Grilling: Ember-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Maple Cinnamon Butter
With leftovers finally taxed, Thanksgiving withdrawal is rearing its ugly head. If you're anything like me, you may have over bought for the big meal and have more than a few extra ingredients still on hand. If sweet potatoes are on that list, I suggest taking them to the coals next time you fire up your grill for another Thanksgiving fix before 2009.
Roasting sweet potatoes nestled in the coals of a hot fire has to be the easiest, and my favorite, way to cook these tubers. After about an hour in the coals, turned a few time during roasting, they come out with a velvety smooth interior that melts in your mouth. Just a dash of salt is all they really need, but to put those other leftover ingredients to good use, topping them with a maple cinnamon butter can revive the comforting flavors of Thanksgiving, keeping that holiday magic alive.
About the author: Joshua Bousel blogs about grilling on his blog, The Meatwave, and appears weekly here on Serious Eats during grilling season.
Ember-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Maple Cinnamon Butter
Adapted from How to Grill by Steven Raichlen
- serves 4 -
Ingredients
4 large sweet potatoes or yams, washed and scrubbed
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Procedure
1. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread coals out evenly.
2. While the fire is lighting, mix the butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt together in a small bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside until ready to serve.
3. Wrap each of the sweet potatoes in aluminum foil. Rest the sweet potatoes on the embers, then use tongs to move any loose coals around or on top of the potatoes.
4. Roast the sweet potatoes until they are completely soft throughout, 40 minutes to an hour, turning a few times during cooking to ensure even roasting. The potatoes are done when a paring knife can be inserted in the middle with no resistance.
5. Remove the potatoes from the coals and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the foil, split in half, top with the maple-cinnamon butter and serve.
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1 Comment:
You will use sweet potatoes over Christmas. Curious of the difference between a sweet potato and yam? For practical purposes in the states, a sweet potato from Louisiana is referred to as a Louisiana yam...because of the climate and soil, Louisiana produces the sweetest of the sweet potatoes and they are a orangy color. You can count on the best when you cook with yams! And, don't limit their use...try in breads, cakes, sweets besides sides.
hollyclegg at 9:36AM on 12/06/08