garlic cloves in some maple syrup overnight, then use that mixture to coat your potatoes.

 

[gobblygook]

What looked unappealing?  You might consider boiling them for a while, then tossing on the sheetpan or grill, so you don't have to spend as much time in the broiling zone.  However, without knowing what was unappealing, it's hard to offer suggestions.  The other thing that seems to go very well with sweet potatoes is brown sugar.  A light dusting with the brown sugar under the heat might give you a better caramel color. 

(Note: I don't eat the blasted things, so I don't cook 'em either.  However, I'm just going from my experience of observation. 

 

[phatch]

My favorite preparation for sweet potatoes:
 

Peel them cut them in disks a bit less than 1/2 inch thick. Season with cajun seasoning and cook in butter in a cast iron or non stick pan until lightly browned on both sides.

I like the sweet and heat flavors more than amplifying the sweetness with more sugar. Curry powder would probably work well too.

 

[chefedb]

Boil al dente then cool and peel Slice then put on a half  skewer with a slice of potato a slice of fresh Pineapple, piece of fresh Coconut, a cherry then another slice potato. Mix melted butter and maple syrup together a sprinkle of allspice and pour over while grilling over the coals. Different and good. I call these sweet potato 5-O

 

[siduri]

I love roasted anything, and sweet potatoes cooked in the roasting juices around a roast meat is the tops. 

Anyway, I cook them at a very high heat at the very lowest shelf of the oven, with olive oil, salt and pepper.  I would avoid adding anything sweet to them, since they will already brown too easily, being sugary on their own.  I use parchment paper so they won;t stick and the nice brown stuff will come away still attached to the potato.  I also cut them in long wedges, with a very sharp angle - that is, if you cut them in half lenghthwise, and then cut that half in half lenghthwise, and then cut each quarter in half lenghthwise, you'll get one very acute angle and two wider angles (if you look at the cross section).  These corners make for nice crispiness. 

I also like to roast them with regular potatoes.  Lots of salt and pepper. 

I also sometimes just put them on the floor of the oven.  They get nice and brown.  Use a LOW-sided very wide roasting pan (cookie sheet with a less than 1 inch border).  That way no steam develops, and don;t pack them too close.  The best results i get if i toss them with oil before putting on the baking sheet (with the parchment paper) so all sides are lightly oiled.  Salt and pepper of course.  They always come out nice and brown that way, usually at the top temp of my oven. 

 

[amazingrace]

We love them roasted in their jackets,  just like regular bakers.  The skins get crispy.  We butter it and eat it like bread. 

note to self: put sweets on the grocery list

 

[kyheirloomer]

I vote with those suggesting a higher heat, KK.

When I roast veggies, including sweet potatoes, I work at 450. Give that a try and see how it works out.

Also, keep the olive oil to a minimum. You don't want them frying. Just a squiggle or three and you're good to go. You can always add more oil after they're cooked.

 

[dc sunshine]

Par boil, higher heat, toss in oil. For lots of crisp bits, tryroughing them up either by tossing in a colander or scraping them with a fork.  Works great on potatoes, so why not sweet potatoes?

 

[amazingrace]

If I'm not baking them,  we like them pressure steamed, then brushed with olive oil and finished on the grill.  Yum. 

 

[siduri]

A lot of people recommend boiling first. 

I never boil first because that leaves them less time in the oven where they can develop their nice crispy browned edges.  Same with potatoes.  It takes longer but it's well worth it.  Boiling first they're never as browned. 

 

[kyheirloomer]

Only time I precook them is if they're destined for the grill.

I've never seen the point of boiling first if your goal is roasted potatoes. You don't really save any time. And they don't come out of the oven the same way.

 

[koukouvagia]

Thanks for the suggestions.  I will try a higher heat.  I usually par boil regular potatoes but sweet potatoes cook quicker and they were cut pretty thin.  I think what I found unappealing was the color.  They didn't have that lovely bright orange color I was looking for when they are cooked in their jackets - they looked a little icky brown.  Is that normal?

I've never been a fan of sweet potatoes.  I'm trying to get used to them because hubby loves them and also because they're very good for you.   Neither of us likes to add sugar to them because they already taste so sweet.  I will try getting used to their flavor and then experimenting with them along the way.  First up higher heat to roast them, little oil, lots of seasoning.