What Type Of Sweet Potatoes Are Best For Sweet Potato Pie?
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Sweet potatoes are a delicious root vegetable and the star of the show in many dishes served, especially in Southern soul food sweet potato recipes. They are rich in flavor and yield a naturally creamy texture when baked. Their inherent sweetness is the base for favorite African-American recipes.
What country is sweet potato pie from?
Sweet potato pie is a classic Southern dessert, originating in the Southern United States and, again, especially popular in the African American community.
Check out my post about sweet potato pie Black history.
What type of sweet potatoes are best for sweet potato pie?
It’s always best to know what mistakes to avoid when making this iconic Southern soul food dessert. Starting with what type of sweet potatoes are best for sweet potato pie.
You should use either Jewel or Beauregard sweet potatoes to make the best sweet potato pie. Read on to find out why.
What are the 4 types of sweet potatoes?
- Garnet sweet potatoes – Known as the red yam, as identified by their reddish-purple skin. Garnets have a juicy orange flesh perfect for mashing and baking.
- Jewel sweet potatoes – Jewels are the Thanksgiving favorite, with a noticeably lighter orange skin and brighter orange flesh. Packing a lot of moisture, this potato is excellent for baking, roasting, and pressure-cooking.
- Beauregard sweet potatoes – These large, elongated sweet potatoes have a reddish skin and orange flesh. With a slightly sweeter flavor than Jewel sweet potatoes, Beauregards are perfect for baking sweet treats.
- Stokes purple sweet potatoes – Can you use purple sweet potatoes in place of regular sweet potatoes? Yes! Offering a gorgeous color and firm texture, Stokes purple sweet potatoes are a unique variety with natural purple skin and rich purple flesh that color intensifies when cooked. They make a beautiful and delicious purple sweet potato pie!
Choose one of these types for a perfect pie with the best sweet potato flavor!
Which sweet potato is best?
Best would be a matter of taste and preference. However, in terms of color and taste, sweet potatoes with orange flesh, like Jewel and Beauregard sweet potatoes, are richest in beta-carotene and have a sweeter taste.
You’d choose Stokes purple sweet potatoes if you’re making a purple sweet potato pie.
Which sweet potato is sweetest?
Beauregard sweet potatoes are the sweetest, with a slightly sweeter flavor than Jewels.
Which sweet potato is best for baking pie?
The goodness starts with the type of sweet potato. Choose either Jewel (best for baking) or Beauregard sweet potatoes (slightly sweeter) are the best for baking sweet potato pies.
Unless you’re making a purple sweet potato pie, in which case you’d choose Stokes purple sweet potatoes.
Jewel sweet potatoes are the Thanksgiving favorite for baking sweet potatoes and sweet potato pie recipes.
Along with the perfect balance of soul food sweet potato pie spices, the sweet potatoes themselves are an essential part of what makes a Southern sweet potato pie recipe so good!
What is the best way to cook sweet potatoes for sweet potato pie?
Even though you can bake sweet potatoes for pie, roasting, or pressure cooking them is recommended over boiling or steaming.
Learn more about the best way to cook sweet potatoes for sweet potato pie in my post HERE.
Check out my viral recipe below for how to make the best sweet potato pie!
Can you use yams instead of sweet potatoes?
Yams and sweet potatoes are not the same and should not be substituted in recipes for one another.
Read more about the difference between sweet potatoes and yams HERE.
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