Grandma’s Candied Yams Recipe: The Perfect Sweet and Savory Side Dish

Nothing is better than the Grandma’s Candied Yams recipe for traditional comfort food. With its delicate slices of yam dipped in a delicious, caramelized glaze, it is the ultimate symbol of love, traditions, and flavor. It is perfect for the holidays of Christmas and Thanksgiving. This recipe has been handed through generations and is a classic recipe that can be served with any holiday dinner.

What makes the recipe from Grandma unique? What makes it different from other versions? This thorough guide covers each step, starting with choosing the most suitable Yams to make the perfect glaze and providing suggestions, tricks, and unique customizations.

What Makes Grandma’s Candied Yams So Special?

Candied yams from Grandma aren’t just an appetizer but a deeply felt tradition. Contrary to the convenience of store-bought and complicated recipes, Her recipe is rooted in simplicity and taste. The ideal balance of sweet and delicious sets her candied yams apart. This is achieved through using high-end ingredients and tried-and-tested techniques.

To fully appreciate this meal, you must comprehend its significance in food history. It is based on Southern Living, and candied yams are a well-loved holiday treat because of their sweetness and versatility. They often replaced dessert as the main ingredient in meals. Their convenience and pleasure are the reasons they are essential for tables during the holidays.

The Secret Ingredients for the Best Grandma’s Candied Yams

To make a dish like Grandma’s recipe, your selected ingredients can make a huge difference. The following are the ingredients you’ll need:

Core Ingredients:

• Fresh Yams or Sweet Potatoes: The latter is the recipe’s base. Pick firm, vibrant yams that are free of blemishes.
• Butter adds an extra layer of richness to the glaze. It also gives a silky feel.
• Brown Sugar is The crucial ingredient contributing to the caramelized effect, providing rich, sweet molasses-like sweetness.
• GRANULATED SUCRETE is used to counterbalance the brown sugar to increase sweetness.
• S pictures of Cinnamon and Nutmeg are crucial to creating that warm and cozy taste.
• Vanilla Extract: A tiny splash of vanilla adds sweetness and scent.

Optional Additions:

• Marshmallows Marshmallows: A popular topping that provides an oozy, toasty texture.
• Pecans for a nutty crunch to complement those soft, sweet yams.
• Citrus Zest: Lemon or orange zest can add a pop to the food with a slight tang taste.

Why Quality Matters

Quality ingredients, particularly butter and yams, provide the best flavor. Suppose you can select organic yams to avoid pesticides. Also, use only real butter that is not salted for the best results.

Are you struggling to find fresh yams? This is a complete guide to selecting the most suitable yams for your cooking recipe.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Grandma’s Candied Yams

Making the Candied Yams of Grandma is easy, But attention to minor details is essential. Here’s a thorough description:

Preparing the Yams

• To remove all dirt, begin with a thorough wash of the yams with cold water.
• Remove the yams with a vegetable peeler with a sharp edge, removing the outer layer of flesh without throwing away any of the meat.
• Cut the yams into uniform wedges or rounds around 1/2 1 inch thick. It is essential to have uniformity to ensure an even cooking.

Preparing the Glaze

The glaze is the center of the dish. How to make it:

• In a medium saucepan, melt 1 stick of butter over low heat.
• Include 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar, and some salt.
• Mix in one teaspoon of the spice, 1 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and a little vanilla extract.
• CSS put the mixture in a low-heat oven and stirred it constantly until it thickens a little.

Assembling the Dish

• Lay the sliced yams out as a one-piece layer inside a baking dish coated with grease. This will allow each piece to absorb the glaze.
• Spread the glaze over the yams to ensure each slice is evenly coated.
• Cover the dish by using aluminum foil to capture the steam. This will help to soften your yams.

Baking the Yams

• Set your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Make the baked yams covered in 30 minutes.
• The foil should be removed, the yams should be carefully brushed with the bubbling glaze, then cooked in a covered pan for 20 minutes. This allows the glaze to be caramelized.

Tips and Tricks for Achieving Perfect Grandma’s Candied Yams Every Time

A simple recipe can be improved with the proper methods. Make sure to follow these guidelines for maximum success:

• Cut Yams Equally. Inequal slices could result in some pieces not being appropriately cooked while others get mushy.
• Baste regularly. After baking for half an hour, brush the yams in it to ensure they stay moist. It will also make them tasty.
• Avoid overcooking: Yams that are too soft could be lost in texture. Use a fork to test whether the food is cooked after 40 minutes.
• The best way to utilize a Glass Baking Dish Glass is to evenly distribute heat and help prevent hot spots, guaranteeing perfectly cooked yams.

Why Grandma’s Candied Yams Are a Holiday Classic

Candied yams aren’t just a delicious food item but also a traditional tradition. Their bright color and golden aroma instantly trigger memories of gatherings with family and joyous celebrations.

The most fascinating thing about them is their versatility. Although candied yams are typically considered a Christmas or Thanksgiving food, they’re also great for potlucks and Sunday dinners. Their combination of spice and sweetness makes them a favorite for all occasions.

