Baked Sweet Potatoes - Cooks Illustrated

Published November 1, 1996.

For moist flesh and soft, lightly caramelized skin, oil the potatoes before baking, place them on the middle rack in a 400-degree oven, and never turn them during baking.

The Problem

Baked sweet potatoes often emerge unevenly cooked, with a thick, unpalatable skin--or, worse yet, they explode in the oven.

The Goal

Sweet potatoes have been in hiding long enough. They have wonderful flavor, and they're available all year, so why not bake and eat one anytime, just like a potato? We wanted to find the perfect recipe for moist potato flesh and a soft, caramelized skin.

The Solution

Pierce the skin with a fork and rub the potatoes with oil before baking. Bake on a foil-lined baking sheet set on the middle rack of a 400-degree oven. And never turn the potatoes during baking; turning will keep the perfectly browned bottom skin from caramelizing.

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