Butter-bath cooking originated in the Midwest with sweet summer corn, but that doesn’t mean we can’t carry it into the fall and winter with other seasonal vegetables. Case in point: sweet potatoes. Boiling the cubed potatoes in a bath of milk, butter and sweet fragrant cinnamon is a super-simple way to enhance the fall veggie. Even better? This method gives you two delicious ways to serve these sweet potatoes up.
You’ll start by peeling and cubing two pounds of sweet potatoes. Getting the potatoes into bite-sized pieces helps them cook faster and makes them easier to serve later. Then you’ll make a butter bath with water, milk, butter, cinnamon, and salt in a big pot or Dutch oven. The sweet potatoes simmer in the butter bath until tender, at which point you can drain them and enjoy as is or mash them with some of the cooking liquid to your desired consistency. Either way, finish these luscious potatoes with a little extra butter and a dusting of cinnamon.
Cinnamon Butter Bath Sweet Potatoes
Serves 4
2 pounds sweet potatoes
4 cups water
1 cup milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1. Peel and cut 2 pounds sweet potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup milk, 1 stick unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Carefully add the sweet potatoes. Reduce the heat to medium and boil, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 17 minutes.
2. Option 1: Drain the potatoes, then return the potatoes to the pot. Add more butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon; toss to combine.
Option 2: Drain the potatoes through a colander set over a heatproof bowl. Return the potatoes to the pot, add 1 cup of the cooking liquid, and mash to the desired consistency.
Recipe note: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to four days.
This article is written by Meghan Splawn, TheKitchn.com from The Kitchn and was legally licensed via the Tribune Content Agency through the Industry Dive publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com.
