Description
These smoked sweet potatoes are a deliciously unique side dish that combines the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes with the smoky flavor imparted by a low and slow smoking process. Enhanced with a rich maple bourbon butter infused with pecans and chives, this recipe delivers a perfect balance of savory, sweet, and smoky notes, making it ideal for barbecue gatherings or cozy dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potatoes
- 4 sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Maple Bourbon Butter
- 8 tablespoons butter (at room temperature)
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped pecans
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
Instructions
- Prepare the smoker: For a Big Green Egg or Kamado grill, soak one cup of wood chips in water for one hour. Light the charcoal and when it reaches 250°F, scatter the drained wood chips over the fire and add the grill grate. No need for a plate setter. For other grills or smokers, follow manufacturer’s instructions to preheat to 250°F for smoking.
- Prepare the sweet potatoes: Scrub the potatoes thoroughly and dry them. Pierce the top of each potato a few times with a knife or fork to allow smoke penetration.
- Coat the potatoes: Using a pastry brush or your hands, lightly coat each potato on all sides with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt ensuring even coverage.
- Smoke the potatoes: Place the potatoes directly on the smoker grate and close the lid. Smoke for approximately two hours at a consistent 250°F until tender.
- Make the maple bourbon butter: While the potatoes smoke, mix together the room temperature butter, maple syrup, bourbon, finely chopped pecans, and chives in a small bowl until well combined.
- Form the butter: Transfer the butter mixture onto wax or parchment paper, roll tightly into a cylinder, twist ends, and refrigerate until firm.
- Check doneness: After two hours, test potatoes by gently squeezing them with a potholder; they should feel soft and yield easily. Alternatively, pierce with a fork which should go in effortlessly without resistance.
- Serve: Remove potatoes from grill, slice them open lengthwise with a sharp knife, gently push ends toward the center to fan them open, and top generously with the chilled maple bourbon butter. Serve immediately for best flavor.
Notes
- Soaking wood chips ensures they smolder slowly, producing optimal smoke flavor.
- If you don’t have a smoker, you can mimic the process by wrapping potatoes in foil and cooking in a preheated oven at 250°F, though the smoky flavor will be less intense.
- Adjust bourbon quantity to taste or substitute with whiskey or omit for alcohol-free.
- Use a high-quality maple syrup for the best sweetness and flavor complexity.
- Butter can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
