Candied Yams Brown Butter Sage (Print)

A savory-sweet side with caramelized yams, nutty brown butter, and aromatic fresh sage.

# Components:

→ Vegetables

01 - 3 pounds yams (sweet potatoes), peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds

→ Brown Butter & Sage

02 - 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 10 fresh sage leaves, chopped

→ Candied Glaze

04 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
05 - 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
06 - 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Arrange yam rounds in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Cook while swirling frequently until butter turns golden brown and develops a nutty aroma, approximately 3-4 minutes. Immediately add chopped sage and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Remove saucepan from heat. Whisk in brown sugar, maple syrup, orange juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla extract until smooth.
05 - Pour brown butter-sage glaze evenly over yams, tossing gently to coat thoroughly.
06 - Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
07 - Remove foil and baste yams with pan juices. Bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes until yams are tender and glaze is thickened.
08 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh sage if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Brown butter transforms simple yams into something with unexpected depth and a nutty warmth that lingers.
  • The sage keeps this from tasting too dessert-like, giving you that savory-sweet balance that actually tastes grown up.
  • It's effortless enough for a weeknight but fancy enough to impress people you're cooking for.
02 -
  • Brown butter can go from perfect to burnt in seconds, so keep your eyes on it and trust your nose over the clock.
  • Don't skip the 5-minute rest at the end because it gives the glaze time to set and makes serving so much cleaner.
03 -
  • Cut your yams into even-sized rounds so they cook at the same pace and everything finishes together.
  • The difference between 30 seconds of sage cooking and a full minute is the difference between fragrant and burnt, so set a timer if you're the distracted type.
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