For more delicious comfort food ideas, check out the Crockpot Candy Recipe: Easy, Delicious, Perfect for Any Occasion. Both recipes embody the essence of traditional home cooking.

Customizing Grandma’s Candied Yams Recipe

While the recipe from Grandma’s grandmother is delicious in its current form, you can modify it to meet your individual preferences or needs. Here are some ideas for creative modifications:

Sweet Additions

• Ma Syrup is a substitute for one portion of sugar maple syrup for a richer, sweeter, earthier flavor.
• Honey: Add a smear of honey into the glaze to give it an aroma of flowers.

Savory Twists

• Bacon Bits: Sprinkle bacon bits with a crispy coating to create a sweet and savory contrast.
• Rosemary or Thyme: Incorporate fresh herbs into the glaze to give it a more refined flavor.

Dietary Adjustments

• The Gan  Option: Use coconut oil instead of butter, and make maple syrup as a substitute for sugar.
• Gluten-Free: Make sure all ingredients, including the vanilla extract, as well as other spices, are gluten-free.

Find more about vegan-friendly sweet potato recipes Vegan Sweet Potato Recipes.

Serving Suggestions: Perfect Pairings for Grandma’s Candied Yams

Candied yams go well with many food items. Here’s how to finish your dinner:

Mains:

• Roasted turkey and gravy
• Honey-glazed ham
• Herb-crusted lamb chops

Sides:

• Garlic mashed potatoes
• Cranberry sauce
• Green beans sauteed and flavored with almonds.

Leftover Ideas: Creative Ways to Use Grandma’s Candied Yams

Are you left with leftovers? Here’s how to make them more useful:

• Sweet Potato Pancakes Mash the yams, then blend them into pancake batter to make sweet breakfast treats.
• Candied Yam Pie: Mix the yams to make an ingredient for a delicious pudding pie.
• Ya M Crumbles: Make mashed yams into balls, coat them with breadcrumbs, then fry them until crispy.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Grandma’s Candied Yams

1. Doing the basting wrong Inadvertently failing to bast can lead to dried yams.
2. Using cold ingredients, Room temperature butter and yams work more easily with glaze.
3. Ov loading to load the glaze: A little excessive syrup could overwhelm the dish, making it too sweet.

Nutrition and Servings

Servings

The recipe Grandma’s Candied Yams Recipe serves around 6-8 people as a main dish. It is a great accompaniment to traditional holiday meals or a nourishing dessert anytime of the season. If you’re hosting a large event, make the recipe double or triple by adjusting the baking dish’s size and ensuring an even spread of the glaze.

Nutrition Information (Per Serving)

The following nutrition values are estimates and based on one portion of size (1/8 in the recipes):

• • Calories: 290Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5g
• Cholesterol: 20mg
  • Sodium: 100mgTotal Carbohydrates: 52gDietary Fiber: 4g
  • Sugars: 36g
• Protein: 2g
• Vitamin A is 180 percent of the daily intake recommended for adults.
• Vitamin C: 15%
• Calcium: 4%
• Iron: 4%

Health Benefits of Candied Yams

Although candied yams may be delicious, they also provide unexpected health benefits:

1. High Vitamin A Sweet potatoes (commonly used in this recipe) are a potent source of beta-carotene that helps maintain healthy vision, skin, and immunity.
2. A good source of fiber The yams’ natural fiber aids digestion and makes you feel fuller for longer.
3. Nutrient-rich spices like cinnamon and nutmeg are rich in antioxidants and possess anti-inflammatory properties.

Adjusting for Dietary Needs

In case you’re trying to cut down on calories or alter your diet to suit your preferences, take a look at these suggestions:

• Reduce the sugar. Reduce the brown sugar or substitute it with a natural sweetener such as monk fruit or stevia.
• To create a dairy-free dish, use plant-based butter to substitute regular butter with plant-based or vegan alternatives.
• Use a lighter glaze. Use only enough glaze to cover the yams in a light coating, thus reducing the fat and sugar content.

FAQs About Grandma’s Candied Yams Recipe

Can I Use Canned Yams?

Canned yams can be a convenient option, particularly when you’re limited in time. Since they’re cooked in advance and usually stored in syrups, they can save time and effort in making them. However, fresh yams and sweet potatoes are preferred for their firmer texture and substantial taste. When you use canned yams, be sure to follow these guidelines to prevent mushiness:

• Take out from the Canned Yams Well. Any excess liquid that is left in the can could cause the glaze to become diluted.
• Reduce the baking time. As canned yams have already cooked, bake them for about 15 minutes, long enough to allow the glaze to caramelize.
• Use less sweetener. Canned yams are usually filled with syrup; therefore, you might need to alter the sweetness of your glaze.

Fresh yams take longer to prepare, giving an enticing, fresher taste that enhances the dish’s flavor.

Can I Make It Ahead of Time?

