The Accidental Scientist - The Science of Cooking

12/06/02 at 08:45:01

Marian Guest

I'd like to can sweet potatoes in glaze so that we can have them year round.
I made a double batch this year and put them in sterile jars, then pressure cooked them for 30 minutes.
I ended up with 6 quarts of sweet potato mush. What went wrong?

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Reply #1 - 12/09/02 at 05:06:18

Henry Guest

Here's a recipe that I've used with success.
18 lbs of sweet potatoes will yield 7 or 8 quarts, canned.

18 lbs peeled sweet potatoes steamed until just cooked through.
6 cups brown sugar
10 cups water
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Cook the potatoes and cube them up into 1 or 2 inch cubes. Don't mash them up too much, or the results will be mushy.

Add the water, sugar, cinnamon and salt to a pot and bring the syrup to a rolling boil. Reserve hot.

Fill quart jars with the sweet potatoes and cover with the hot syrup, leaving 1 inch of "head space" between the top of the potatoes and the top of the jar.

Put sterile lids on the jars and seal.
Process for 60 minutes in a pressure canner, following the manufacturers instructions.

see? Easy as... well, canning.

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Reply #2 - 01/20/10 at 13:38:59

jimbo Offline
Junior Member
Welcome to Cooking!

Posts: 63

Great article

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Reply #3 - 02/02/10 at 02:53:46

Docent Ex Member

your post very well, it is very useful for me... Cool

Thanks

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Reply #4 - 02/02/10 at 07:50:09

artw Ex Member

Sounds like they were overcooked or overheated, one or the other. Unless the sweet potatoes were over-ripe, that could have been the cause too. At any rate, something was over. Don't fret, it happens to everybody who enjoys canning. It's a lot of work, but well worth the effort. And it's much better than the stuff you get in stores.

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Reply #5 - 02/07/10 at 12:57:39

Jennyluv Ex Member

I would say that they were over cooked. Mush can still be used for sweet potatoe pies!

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Reply #6 - 02/28/10 at 20:08:55

zapp4u Ex Member

Great information, my Grandmother use to do this maybe I will have to try it. Cool

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Reply #7 - 05/21/10 at 20:08:11

imanana Offline
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Welcome to Cooking!

Posts: 21

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Reply #8 - 06/30/10 at 01:47:05

shoulian Ex Member

6 cups brown sugar
10 cups water
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

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Reply #9 - 07/29/10 at 09:05:27

mike ramsey Ex Member

It will make the tastes blend together. I do it when I boil potatoes for soups or curry. Sweet potatoes have a softer texture, so I add in yukon golds, and the yukon gold always absorb the flavor of the sweet potatoes.

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Reply #10 - 08/02/10 at 20:53:24