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Southern-Style Slow Cooker Candied Sweet Potatoes

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Soul Food
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 311kcal
Classic yams slow cooked in a sweetly spiced buttery syrup
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Equipment

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds sweet potatoes
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ tablespoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup butter

Instructions

  • Scrub and peel sweet potatoes. Cut into chunks about 2-inches in size and place into a large bowl
  • Mix brown sugar, sea salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl then pour over top of sweet potatoes. Toss sweet potatoes in spice and sugar mixture until evenly coated.
  • Cut butter into one-inch chunks. Place half the sweet potato pieces into the slow cooker crock then top with half the butter. Repeat this layering with remaining sweet potatoes and butter.
  • Cook sweet potatoes for up to six hours on low. Turn the sweet potatoes potatoes every 30 minutes or so and scoop the syrup from the bottom of the crock to the top to ensure the sweet potatoes candy evenly. Check for doneness at each turn.
  • Sweet potatoes are done when fork tender and glossy from the brown sugar syrup.

Notes

Preparation
What's the best way to cut yams for candying? While there isn't a definitive best way, I prefer to cut my sweet potatoes into chunks. Slicing into discs or half moon shapes is another popular method that I've tried and like just fine. For thorough cooking, cut pieces no larger than about 2 ½ inches thick.
Troubleshooting
How to thicken the syrup for my candied yams? The syrup needs time to cook and thicken into that sugary sweet potato coating we all know and love. When your syrup is too thin, the solution is often to cook it for longer. And the good news is that using a slow cooker provides ample time!
Serving
Serve the sweet potatoes warm. You can leave them in the crockpot on the "Keep Warm" setting for up to six hours.
Storage and Freezing
Store cooked candied sweet potatoes in an airtight food container and refrigerate. They will keep up to five days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. Do not store the slow cooker in the refrigerator.
Freezing candied yams after Thanksgiving is simple. Just transfer the yams and syrup to a freezer safe bag or food container and seal, removing as much excess air as possible. Place them in the freezer for up to six months.
Thaw your frozen holiday sweet potatoes in the fridge overnight. Note that the texture will likely be softer than before you froze them.

Nutrition

Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 328mg | Potassium: 927mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 36559IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 1mg