Absolutely! Preparing candied yams in advance is a fantastic method of reducing stress when you’re busy preparing meals. Here’s how:

1. Make the dish. Make the yams and glaze, then put them in a baking dish.
2. Cover and chill. Cover and Refrigerate the dish with aluminum foil and plastic wrap, and place it inside the fridge for up to 24 hours.
3. Bake before serving. Bake Before Serving: Remove the dish from the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes before baking to allow it to come up to temperatures at room temperature. Bake the dish according to the recipe, but add some extra time should you need to.

This method of making ahead ensures the yams can absorb the glaze completely, making for an enticing dish.

How Do I Store Grandma’s Candied Yams Leftovers?

The leftover candied yams can be delicious by themselves or could be repurposed into different recipes. Use these storage guidelines to ensure they stay fresh:

• Use an airtight container: Put the yams inside the refrigerator to keep them from drying and absorbing unpleasant odors.
• Refrigerate promptly. Storage: Keep leftovers in the fridge within two hours of serving to ensure freshness.
• Consume within 3 days. For the best taste and texture, eat any leftovers within three days.

Once you are ready to eat, heat the cookies with the help of an oven set at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for around 10 to 15 minutes or heat them in an oven-safe dish for about 2 to 3 minutes.

Are Candied Yams and Candied Sweet Potatoes the Same Thing?

It’s not exactly true, but the terms are commonly utilized interchangeably within the U.S. True sweet potatoes and yams are distinct vegetables:

• Yams Originating from Africa and Asia, yams are a starchy plant with a rough bark-like skin. They’re sweeter and more difficult to locate in American supermarkets.
• Sweet Potatoes: Often described as yams by people in the U.S., sweet potatoes have a smoother, more slender skin and naturally sweeter flavor. They are available in varieties such as the orange-fleshed (commonly utilized in recipes for candied yams) as well as white-fleshed.

Most of the time, sweet potatoes are utilized to make candied yams, making them sweeter and creamier than traditional yams.

How Can You Stop the Grandma’s Candied Yams from getting runny?

The candied yams may run if you have too much liquid or the glaze isn’t adequately thickened. Here’s how to prevent this:

1. Make the glaze simmer: Before adding it to the yams, simmer until it’s rich and thick. This helps ensure it adheres to the yams when baking.
2. Beware of Excessive Liquids: Be wary of adding additional liquids like an orange or water juice. A couple of tablespoons will suffice, but too much may cause the dish to be watery.
3. Bake uncovered during the final 15 to 20 minutes; remove the foil, allowing moisture to evaporate and the glaze to brown.

Following these instructions will create an extremely sticky, rich glaze that dries beautifully on the yams.

Do You Have to Peel Yams Before Baking?

Peeling isn’t a must; however, it is highly suggested in candied sweet yams. Here’s why:

• Improved texture: Peeled yams have a smoother, more delicate texture that blends seamlessly into the glaze.
• Even with flavor absorption without the skin, yams can absorb the glaze better.
• Presentation Peeled yams look attractive and polished.

If you keep the skin intact,  scrub the yams thoroughly to remove the dirt.

Are Canned Yams Just Sweet Potatoes?

In most cases, the « canned yams » sold in the U.S. are almost always sweet potatoes. They’re precooked soft, soft, and usually packaged in syrup. Although convenient, canned yams don’t provide the same taste or the firmness of freshly baked sweet potatoes. If you use canned sweet potatoes, you’ll still make delicious dishes. Still, fresh sweet potatoes offer the most accurate and enjoyable experience.

Why Are My Grandma’s Candied Yams Soupy?

The soupy yams typically are the result of one of these issues:

• Too Many Liquids: Adding too many quantities of juice, water, or glaze may make the dish appear watery.
• Glaze that is undercooked: If the glaze hasn’t been properly thickened before applying it to the yams, it won’t be able to set when baking.
• Uncovered: Baking Without Cover Failure to remove the foil before the last baking step stops the liquid left over from vaporizing.

For soupy yams to be fixed, make sure to bake the dish with a lid for another 10-15 minutes to reduce the volume of liquid. You can also take out a little liquid before serving.

How to Get Grandma’s Candied Yams to Thicken Up?

When your candied yams are not thick enough, Try these techniques:

1. The glaze should be simmered for a longer time, and the glaze should be cooked on the stove until it has reached the consistency of syrup. This will make sure it becomes thicker while it bakes.
2. Cornstarch Slurry: Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water. Stir in the glaze as it simmers. The mixture will become thicker without altering the flavor.
3. Bake uncovered. Let the glaze shrink naturally as you bake the yams with the lid on for 15 minutes.

This will result in a thick, delicious glaze that sticks to the yams flawlessly.

Conclusion: Why Grandma’s Recipe Will Always Be the Best

Candied yams from Grandma’s recipe is a well-known recipe that blends the comfort of a classic dish with the pleasure of eating. It doesn’t matter if it’s an occasion or hosting a dinner party for the entire family. This recipe will add some nostalgia and warmth to your dining room table.

Why wait? Get your ingredients together. Follow these steps, and then bring a taste of her love to your home. You’ll make a fantastic dish and an unforgettable memory for years.