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Smokehouse Mashed Sweet Potatoes

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 1, 2011

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Smokehouse Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces3 tablespoons heavy cream 1 teaspoon sugar Salt and pepper ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 pounds sweet potatoes (2 large or 3 medium), peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices2 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded (½ cup)6 ounces bacon, cooked and chopped1 thinly sliced scallion

Before You Begin

This recipe can be doubled and prepared in a Dutch oven, but the cooking time will need to be doubled as well.

Instructions

  1. Combine butter, 2 tablespoons cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, cayenne pepper sugar, and sweet potatoes in large saucepan. Cook, covered, over low heat until potatoes are fall-apart tender, 35 to 40 minutes.
  2. Off heat, add remaining tablespoon cream and mash sweet potatoes with potato masher. Mash smoked Gouda cheese with sweet potatoes and cover with lid until cheese melts. Sprinkle with bacon and sliced scallion. Serve.
Smokehouse Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Photography by Keller + Keller. Styling by Catrine Kelty.

Smokehouse Mashed Sweet Potatoes

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds sweet potatoes (2 large or 3 medium), peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
2 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded (½ cup)
6 ounces bacon, cooked and chopped
1 thinly sliced scallion

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds sweet potatoes (2 large or 3 medium), peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
2 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded (½ cup)
6 ounces bacon, cooked and chopped
1 thinly sliced scallion

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds sweet potatoes (2 large or 3 medium), peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
2 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded (½ cup)
6 ounces bacon, cooked and chopped
1 thinly sliced scallion

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

While developing our Smokehouse Mashed Sweet Potatoes recipe, we found that the right temperature and the right slice were key. We thinly sliced the sweet potatoes and cooked them covered, on the stovetop, on low heat with a small amount of butter and cream. The low heat allowed the potatoes in our recipe to release their liquid, which produced the steam that cooked them.

Before You Begin

This recipe can be doubled and prepared in a Dutch oven, but the cooking time will need to be doubled as well.

Instructions

  1. Combine butter, 2 tablespoons cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, cayenne pepper sugar, and sweet potatoes in large saucepan. Cook, covered, over low heat until potatoes are fall-apart tender, 35 to 40 minutes.
  2. Off heat, add remaining tablespoon cream and mash sweet potatoes with potato masher. Mash smoked Gouda cheese with sweet potatoes and cover with lid until cheese melts. Sprinkle with bacon and sliced scallion. Serve.

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