The Best Sweet Potatoes in Appalachia

I'm sharing my favorite sweet potato recipe in this video and wishing I could eat the fried sweet potatoes my Granny Gazzie made for me when I was a girl growing up in the Appalachian Mountains.

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[thomasleatherman]

My Mama growing up, would put her sweet potatoes in a pot of boiling water peels and all, boil them for 7to 10 minutes, then put them in cold water take her hands and wipe the peels off. Then she would cut them in chunks, put 1 and one half gobs of butter, one gob was one stick, add a pinch of cinnamon, 1 cup of brown sugar, one fourth cup of molasses and a pinch of salt . She would place them in the oven covered for maybe, one and one half hour constantly checking them, and man they were delicious, also sometime she would add one cup of fresh cow milk, and man, that was heaven. That's how mom did it . I sure miss her

[Jevea]

My PaPa would cook sweet taters in the fireplace. He'd wrap them in tinfoil, when he had some, and cook them until they where soft. My MawMaw would peel them and mash them with butter and a bit of cinnamon. Sometimes she'd put some chopped pecans in them. I have never been able to get them right and tasting like hers. Close but not quite. Thanks for posting this. Love it.

[onlyonethingisneedful]

'Sweet potatoes are one of the finer things in life. " Agreed 💯

[forrestroberts]

Checking in from Wilkes County with what’s for supper. These potato’s served with cube steak and onion gravy over rice, bacon fried green beans, pickled beats and pickled okra. Potatoes were GREAT. Will definitely make again. Thanks Tipper

[angelagoins]

My mom has always made them in a similar style. Cut long-ways in quarters. Boil til just fork tender, take out of boiling water, put in cassarole dish, then here's where there is "no recipe". I use at least 1 stick of butter sliced (or however many scoops of margarine that would seem right), sprinkle potatoes with dark brown sugar, then drizzle top of potatoes with maple syrup as you would pancakes. Bake in oven 350-375 for about an hour. Now these can be made the night before, and they just sit in the juice and soak it all up. good!!! Not mushy at all.

[mariansmith]

About frying sweet potatoes, I bet they parboiled them a bit too and my grandmother put a bit of Karo syrup in her pan.
This video made me so hungry and I could just smell my grandmother's kitchen.
I'm very alone since my husband passed. I live in a very isolated place too. Your videos keep me company and stir up nice memories.
Thanks Tipper...

[donnaadams]

Hi Tipper
My mama used to thinly slice sweet potatoes, roll them in sugar and fry them in butter. They would br sticky and crunchy around the edges. We loved them!

[jjiacobucci]

I’ve done a lot of glider flying in the Appalachian mountains over the years. I’ve met a fair number of humble folk and always admired their sense of being real. God knows this country could benefit of more Appalachian Spirit in our hearts ! Thank you, Tipper, for spreading that wholesome Spirit ! God keep you and your loved ones.

[kirbygulbrandsen]

I’m from Miami (Hialeah) Florida. My Grandpa grew Sweet Potatoes year round. My whole life growing up Grandpa had Sweet Potatoes growing in the garden. He liked them baked in the oven with the skin on, the way I prefer till this day. Remember we were in South Florida so Grandpa grew, Guavas, Avocados, Tangerines, Papayas and of course Sweet Potatoes. He loved to experiment growing things like Cotton, among other things. Always watching from Panama City Florida, USA. 🇺🇸

[sharonharrison]

I love sweet potatoes. I prefer them over regular potatoes any day. I've made them many ways just haven't fried any. I wish I had a recipe for fried. If I find one I'll be happy to share with you. I appreciate you sharing all your wonderful recipes. I'm an Appalachia cook too. 🙏

[brightpurpleviking]

One of my favorite potato recipes from my icelandic grandmother uses regular potatoes because there were no sweet potates available there back then. Being volcanic soil, they grow the best smaller golden potatoes. Well, this is a traditional Icelandic potato recipe to be eaten with roasted lamb (or venison in your case!) is kind of similar to Gazzy’s recipe. Boil big chunks of peeled, gold potatoes until tender, and drain. Put one stick butter and one cup white sugar in a big high sided frying pan. Melt and keep stirring until the butter and sugar carmelizes and becomes the color of caramel sauce. Quickly put the drained boiled potatoes (which should have kind of steam dried waiting for this step. Not wet or it won’t stick to the potatoes) in the caramel sauce and stir carefully and quickly, coating the potatoes with the sauce. Sprinkle with a small dash of salt and serve immediately with the meat and any vegetable. Makes a crispy edged, sweet caramelized delicious potato that is drool worthy! Yum! I will try Gazzys recipe next time I make sweet potatoes. They look perfect!

