# Mashed sweet potatoes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 11, 2005, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515 "2005-11-11T02:28:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/1 "2005-11-11T02:28:50Z")
I bought some sweet potatoes yesterday, and was planning to bake them, but then I thought – mashed. Yum. I’ve never made them, though – do I just make them like regular mashed potatoes, with milk and butter? or do I want to use broth or something? Any tips? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/2 "2005-11-11T02:32:34Z")
Personally, I prefer yams, but I would peel them, cut them into large French-fry looking things and roast them in the oven until cooked through. Then mash them with some butter, salt and pepper. Yummo. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/3 "2005-11-11T02:33:50Z")
Forgot to mention that you should coat them lightly with olive oil before roasting. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/4 "2005-11-11T02:35:24Z")
Hm, google ads to the rescue: [this](http://www.chefs.com/Recipes/RecipeDetails.aspx?id=3956) sounds good. And easy. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/5 "2005-11-11T02:37:04Z")
Roast, rather than boil? For flavor, or texture, or why? (Dunno, they might be yams – I can’t tell the difference. Whichever ones were in a big yummy looking pile at the grocery store.) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/6 "2005-11-11T02:46:03Z")
If they were three feet long and as big around as your thigh, they were yams. Otherwise they were sweet potatoes. My Mom always did the boil, mash and top with marshmallows bit. Quite yummy. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/7 "2005-11-11T02:51:26Z")
They’re definitely sweet potatoes, then. I’ve never really gotten into the marshmallow thing – but my BIL’s mother used to do this thing with OJ and pecans that was pretty good – I wonder if my sister has that recipe… ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/8 "2005-11-11T02:57:45Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > If they were three feet long and as big around as your thigh, they were yams. Otherwise they were sweet potatoes. > > My Mom always did the boil, mash and top with marshmallows bit. Quite yummy. Well said. I cringe when Americans talk about eating yams. Most Yanks have never seen a yam, much less eat one. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/9 "2005-11-11T02:58:35Z")
When you mash them, put a little olive oil and nutmeg in there. And maybe even a little whipping cream. Yum. Or for fun you can mash some carrots in with 'em. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/10 "2005-11-11T03:04:21Z")
They have better flavor, IMO, if you roast them first, then mash. Instead of boiling them. And me, I just use lots of butter and a little half and half. Variations: little bit of curry powder, or a little fresh ginger. (Some people call the orange-fleshed ones yams, and the white-fleshed ones sweet potatos. The taxonomy is not very scientific, however, so call them whatever you’re used to calling them.) ---
**Author:** ![Cherry2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cherry2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cherry2000)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/11 "2005-11-11T03:05:17Z")
Or, a little butter, salt, pepper, oj, and a splash of amaretto 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/12 "2005-11-11T03:35:14Z")
Here’s a recipe that I got in Williamsburg VA: Kings Inn Sweet Potatoes 3 lb sweet potatoes or yams ¾ cup brown sugar 3T butter ½ t cinnamon ½ t nutmeg ¼ t salt 1 C milk Boil, peel and mash potatoes. Reserve 2T sugar; add remaining ingredients. Mix. Place in greased casserole. Sprinkle reserved sugar on top. Bake at 400 degrees for about a half hour. My kids claim to HATE sweet potatoes, but the fight over this dish. If I don’t make it at each and every holiday, regardless of what the main dish is, I am subject to moaning and gnashing of teeth. I shall try roasying the potatoes first this year, and see if that is even tastier. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/13 "2005-11-11T03:37:18Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Roast, rather than boil? For flavor, or texture, or why? (Dunno, they might be yams – I can’t tell the difference. Whichever ones were in a big yummy looking pile at the grocery store.) Like many vegetables (peppers and asparagus come to mind), yams benefit from roasting. The flavor is more robust, IMO. Marshmallows on yams are an atrocity, IMO, but whatever blows up yer skirt. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/14 "2005-11-11T03:39:40Z")
> [@](#): > > I shall try roasying the potatoes first this year, and see if that is even tastier. Or even roasting them. ---
**Author:** ![John\_F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@John\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_F)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/15 "2005-11-11T03:56:09Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > If they were three feet long and as big around as your thigh, they were yams. Otherwise they were sweet potatoes. So funny, I never knew this until yesterday from reading the new Rachel Ray magazine. She says yams have bark like skin and weigh up to 150 lbs. :eek: I’ve ordered and eaten “yams” plenty of times but didn’t’ know they were really just sweet potato posers. ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/16 "2005-11-11T03:58:52Z")
My mom makes something like [this](http://www.allyou.com/allyou/article/0,20904,1115709,00.html), but with pecans in it. Which reminds me, I need to ask her for the recipe. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/17 "2005-11-11T06:11:16Z")
[The master speaks on sweet potatoes and yams.](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990604b.html) ---
**Author:** ![buns3000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c89c15/32.png) [@buns3000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buns3000)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/18 "2005-11-11T06:28:00Z")
OK, I’m totally making mashed sweet potatoes this weekend. Thanks for the idea, **twickster**. ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/19 "2005-11-11T06:34:33Z")
mmmmMMMmmmmmmashed sweet potatoes. with crushed pineapple, pecans, a splash of pineapple juice, cinnamon sugar and nutmeg…and butter. awwwwww yeeee-eeeaahhhhhhh. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515/20 "2005-11-11T14:36:15Z")
This is a great recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole 4 eggs 1 cup milk 1 cup of sugar 1/4 cup melted butter 6 cups of cooked and cubed sweet potatoes or 2 (40 oz each) cans of sweet potatoes cut and drained Mix well in a large bowl the sugar, milk, butter, and eggs. Add the sweet potatoes and gently mix well. Pour into a 13" x 9" x 2" baking dish and then make topping. Topping 1-1/4 cup all purpose flour 1-1/4 cup packed brown sugar Mix well and add: 1-1/4 cups of chopped pecans 3/4 cups of melted butter Mix these together well and sprinkle over sweet potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 50-65 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mashed-sweet-potatoes/330515.md?page=2)