Tequila Sweet Potato Recipe

Rick Browne is the pit master who hosts the public television show Barbecue America. He shares two recipes this week on sideDish, our special weekly bonus podcast. The first is for a creative way to make sweet potatoes (recipe after the jump).

An unusual way to serve sweet potatoes to be sure but the strands soak up the tequila, lime juice and butter better than slices. Although you could make this dish using thin slices as well.

Serves 4-6

1 lb sweet potatoes, dark orange variety

1 cup melted butter

3/4 cup tequila

6 Tablespoons brown sugar

6 Tablespoons lime juice

1 tsp salt

1. Preheat the barbecue to medium high (200˚F to 250˚F).

2. Grate the sweet potatoes with hand grater or a large grating disc on a food processor, results should be 2”-3”-inch long matchstick-sized strands of sweet potato.

3. In a cast iron skillet or roasting pan cover the bottom with half of the melted butter then add in the sweet potatoes.

4. Add ¼ cup of the tequila to the melted butter, then add the brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons of the lime juice, and the salt and stir. Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes in the skillet.

5. Place the skillet in the barbecue at about 200˚F and cook for about an hour.

6. Remove the pan from the barbecue and add another ¼ cup of tequila and 2 more Tablespoons of lime juice, stir and press the potatoes down. Return the skillet to the barbecue and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender and starting to brown around the edges.

7. Bring to the table and drizzle the last ¼ cup of tequila and 2 Tablespoons of lime juice over the top of the sweet potatoes, stir and serve.