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Overhead view of stovetop candied yams served in a wooden bowl with orange zest and pecans, surrounded by fall spices and mini pumpkins.
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Stovetop Candied Yams

No oven needed for these glossy, buttery orange and bourbon stovetop candied yams. They simmer slow in brown sugar, butter, and a splash of OJ and bourbon until soft and caramelized with just enough spice to make your whole kitchen smell like the holidays in just one hour.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Course: Side Dishes
Cuisine: African American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 374kcal
Author: Eden Westbrook

Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter salted or unsalted
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
  • ¼ cup orange juice fresh or bottled
  • 2 tablespoon bourbon whiskey
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅕ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 Pinch kosher salt
  • 3 lbs fresh sweet potatoes about 4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and chopped into ¾–1 inch thick pieces
  • caramelized pecans for garnish

Instructions

  • In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or braiser, melt the butter over medium heat.
    ½ cup butter
  • Stir in the dark brown sugar until it dissolves into a glossy caramel base, then whisk in the orange juice, bourbon, vanilla paste, and spices until well combined.
    1 cup dark brown sugar, ¼ cup orange juice, 2 tablespoon bourbon whiskey, 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste, 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, 1 Pinch kosher salt, ⅕ teaspoon ground cloves
  • Add the sweet potato chunks into the syrup, toss to coat, then lower the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Let them simmer gently for 35-40 minutes, stirring and basting occasionally until they're fork tender.
    3 lbs fresh sweet potatoes
  • Remove the lid and let cook for another 10-15 minutes, spooning the syrup over the candied yams as it thickens to coat them. Taste and adjust for salt as needed.
  • Let the yams rest for a few minutes off heat so the syrup thickens more. Spoon them into a serving dish and pour all the extra syrup from the pan over them, then garnish with pecans and serve.
    caramelized pecans

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5 cup | Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 193mg | Potassium: 633mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 24503IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 1mg