There aren’t many things better than Candied Yams made with Louisiana sweet potatoes. Deep flavor and simplicity have made this a holiday classic for centuries, not only in Louisiana but everywhere. Five simple ingredients (unless you count the salt and then it’s six!) that come out tasting like candy. Here is Sweet Daddy D’s family recipe that combines Louisiana Yams, brown sugar, a little cinnamon, some butter and a splash of orange juice baked to a golden brown. Try this no-angst recipe and you’ll see why many Louisianans consider Candied Yams a requirement of the holiday table.
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Louisiana Yams?
Sweet Potatoes and Yams (they are actually the same thing) are beloved in Louisiana. In 2003 yams were designated the Official State Vegetable of Louisiana and once upon a time, the annual Yambilee Festival and the Yambilee Queen celebrated the Yam. The Opelousas festival ran for over 65 years before it ultimately succumbed to economic problems. Forgive the pun, but the roots of this popular root-vegetable run deep in Louisiana. When Opelousas in St. Landry Parish was settled in 1720 as a French garrison and trading post, Native Americans in the region were already growing and eating sweet potatoes. Louisiana’s fertile soil together with abundant sunshine and ample rainfall create a perfect environment for sweet potatoes. Although Louisiana sweet potatoes have been a viable commercial crop since the early 1900s, popularity grew during the economic downturn of the 1920s and 30s because of their nutritional value. In a deliberate effort to differentiate Louisana’s offering from the drier, mealy sweet potatoes grown on the East Coast, the term “Yam” was coined in 1937 and became the unofficial trademark of Louisiana Sweet Potatoes. These efforts have paid off as 30% of all Yams consumed annually in the United States are grown in Louisiana.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that Candied Yams were a staple on my holiday table as a kid. My mother (the Mother Unit) had a great recipe until she tasted a Creole lady’s recipe, then that became the family recipe. Luckily my wife has a great recipe for Candied Yams and that’s what we have during the holidays. I love them so much that that’s the recipe Sweet Daddy D adapted. Believe me, my Candied Yams get intense scrutiny and I think they hold up pretty well. I hope you enjoy them.
Here’s What You Need
This is where the no-angst starts...there are only five ingredients and six if you count a pinch of salt. If you want to make it more complicated check out the Hints and Tips section below.
Equipment
Here is some of the equipment I used to prepare this recipe:
Stockpot, baking dish, cutting board, cambro prep bowls, glass prep bowls, paring knife, measuring cups and measuring spoons
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Here’s What You Do
First...you have a beer. Holiday cooking is the best. Lots of favorite dishes to cook, strong traditions and friends and family to help. You definitely need proper preparation. Pop the cap off a beer and sit down and read the recipe all the way through so you know what you need and what you will do with each ingredient. Prepare the cook and prepare the ingredients.
Prep the Yams
Give the Yams a quick scrub under cold water. Place the yams in a 12-quart stockpot (or one large enough to hold all the Yams) and fill it with cold water. Place the stockpot over high heat. Bring the water to a boil and boil until soft when probed with a fork, this can tale 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove the Yams from the boiling water and set them aside until they are cool enough to handle. Remove the peeling by scraping the yams with a paring knife. Set the peeled yams aside.
Prep the other ingredients
Measure the brown sugar into a prep bowl and mix in about ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt. Measure the cinnamon into a small bowl. Slice the butter into thin slices, about ⅓ tablespoon each. Measure ½ cup of orange juice into a measuring cup. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Assemble the Candied Yams
Slice the Yams diagonally on an angle. Place the slices on the bottom of the baking dish so that they butt against each other or are slightly overlapping. Use any broken pieces of yams to fill in any gaps between the yams so that the bottom is completely covered.
Sprinkle about ⅓ of the brown sugar on top of the yams, then sprinkle about ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon on top of the brown sugar. Place about 8 thin slices of butter evenly on top.
This is one layer and you will repeat this twice for a total of three layers. Once all the layers are complete, pour about ¼ to ½ cup of orange juice over the yams. Resist the temptation to use too much orange juice (just enough to see the orange juice around the bottom if you are using a glass baking dish) because the brown sugar and butter will melt into the orange juice, generating a lot of juice.
