Delicious Candied Yams Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between candied yams and candied sweet potatoes? ›

Yams and sweet potatoes differ in flavor and appearance, and they are not related. Sweet potatoes are in the morning glory family, while yams belong to the lily family. Yams aren't as sweet as sweet potatoes, and they are starchier and drier. Their texture and flavor are more similar to potatoes or yuca.

Do you boil yams before baking? Boiling yams before baking help reduce the baking time. You can certainly boil them before cooking but I love yams that have been slowly roasted in the oven.

Why are my candied yams runny? Your sauce just hasn't had enough time to cook. If it doesn't thicken to your liking, remove the sweet potatoes and cook the sauce on the stove until you achieve the desired consistency.

Although both veggies are very close in fiber, protein, vitamin C, and magnesium, sweet potatoes are the healthier option because they are lower in overall calories, lower in carbohydrates, and higher in beta carotene (vitamin A).

If you're able to find true yams in your supermarket, they can be prepared just like your favorite potato recipes—boiled, roasted, baked, or fried. But if sweet, candied recipes are what you're after, you probably want to stick to using sweet potatoes.

While it sounds a little counter intuitive to soak them in water to avoid sogginess it actually makes sense. Yams contain a lot of starch and by soaking them for a few hours some of the starch is released and washes away into the water. Just make sure to rinse them well and pat them dry before baking.

Bake, don't boil

Baking sweet potatoes caramelizes their natural sugars, especially when done whole. It intensifies their flavor and creates a richer taste compared to boiling, which can result in a watered-down, bland flavor.

Fill the pot with just enough salted water to cover the yams. Bring to a boil and cook, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tender. If you can pierce the flesh with a fork or knife, they're ready.

The ooze is actually referred to as "sap." It is made up of sugar and starch combined with the moisture found in the vegetable, and it escapes out of the damage made from the knife. The sap really equals the sweetness. If it's pouring out of your potato, that means it's a sweet and delicious vegetable.

Most common techniques used to reduce the bitterness includes boiling/steaming and/or baking over coals after either cleaning (bulbils) or cleaning and peeling (tubers) (Bhandari and Kawabata, 2005) .

How do you take the bitterness out of yams? ›

Wild forms of bitter yam must be soaked and boiled before use to remove the toxins.

Drain the syrup: This is a key move so your candied yams don't turn out runny due to too much liquid in the baking dish. Place the drained yams into a medium baking dish.

If you'd like a more precise indicator, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the sweet potato. The internal temperature of a cooked sweet potato should read between 205- and 212-degrees Fahrenheit.

Cooked Yams Are a Great Supplement to Boost Your Dog's Nutrition. Yams and sweet potatoes are excellent vegetables to add to your dog's food. Many dog foods contain yams because of their nutritional content and low fat.

Sweet potatoes tend to have a more tapered shape and may be firm or soft with thinner skin. Generally, sweet potatoes taste sweeter than yams. You will more readily encounter sweet potatoes during your regular grocery run, but if you spot a yam, which may be labeled "sweet potato," you'll know the truth.

True yams are part of an entirely different genus (Dioscorea; sweet potatoes belong to Ipomoea in the morning glory family) and are more akin to yuca in texture and flavor. Yams are commonly used in Caribbean and West African cooking and can grow as long and thick as an adult arm.

Yams are starchy and have a rough, brown exterior. They can grow up to 45 feet long and are eaten in parts of Latin America, West Africa, the Caribbean, and Asia. Sweet potatoes are a New World root vegetable and have a softer, reddish skin and a creamier, often darker interior.

What is another name for candied yams? Because candied yams are actually made with sweet potatoes, this dish may also be called candied sweet potatoes.