# Cook's Illustrated Mashed Sweet Potatoes



## crankin (Oct 21, 2007)

*Mashed Sweet Potatoes*

I found a recipe for mashed sweet potatoes that calls for braising the potatoes in a small amount of cream (just a few tablespoons) insted of boiling or baking the potatoes.  When I did this, I ended up with very dry potatoes and had to add much more cream than the recipe called for. Has anyone tried a method like this before with success?


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## jpmcgrew (Oct 21, 2007)

Your recipe did not come up on your link,so give us recipe and maybe we can help.


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## lpb (Oct 22, 2007)

I'm not sure about this recipe, but I made mashed sweet potatoes last week and they were amazing!  I baked three sweet potatoes in the oven for about 45 min.  They were so soft when they came out that all I had to do was slice them up and they mashed up easy, I left the skin on too.  I added about a stick (or two!) of butter, dash of milk, 
cup of brown sugar, and 1 1/2 cups of crushed pecans.  I mixed them with a fork and sprinkled with cinnamon.  They were delicious!

lpb


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## Caine (Oct 22, 2007)

Why would you put sugar, brown or white, on SWEET potatoes?  Are they not sweet enough already?

I guess maybe I'm a purist, but I like mine baked in a 375F oven for 45 minutes, cut in half, and eaten right from the skin, with a little bit of butter and salt. I guess you could mash them on your plate if you want, but why add sugar?


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## Katie H (Oct 22, 2007)

lpb said:


> I'm not sure about this recipe, but I made mashed sweet potatoes last week and they were amazing!  I baked three sweet potatoes in the oven for about 45 min.  They were so soft when they came out that all I had to do was slice them up and they mashed up easy, I left the skin on too.  I added about a stick (or two!) of butter, dash of milk,
> cup of brown sugar, and 1 1/2 cups of crushed pecans.  I mixed them with a fork and sprinkled with cinnamon.  They were delicious!
> 
> lpb



I do that too, lpb.  It's really delicious along with ham/pork or any poultry dish.

I also like to add mashed bananas sometimes or crushed pineapple.  Sweet potatoes are wonderful mixed with all sorts of other goodies.


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## Benni (Oct 24, 2007)

I find the best way is to boil or roast the potatoes and mash with butter and milk. A touch of parsley and finely chopped onion adds to the flavour.  I must say I do prefer my sweet potato roasted.


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## marajo (Nov 13, 2007)

lpb, you left the skins on the sweet potatoes you mashed? Regular potatoes but weren't the skins tough?


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## crankin (Nov 13, 2007)

I leave the skin on red potatoes when I mash them but for all other types I take the skin off. I tried skin-on mashed sweet potatoes once but they were too stringy and tough. However, if I eat the potato whole (baked), I'll eat the skin no matter what type of potato (especially sweet).


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## lpb (Nov 15, 2007)

Sorry I never checked this post back until now, but 1. I'm from the south where we add sugar/lard to everything down here!!  I have ALWAYS heard of sweet potatoes mixed with butter and brown sugar.  Whether its my grandmothers, aunts, mom, or even restaurants making it, it has always contained brown sugar. 2. I did leave the skins on...I was thinking about peeling them but didn't before hand and they were soooo soft and moist I blended everything together and it was delicious! I guess my reasoning was as crankin stated, you eat the skin with a baked potato, why not mashed, as long as they weren't tough, they blended right in...

lpb


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## Jeff G. (Nov 15, 2007)

lpb said:


> Sorry I never checked this post back until now, but 1. I'm from the south where we add sugar/lard to everything down here!!  I have ALWAYS heard of sweet potatoes mixed with butter and brown sugar.  Whether its my grandmothers, aunts, mom, or even restaurants making it, it has always contained brown sugar. 2. I did leave the skins on...I was thinking about peeling them but didn't before hand and they were soooo soft and moist I blended everything together and it was delicious! I guess my reasoning was as crankin stated, you eat the skin with a baked potato, why not mashed, as long as they weren't tough, they blended right in...
> 
> lpb




I like a little brown sugar along with the butter on mine too..  If you have Pecans... even better!!!!


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