Candied Yams Bourbon Brown Sugar (Printable Version)

Tender yams glazed in bourbon and brown sugar with warm spices for a rich, comforting Southern side.

# What You'll Need:

→ Yams

01 - 4 large yams (approximately 2½ pounds), peeled and sliced into 1-inch rounds

→ Glaze

02 - ½ cup unsalted butter
03 - ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
04 - ¼ cup pure maple syrup
05 - ¼ cup bourbon
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 - ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
09 - ¼ teaspoon salt
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Garnish

11 - ¼ cup chopped pecans (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Distribute yam rounds evenly in a single layer throughout the prepared baking dish.
03 - Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, maple syrup, bourbon, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Stir continuously until sugar dissolves and mixture becomes smooth, approximately 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
04 - Pour glaze evenly over yam rounds. Gently toss yams to ensure even coating with the glaze mixture.
05 - Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and place in preheated oven. Bake for 25 minutes.
06 - Remove foil from baking dish. Baste yams with accumulated glaze using a spoon or brush. Return to oven uncovered and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until yams are fork-tender and edges are caramelized.
07 - Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped pecans if desired. Serve warm.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The yams become silky and caramelized while staying perfectly tender, no mushy disappointments here.
  • That bourbon-brown sugar glaze is bold enough to impress at a fancy dinner but easy enough to pull together on a regular Tuesday.
  • You can prep everything while the oven preheats, meaning minimal stress when you're juggling five other dishes.
02 -
  • Bourbon varies in proof and flavor, so taste your glaze before pouring—if it tastes too boozy and sharp, you can add a splash of water to mellow it, because cooking doesn't always burn off everything the way you hope.
  • The glaze will seem thin when you first pour it, but it thickens as the yams release their moisture and everything simmers together, so resist the urge to add cornstarch.
03 -
  • Baste your yams halfway through uncovered cooking—this extra step makes the difference between glazed and truly caramelized.
  • Buy your yams a day or two ahead; they're easier to peel after they've had time to sit at room temperature, and the skin comes away more cleanly.
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