Best Mashed Sweet Potatoes / Yams

Name: Best Mashed Sweet Potatoes / Yams
Total time: 10800 s
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 (4 pounds; 1.8 kg), such as ruby or garnet yams, large moist sweet potatoes; 8 (6 inch) fresh thyme sprigs, divided; 6 tablespoons (3 ounces; 85 g) unsalted butter; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) maple syrup; 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume

Ricardo @tallcook

Manhattan, New York, United States

This recipe is based on one by J. Kenji López-Alt. I think it results in the best mashed sweet potatoes I have ever tasted.

Ricardo @tallcook

Manhattan, New York, United States

This recipe is based on one by J. Kenji López-Alt. I think it results in the best mashed sweet potatoes I have ever tasted.

Saved

Ingredients

3 hours

8 to 10 servings

4(4 pounds; 1.8 kg), such as ruby or garnet yams, large moist sweet potatoes
8 (6 inch)fresh thyme sprigs, divided
6 tablespoons(3 ounces; 85 g) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons (45 ml)maple syrup
1/2 teaspoonDiamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume

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Steps

3 hours

1

Adjust oven rack to middle position. Place 2 large sheets of aluminum foil on a work surface. Working with 1 sheet at a time, place 2 yams in center along with 3 sprigs of thyme. Fold up foil and crimp edges to seal tightly.
2

Transfer pouches to a rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. Set oven to 300°F (150°C). Roast until a thin skewer inserted into potatoes meets some resistance, 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. Carefully unwrap and discard thyme sprigs and place unwrapped potatoes in even layer on same sheet pan.
3

While sweet potatoes are cooling, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, swirling gently, until particles are pale golden brown and smell nutty, about 10 minutes. Immediately transfer to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Add maple syrup. Pick leaves off of remaining 2 thyme sprigs, roughly chop (1/4 teaspoon), and add to bowl with butter and maple syrup.
4

Peel sweet potatoes and discard skins and any juices. If you noticed fibers, pass yams through a sieve to remove them. It’s a tedious job but worth it.
5

Add flesh to bowl with butter mixture. Beat with whisk attachment or a handheld mixer on medium-low speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Serve.