Do you peel sweet potatoes before grilling?

Skip the peeling and add your whole potatoes directly to the pot. Not only will this be less work for you but it will also prevent the potatoes from absorbing too much moisture. If you don’t like the skin you can easily remove it once they’ve par cooked, or leave it on for texture.

Do I have to cook sweet potatoes before grilling them?

For grilling thick potato wedges it is highly recommended that you cook these ahead of time. It makes the grilling process faster, allows them to remain tender and moist on the interior, and because they are only being charred for a few minutes you don’t risk burning them.

Can I cook the sweet potatoes ahead of time?

Yes, feel free to parboil your potatoes a day or two in advance. To prevent them from becoming soggy allow them to drain completely and cool before transferring them to an airtight container and refrigerating them. You can line your container with a paper towel to absorb any additional moisture if desired.

Can I cook the sweet potatoes in the oven instead of boiling them?

Yes. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the potatoes on a sheet pan and allow them to bake for 25-30 minutes. Typically a sweet potato takes about an hour to fully bake. You are not looking for them to be that soft as they need to hold together when you cut them into wedges.

What do I do if I over-boil my sweet potatoes?

No one needs to know you planned on making grilled sweet potato fries. Just add the drained sweet potatoes back into your warm pot, add some of the compound butter, and mash them up. They’ll still be delicious.

Grilled Sweet Potato Fries - Chiles and Smoke

Name: Grilled Sweet Potato Fries
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Side Dish
Ingredients: 3 large sweet potatoes; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened; 2 tablespoons honey; 1/2 tablespoon chile flakes; 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest; Salt & pepper, to taste; Canola oil, for brushing

Ingredients

Scale

3 large sweet potatoes
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 tablespoon chile flakes
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Salt & pepper, to taste
Canola oil, for brushing

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Instructions

Par-cook the potatoes. Bring the whole sweet potatoes to a boil in a large pot of salted water. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, until they are almost tender when pierced with a knife. They do not need to be fully cooked. Drain and allow them to cool off.
Prepare the compound butter. Combine the butter, honey, chile flakes and lemon zest in a bowl. Mash with a fork to mix, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Grill the sweet potato fries. Slice each sweet potato into about 6-8 wedges, depending on the size. Brush lightly with canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Clean the grill grates well, and place the wedges over the coals. Grill them for about 3 minutes per side until they are golden, slightly crispy, with some char marks.
Brush on the butter. Remove the sweet potato fries and transfer them to a large platter. Brush them with the honey butter and sprinkle with more salt if needed. Serve immediately.

Notes

Don’t baste with the butter until you remove the wedges from the grill. Not only will it prevent them from getting that slightly crispy exterior, but you risk flare-ups.

Be careful of overboiling your potatoes. You are not cooking them to the point they easily mash. You want to be able to slice them into wedges and have them retain their shape.

Author: Brad Prose
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Vegetables
Method: Grilling
Cuisine: Side Dish

Keywords: grilled sweet potatoes, sweet potato fries, sweet potato wedges, grilled fries, side dish