"Don't give me no rotten tomato, 'cause all I ever wanted was your sweet potato"
~Sarah Dessen
I love sweet potatoes! Their sweetness always goes well with any entrée. Sweet potatoes are one of those few vegetables I enjoy without much dressing up, mashed, or baked, and I can eat just by myself. And I love using the sweet tuber as an accompaniment to grilled items. This made me wonder, can sweet potatoes be grilled? I pondered on this question for a bit.
Sweet Potatoes are full of nutrients, beta-carotene, and complex carbohydrates. They are also denser than regular potatoes. The number of natural sugars, starches, and fiber that make up a sweet potato also increases the cooking time for the tubers. Let me ask you a question, have you ever cooked a sweet potato and found it still hard in the center, even though you have poked it before baking it? This is why when I thought of grilling them, I felt a bit stumped until I decided to try something else. A step before grilling. These grilled sweet potatoes will go great as part of a brunch served Tortilla Espanola (Spanish Omelette), Roasted Chicken Thighs, and Lasagna de Berenjena (Eggplant lasagna)
My not-so-secret secret to my sweet potatoes.
The secret of how to grill sweet potatoes flawlessly is very easy. To grill the potato, you must boil the potato first. This is the two-step process that will deliver a great product. I have made this recipe with this method twice. The first I made them, I grilled the potatoes in my cast iron grill pan indoors. I live in Florida, and it rains like clockwork in the afternoon. As my husband and I were smoking some ribs, torrential rain poured down on us, so I decided to make the spuds indoors. The second time was similar, except I decided to sear the potatoes before baking them at the end. The first time I boiled and pan-grilled. The second time I boiled, pan-seared, and finished in the oven.
Cooking the Sweet Potatoes
First, fill a saucepot with 2 quarts of water and start warming up the grill. Peel sweet potatoes and cut them into one-inch medallions. Peeling the sweet potatoes makes a difference on a few levels. It is easier to eat, and it helps with the cooking process. I found hard spots on the sweet potatoes that were not peeled the first time I tried this recipe. I peeled them on the second attempt and found a much more delectable product. You also have the option to leave potatoes whole. Note that cooking time will be longer since the potatoes will be at total density.
After peeling, rinse the potatoes and place them in the saucepot. Add cold water to cover. Make sure the potatoes are fully submerged in water. Bring water to a boil and cook the sweet potatoes for about 15 to 20 minutes. We are looking for a fork-tender for the potatoes, but not overcooked. This step could be done the day before the event. Make sure to cool the potatoes down by placing them on a plate and then in the refrigerator uncovered for about 30 minutes.
While the potatoes are cooking, mix all the other ingredients in a bowl. We are going to brush this mixture onto the potatoes while grilling. Once the potatoes are just fork-tender, remove potatoes from the pot and place them on a plate lined with paper towels. We want to absorb some excess liquid from the potato before transferring them to the grill.
Grilling the sweet potatoes
Place the potatoes on the grill. We want a medium heat area of the grill. Too hot will scorch them, and too low will not give the potatoes good grill marks. Cook one side of the potatoes for about 5 minutes, then turn the potatoes to 90 degrees. Cook for another 5 minutes. If potatoes are marking faster than 5 minutes, adjust your cooking time.
Turn the potatoes over to the other side. Take the sugar and spice mixture and brush the potatoes with the mixture. Let potatoes cook for another 5 minutes. If you decide to sear the potatoes in a pan and finish in the oven, brush the mixture onto the potatoes after you have a good sear on one of the sides. Then, flip the medallion, brush the sugar mixture, and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
You can flip the potatoes to caramelize the mixture onto the medallions. You will still get a nice sticky covering on the potatoes. Remove from the grill and serve as a side dish or the main entree.
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📖 Recipe
Grilled Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 sweet potatoes
- 2 quarts owater
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne optional and this amount could be lessened. We are looking for a hint of spice not overpower the sweet potatoes
- ¼ cup brandy
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Fill a saucepot with 2 quarts of water and start warming up the grill.
- Peel sweet potatoes and cut into one-inch medallions. Option to leave potatoes whole, note cooking time will be longer.
- Rinse the potatoes and place them in the saucepot. Make sure the potatoes are fully submerged in water, so add more water if needed.
- Bring water to a boil and cook the sweet potatoes for about 15 to 20 minutes. We are looking for a fork-tender for the potatoes, but not overcooked. This step could be done the day before the event. Make sure to cool the potatoes down by placing them on a plate and then in the refrigerator uncovered for about 30 minutes.
- While potatoes are cooking, mix all the other ingredients in a bowl. We are going to
- Once potatoes are just fork-tender, remove potatoes from the pot and place on a paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet. We want to absorb some of the excess liquid from the potato before transferring them to the grill.
- Place the potatoes on the grill. We want a medium heat area. Too hot will scorch them, and too low will not give the potatoes grill marks.
- Cook side of the potatoes for about 5 minutes, then turn the potatoes 90 degrees. Cook for another 5 minutes. If potatoes are marking faster than 5 minutes feel free to adjust your cooking time.
- Turn the potatoes over to the other side.
- Take the sugar and spice mixture and brush the potatoes with the mixture. Let potatoes cook for another 5 minutes.
- You can opt to flip the potatoes to caramelize the mixture onto the medallions, but you will still get a nice sticky covering on the potatoes.
- Remove from the grill and serve as a side dish or as the main entree.
