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southern style candied yams with pecans

Baked Candied Yams

Sweet potatoes baked until ultra-tender in a sweet sauce made of butter, sugar, and spice. Topped with pecans for a bit of crunch, this recipe is a perfect colorful addition to any Holiday table.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Side Dish
Servings 8
Calories 406 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into ½-inch slices
  • ¾ cup orange juice
  • 8 tablespoon butter 1 stick
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup chopped pecans for topping

Instructions
 

Prepare Potatoes:

  • Preheat oven to 400˚F.
  • Peel and slice sweet potatoes into even ½ inch medallions. Add potatoes to a well-buttered 9x13 casserole dish and set aside.

Make Sauce:

  • In a saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat. Whisk in orange juice, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, and kosher salt.
  • Continue whisking until sugar is dissolved and the mixture has a slightly syrupy consistency, about 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg. Carefully taste sauce and adjust spices and salt as desired.

Bake:

  • Pour sugar mixture over potatoes and toss until well combined. Arrange coated potatoes into an even, slightly overlapping layer.
  • Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake 45 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes to reduce liquid and thicken sauce.
  • Use a spoon or basting brush to baste potatoes in sugar mixture a few times during cooking.

Finish:

  • Remove from oven, top with chopped pecans, and let sit for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Peel and cut potatoes into even ½ inch slices to ensure even cooking.
  • Use a spoon or basting brush to baste sweet potatoes in sugar mixture every so often during baking. This keeps the potatoes from drying out, and helps keep the sugar mixture from burning.
  • Once foil is removed, keep a close eye on the reducing liquid. At this stage, the sauce can become too thick or burn if left for too long.
  • Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 3 days.
  • To reheat, transfer sweet potatoes to an oven safe dish, cover with aluminum foil, and reheat in the oven at 350°F for 20-25 mins.
  • Nutrition values are an estimate only. 

Nutrition

Calories: 406kcalCarbohydrates: 64.2gProtein: 3.1gFat: 17.2gSaturated Fat: 7.5gCholesterol: 31.2mgSodium: 49.5mgFiber: 4.9gSugar: 42.8g
Keyword candied yams
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