[LASILVA]

My favorite were always the fried sweet potatoes. Mama made with just a little butter in the skillet along with the oil but I have a healthier option. Cut the sweet potatoes, the same way you did in this recipe only tossed them in olive oil, salt, and pepper I use kosher salt. Have your oven preheated to 400° and lay The sweet potatoes out on the cookie sheet and bake on each side 20 minutes. They’re going to brown and caramelize on each side and they’re gonna be so good. You will need no sugar and the olive oil is so good you will need no butter but the salt and pepper as so much! Thank you so much Tipper for your wonderful recipe and I will try that on my family at Thanksgiving!

[cindyjacobs]

Hi Tipper! I just finished watching your video about your grandma's fried sweet potatoes and I understand exactly what you meant when you described how they got just perfect, not too mushy, and would get slightly crisp around the edges.
My grandma used to make hers like that, too, and they were always just wonderful! And I was so blessed to have her teach me how they're done, and I'm happy to share with you!
She used to bake her sweet potatoes in the oven, she said it brought out the natural sugars by doing that, while boiling them would soften them up make them get mushy. She would wait until they were just fork tender and remove them when they were still a little underdone.
She'd let them cool on the counter, then peel the skins off them, and cut them into thick slices. As we peeled them, she'd get out her cast iron skillet and get it heating up, and put in her salted butter and brown sugar on low heat, so it didn't burn. Once the potatoes were all ready, she'd place slices around the pan and fry them until they were the perfect crispy edges, turning them only once, and then making a very small cut into the center, to check for doneness, and she'd add more butter and brown sugar in between batches, as needed.
She'd load them into a serving dish or platter and they'd always be one of the last things to be set on the table, and one of the first things to disappear!

[florencehendrick]

Oh my goodness Tipper, you are such a precious, precious lady....God bless you for keeping your heritage alive and honoring all those cherished memories that you've shared with your beautiful, loving family. God has sure blessed you, and now you're blessing others as you share the stories, and recipes.

[cindypressley]

Tipper, I was lucky enough to be at your house for our delayed Christmas Dinner this year. We always have good food because we are all seasoned cooks, and this year was no exception! I try to make sure I eat some of everything that is there. This year I had to have a second helping of those sweet potatoes, they were beyond a doubt the best sweet potatoes I've ever eaten. I meant to tell you how good they were but never got around to it, so this is my chance...they were wonderful!

[jackiemontogmery]

Tipper I love watching you cook & your laid back attitude that things don't have to be perfect! You are such a blessing. I know your family loves you dearly! Hope 2022 is a good yr for all.

[MarkWYoung-kyuc]

I bet they are good. I love sweet potatoes any way you fix them. My grandparents not only planted them, I can remember them bedding sweet potatoes to make the slips to plant.

[grumpyoldman]

Hey Tipper! I'm watching/rewatching some of your videos. Here's a recipe my grandmother used. I thought you might like to try it. Orange-Glazed Sweet Potatoes - 8 med sweet potatoes, 1 1/4 t salt (divided), 2 T butter, 1 T grated orange peel, and 3/4 c dark corn syrup. Wash sweet potatoes. Bring some water and 1 t salt to a boil. Cook potatoes in water until tender (about 30-40 minutes). Peel and cut in half. Place in backing dish; set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Pour over potatoes. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, basting potatoes with syrup occasionally. Yields about 8-10 servings.

[hollish]

You do realize that what ever you create is the New Appalachia food. You are creating the Appalachia of today. We love what you share and we know that whateveer you give us is genuine and true and we can believe in it.

[jdane]

I love sweet potatoes. Never made them like your Granny Gazzie's and you know I'm going to do that soon. I normally roast mine until they slump and then butter, brown sugar and cinnamon--it's actually often the entire dinner when I'm alone. My dogs appreciate a cooked potato as well, yes one of the "finer things in life."