Here's a Tip: If you have more Yams and the baking dish is large enough, you can make another layer, even if you don’t have enough for a complete layer. Make sure the top is covered with brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. You use a little extra brown sugar, cinnamon or butter if needed, but don’t increase the amount of orange juice.
Bake the Candied Yams
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and place it in a preheated 375-degree Fahrenheit oven for 45 minutes.
If at that time, the yams are tender when probed with a wooden skewer, remove the aluminum foil and increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Return the baking dish to the oven for about 15 minutes, until the top is starting to brown and the juice is bubbly around the edges. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
That’s it, simple as that.
Hints and Tips
If you are tight on time or just don’t want to mess with fresh yams, canned yams can be used. I don’t think they are as good as fresh yams, though. Make sure to get plain yams and not ones that are already candied or spiced in the can. Drain the liquid and slice if necessary. Assemble the casserole as in the instructions. These will already be cooked, so just bake them covered with foil for 30 minutes, then check for doneness. When they are soft, remove the foil, increase the oven temperature to finish per the instruction.
The simplicity of this recipe is what I like-tons of flavor, minimal effort. If you want to add some nutmeg, ground cloves or ginger, just mix a little (I would stay between ½ to 1 teaspoon at most) into the brown sugar. Pecans would be a good addition and could be sprinkled on top of the brown sugar and cinnamon on each layer after placing the butter tabs. A squeeze of lemon juice would add a tart dimension if added to the orange juice and you could even lay some thin lemon and orange slices right on top. Marshmallows are a fan-favorite for many, although I have never been crazy about them (that’s because the Mother Unit never used them) but if that’s your thing, sprinkle a layer of small marshmallows on top during the last 5 to 10 minutes. Watch it closely so they don’t burn.
Yes, this can be made in advance all the way up to that last tab of butter. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and a tight layer of aluminum foil so that it’s airtight and keep it in the fridge from overnight to a couple of days before baking. You can also place it in the freezer for about 6 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and bake as directed within a couple of days of defrosting.
Leftovers are the worst kept secret of a holiday meal. Better be quick before Uncle Stinky eats them all. Wrap it airtight and refrigerate within a couple of hours of serving. It will last about 3 to 5 days in the fridge if kept airtight. You can reheat the whole thing in the oven (350 for about 20 minutes or until heated through) or just microwave portions as you want them. Leftovers will keep for about 6 months in the freezer if airtight. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat within a couple of days of defrosting. If reheating the whole thing, place them in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes or until heated through, or reheat individual portions in the microwave.
Yams and sweet potatoes actually have some great nutritional value. This root vegetable is nutrient-rich, high fiber, and a good source of Vitamin A and C and the B vitamins. Check out this article for more details about the nutritional value of Yams.
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Recipe
Candied Yams
Here's What You Need
- 5 pounds Louisiana Sweet Potatoes
- 2 cups dark or light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ to ½ cup orange juice
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
Here's What You Do
- Scrub potatoes; place the yams in a stockpot, cover with water and boil for about 30 to 40 minutes until just probe tender.
- Remove the yams from the pot and allow to cool.
- When cool enough to handle, peel the yams and slice into ¼ to ½ inch medallions on an angle, Set aside.
- Measure the brown sugar and blend in about ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Measure the ground cinnamon and the orange juice.
- Slice the butter into approximate ⅓ tablespoon pieces.
- Place a single layer of Yams along the bottom of an approximate 8 ½" X 11" baking dish. Slices should be touching or slightly overlapped, filling in the spaces with broken pieces so the bottom is completely covered.
- Sprinkle about ⅓ of the brown sugar equally over the medallions, then sprinkle about ⅓ of the cinnamon lightly on top.
- Distribute about 8 pieces of the sliced butter on top of that layer.
- Repeat this process two more times depending upon how much Yams you have. Make sure to finish the top with brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. See Notes.
- Pour the orange juice equally over the Yams and set aside.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 45 minutes.
- Check to see if the Yams are soft when probed with a wooden skewer. If so, remove the aluminum foil, increase the oven to 400-degree and return the baking dish to the oven (uncovered) for about 15 minutes or until the top begins to brown and the juices bubble around the edges.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
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