# Sweet Potatoes - how do you love them best? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 12, 2011, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304 "2011-01-12T03:58:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/21 "2011-01-12T17:14:23Z")
Baked, with salt and butter, nothing else. I really don’t understand why people pollute a sweet potato with marshmallows- but then, in my opinion, marshmallows should only be used for s’mores. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/22 "2011-01-12T17:18:53Z")
The only time I like sweet potatoes is in fries form. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/23 "2011-01-12T17:23:17Z")
I like them just about any way you will serve them to me, but the way I usually eat them is baked with butter, salt and black pepper. Sweet potato fries are a close second. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/24 "2011-01-12T17:24:58Z")
Any way but candied. Yum! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/25 "2011-01-12T17:28:54Z")
Well, since it’s in the poll, I voted for “don’t like 'em.” In fact, I despise them. But I’ll stop at saying that. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/26 "2011-01-12T17:43:14Z")
Fries with sea salt or baked with just butter. Mmmm, good. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/27 "2011-01-12T17:44:07Z")
Voted for casserole (which I love), but I eat sweet potato fries much more often (and I also love them). ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/28 "2011-01-12T17:47:24Z")
_ **Don’t let Paula Dean get anywhere near your sweet potatoes!** _ This [video](http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/stuffed-sweet-potato-balls/28568.html) is evidence of a crime against food! Don’t support her cruel and recklessly destructive acts! I like mine peeled, coarsely chopped into two inch pieces and baked with butter, a _little_ brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice and a handful of pecans. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/29 "2011-01-12T18:13:37Z")
OK, I went and looked up the recipe I mentioned earlier. Summarizing: Peel a bunch of sweet potatoes (however many you think will fit onto your baking sheet, maybe a couple pounds or so) and cut them into rounds, maybe 1/2" thick or so. Line the baking sheet with foil and spray it with cooking spray. Toss the potatoes with a little olive oil and salt. Then place the rounds in a single layer on the baking sheet, and cover it tightly with foil. Put them in a COLD OVEN. (This is key.) Turn the heat to 425 F. Cook for 30 minutes. Then take off the foil and cook for another 15-20 minutes or until the bottoms are turning brown. Flip them over and give them another 20ish minutes or so. This is my all-time favorite way to make sweet potatoes. It’s a little more effort than just baking them up plain (which is my second-favorite way to make them) but well worth it if you have the time. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/30 "2011-01-12T18:56:45Z")
Sliced as for potatoes hasselback, brushed down with melted garlic butter, and sprinkled sparsley with powdered bay leaf. Sliced thinly and done tempurah. ---
**Author:** ![Raskolnikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac8455/32.png) [@Raskolnikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raskolnikov)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/31 "2011-01-12T19:02:40Z")
baked, way better tasing than a russet potato. And better for you. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/32 "2011-01-12T19:17:35Z")
I roast them and then mash with lots of butter, salt, and black pepper. I don’t like anything that makes them sweeter, they are almost too sweet for me as-is. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/33 "2011-01-12T20:44:15Z")
Would souffle count as a casserole? If so, then that. ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/34 "2011-01-12T21:00:17Z")
Spray a baking tray with oil spray. Peel the sweet potato, and use the peeler to keep peeling long strips. Put strips on tray, spray with oil. Bake in a hot oven for 10 minutes. Watch carefully because they are easy to burn. They will crisp up once they are out of the oven. This is the only was my kids will eat sweet potatoes, but I love them any way, especially baked, or in salads. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/35 "2011-01-12T21:18:06Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Sliced thinly and done tempurah. Ooooh, yeah! I forgot about tempura sweet potatoes! Mmmmmm. Long, long ago when I used to live in the suburbs of Baltimore, there was a Chinese carry-out place near me that sold a whole tempura veggie plate. Sweet potatoes, green beans, broccoli, mushrooms. Sometimes I’d eat that for lunch and convince myself that I could, conceivably, be a vegetarian! (As if! 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/36 "2011-01-12T21:59:59Z")
Baked, split, topped with cheese, bacon bits, and BBQ sauce. I’ll have to try out the cooking-leftovers-in-butter idea from the OP - sounds good! We did sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving that are basically the Cook’s recipe upthread, but cooked in bacon grease, and with quartered onions added when they’re halfway done. Stir in the chopped bacon you cooked for the grease, and serve to accolates and adulation. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/37 "2011-01-12T22:30:22Z")
On someone elses plate. ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/38 "2011-01-12T22:33:38Z")
Baked + salt & cinnamon ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/39 "2011-01-12T22:44:41Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > If you want to use fresh sweet potatoes for pie or casserole. How do you do that? It’s been years since I did it without the canned stuff. Bake 'em. If you boil them (the most common method) they get waterlogged and half the flavor washes away in the water. Baked, the flavor stays in the potato. (Same for pie pumpkins, incidentally.) > [@Sitnam](#): > > I thought I 'd answer for my 6 month old who had it for the first time yesterday. > > Other than boob milk, she prefers her sweet potatoes mashed. 😃 My son’s favorite meal as a wee one was mashed sweet potatoes with homemade yogurt. (This was wayback before you could find whole milk yogurt in the supermarket.) > [@Antigen](#): > > Peel, chop into small cubes, toss with olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper, and then roast in the oven till they’re a little brown on the outside and you can poke a fork through them. > > Delicious. This is the winner. Except I add a red onion, sliced, and a bunch of whole cloves of garlic. Also can be made with other root veggies (white potatoes, parsnips, turnips, rutabagas (swedes), carrots, beets, etc.) and/or halved Brussels Sprouts. Yes, yes, I know, Brussels Sprouts are disgusting and nasty and you hate them. Try them roasted with rosemary until the edges are very nearly burnt, and you’ll thank me. Especially if you make them with bacon fat instead of olive oil. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![KinkiNipponTourist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9bcb4/32.png) [@KinkiNipponTourist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinkiNipponTourist)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304/40 "2011-01-12T22:46:13Z")
OMG, why not multiple choice? I like them EVERY WAY. Including with tasty big fat marshmallows. Don’t be h8tin!😃 We can’t get real sweet potatoes in Japan. There is a wonderful Japanese version, which is delivered [by men, at night, in trucks](http://gakuranman.com/the-yaki-imo-man-of-japan) trolling the neighborhood. > [@aceplace57](#): > > I bought a half bushel of sweet potatoes from a farm in early November. 🙂 A half bushel, eh? You ahhhh, need any help there? ::cheesy grin:: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweet-potatoes-how-do-you-love-them-best/567304.md?page=3)