Thought some of y'all yanks might not regularly eat sweet potatoes or even know the proper way to bake one.

First, sweet taters are the natural pairing for pork. They also go well with raccoon.

Pick the right kind to start, the medium-sized slender/torpedo shaped ones not the big odd shaped clunkers. They need to be dry and firm without any shriveled parts. Avoid any exotic purples, whites, or other weird ones. You want the varities that cook up soft moist and sweet.

Now grease up the skins. Mama assigned that task to the nearest youngun. Handful of crisco and a stack of sweet taters. Today, I just hose them with a cooking oil spray. No need to pierce them with a fork.

Now tuck them into a 350 oven on a tray, line it with foil or better yet parchment paper because the oil and taters will leak and bake into a hard to remove stain. Cook for about an hour until done. You'll know when the skin separates and looks like an inflated balloon.

Can also be done in the hot ash of a wood fire.

Within minutes as it cools the skin will shrink and wrinkle. The skin will just peel off easily at this point and the tater will be soft. Split it and pile on the butter.

Mama used to tuck a hot tater straight out of the oven into our pockets as we headed out the door to go hunting. Handwarmer and lunch all in one.

Leftover sweet taters can be mashed for sweet tater pie or souffle/casserole.

I ate sweet potatoes to lose weight.

The purple ones are supposed to be even better for you.

I plant Beauregard sweet potatoes, I think they have the best flavor
I've made them the way you described
But I prefer them candied, and not with the stupid marshmallows on top
Candied sweet potatoes go good with every meat

And I'm not a yank, I'm an American just like you

Beaureguard is a classic one. I like Covington, basically an improved Beaureguard for more uniform sized roots. Mahan/Bradshaw is my next favorite.

Agreed on the marshmellow, can't stand them. Much prefer the way mama did her souffle with butter, brown sugar, and pecan crumble on top.

Never met a sweet tater I didn't like!

Warrior, you left out the most important step in how to properly eat a sweet tater. Once you take that perfectly baked delicacy, split it and smother it with real butter, you
got to dribble some real pure cane syrup over that baby. Pairs well with any meat you might be devouring, but especially pork.

My mom used to fry them for me at breakfast. Get a fully baked sweet potato, peel it, and slice into 1/2” round pieces. Fry them in an iron pan with bacon grease. Serve with fried eggs and toast. The frying only takes a few minutes to caramelize the outside of the sweet potato slice,

Brown sugar, marshmallows and red hots for me.

I crock potted some chicken breasts in salsa the other day then shredded it. That mixed with baked sweet potato turned out awesome.

I like them best friend in slices, in avacado oil

Nasty imo

I love Sweet potatoes! Always have.

I grow two ridges per year. Start my own slips from last years taters. We eat alot of them.

They are really good with possum.

Really good WITHOUT possum...lol

Will pass on the possum.

Plus all the people I've met who eat them regular talk funny. Sounds like a risky thing to consume.

I always peal the hide off the Sweets before baking. They are easier to handle without burning your fingers and then the outside gets a kinda chewy caramelized skin that goes down good.