Southern Candied Yams
Candied yams is a old fashioned side dish that's slow cooked in a candied mixture on the stove-top with warm spices, sugar and butter.
Servings 5 people
Ingredients
- 2lb sweet potatoes
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar or light brown sugar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 stick butter
- 4 tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate thawed
Instructions
- Scrub, peel, and slice the yams into ½-inch rounds. In a medium, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add the sliced yams, butter, sugars, orange juice concentrate, and spices. Stir until the yams are well coated in the buttery sugar mixture.
- Once the butter and sugars melt and start bubbling (it’ll look like a thick syrup),cover the pot and let the yams simmer gently for about 50 minutes, or until tender (when slightly pierced with the tines of a fork or taste). If the yams are still a bit hard. Let them cook a bit longer.
- Remove the lid and set the stove to medium heat. Let the buttery syrup come to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until it thickens and coats the yams. Remove the pot from the stove and keep it warm in the oven until ready to serve. These taste best warm.Please share this recipe, so other people can enjoy it!
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Notes
QUICK TIPS
- Double or triple the recipe if you like.
- I always add a bit more vanilla extract to the candied yams once they're almost done cooking.
- These aren't too sweet in my opinion but you can adjust the amount of sugar to your taste, since everyones taste is different. Start off using less sugar, taste then add more if needed. If you end up adding too much sugar, balance it out by adding a bit of water or even butter.
- If the syrup becomes too thick, you can thin it out with a bit of water.
- You can assemble this in advance. Up to 3 days. The flavors will be even better! Store it with an airtight lid in the refrigerator. Heat it up on your stove-top until warmed through.
- Look for small sweet potatoes. They're easier to peel and cut. You can usually find them at Walmart. If you can't find them medium or larger sweet potatoes will work.
- Cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch rounds. If you slice them any thinner they may break apart as they cook.
- Once they're done, carefully stir them into the sauce. If you stir to roughly the yams may break apart.
- To test their doneness, take one out and taste it. If it's still a bit hard.Let it cook a bit longer. when the tines of fork can pierce the sweet potato easily, it's done.
- This dish is best served warm.Follow Whisk it Real Gud on Instagram.