Microwave Sweet Potato - Fluffy and Perfectly Cooked Every Time
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Microwave Sweet Potato - Fluffy and Perfectly Cooked Every Time
The sweet potato is one of my favorites with its vibrant, creamy, and naturally sweet interiors.
Whether pureed, baked, fried or steamed; Whether they feature prominently as a main dish or add something special to a recipe, sweet potatoes are a superstar vegetable.
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While We love a perfectly roasted sweet potato, it certainly takes a long time to cook. You could easily end up waiting an hour for a baked sweet potato; that's fine if you have the time and don't mind heating up the stove, but not great for a quick bite.
Get in the microwave. While the device is often relegated to reheating leftovers, it's also great for steaming foods like broccoli, rice, and sweet potatoes.
In less than 10 minutes you'll have a moist, fluffy, ready-to-eat sweet potato. If you have an extra 10 minutes, pop it in the oven to brown the skin.
You won't be able to tell the difference between your shortened microwave sweet potato and a 100% baked one.
What kind of sweet potato is better?
You can cook any kind of sweet potato with this method, but the higher-moisture orange varieties, like Jewel or Garnet, are especially microwave-safe.
The most important thing is to look for sweet potatoes that are soft and fleshy, not wilted, and without bad spots.
Old sweet potatoes take longer to cook and are often dry and lackluster in texture and flavor.
A Note About Microwaves
Home microwaves come in a wide range of wattages, typically between 600 and 1,200 watts. As you can imagine, this has a huge impact on cooking time.
A small, wimpy bedroom model won't cook food in the same amount of time as a big, shiny new model.
I recommend that you familiarize yourself with the statistics of your microwave; they are usually displayed on a sticker on the door or inside.
Look for "power output" which will tell you the horsepower of your model. My built-in model is rated at 1000 watts, a common wattage for relatively newer medium to large microwaves.
Tips for the best microwave sweet potato
While popping a sweet potato in the microwave couldn't be simpler, there are a few tricks to ensure it's perfectly cooked.
Adjust cooking time as needed. This recipe is for a medium potato. Smaller or larger will take less or more time respectively. Cooking time may also vary depending on the power of your microwave.
Give it a push. Don't forget to pierce the sweet potato several times with a fork before cooking it. This will help prevent any overflow.
Keep it moist. Do not dry the sweet potato after rinsing and wrap it tightly in a damp paper towel or place in a covered container to prevent drying out.
Crispy skin. If you plan to eat the skin, brush it with oil and place it in the oven for a few minutes. It's not as fast as in the microwave, but it leaves the sweet potato about 5 times better.
The skin gets a little crisp instead of tough, leaving the inside moist and fluffy. It's a dead ringer for a sweet potato that bakes in just 15 minutes.
How to enjoy a sweet potato in the microwave
For a super-quick side dish or main dish, simply open up the microwaved sweet potato, season with salt and pepper, and choose from butter, sour cream, shredded cheese, chives, chopped bacon, pepper, or a combination.
Turn it sweet with a light sprinkle of brown sugar and cinnamon.
You can also turn microwaved sweet potatoes into something completely different. Let the potato cool, cut it into thick slices and fry it to get homemade fries.
Or cut it up and use it in home fries or mix it into a chili or vegetarian curry. To use just the flesh, discard the skin, mash, and use to make mashed sweet potatoes, sweet potato casserole, or sweet potato soup.
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet potato, about 10 ounces
- 1/2 teaspoon olive oil or canola oil, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, optional
Method
Prepare the sweet potato:
If you want the sweet potato skin crisp, preheat the oven to 425°F.
Wash the sweet potato, but do not dry it. The residual moisture will help keep the sweet potato moist.
Use a fork to prick the sweet potato 4-5 times.
Wrap the sweet potato:
Moisten a paper towel with water and wring it out. Use it to tightly wrap the sweet potato and place on a microwave-safe plate.
Alternatively, you can add the sweet potato to a microwave-safe container with a lid. Add the lid, leaving just a little cracked.
Microwave:
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Place dish in microwave and cook on high for 5 minutes. When you're done, you can easily pierce the sweet potato to the center with a fork or knife.
If the sweet potato isn't tender enough, wrap it up and microwave it for another minute.
Once you have figured out the size of the potato and the microwave operating time, write it down and do it every time for the best results.
Crisp the skin (optional):
For a slightly crispy skin, unwrap the sweet potato, place in a small baking dish, and brush with oil. Sprinkle with salt, if desired. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes.
Don't miss this easy microwave sweet potato tutorial
Souce: cookingguide
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