Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 1000 g sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1.5cm rounds
Lemon Glaze
- 60 g unsalted butter, melted
- 45 g light brown sugar, packed
- 45 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 60 ml water
- 4 g lemon zest, finely grated
- 3 g kosher salt
- 2 g fresh thyme, leaves only
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F. Lightly grease your baking dish with a small amount of butter or neutral oil.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted unsalted butter, light brown sugar, freshly squeezed lemon juice, water, lemon zest, kosher salt, and fresh thyme leaves until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
Add the sliced sweet potatoes to the bowl and toss thoroughly to ensure each piece is coated in the lemon glaze. Arrange the rounds in an overlapping, shingled layer in the prepared baking dish. Pour any glaze remaining in the bowl evenly over the top.
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 200°C/400°F for 30 minutes. This traps the steam, allowing the sweet potatoes to tenderize without burning the sugars.
Carefully remove the aluminum foil. Baste the sweet potatoes with the juices accumulating at the bottom of the dish. Continue to roast uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, basting once more halfway through.
Chef's Notes
- Using freshly squeezed lemon juice is critical; bottled juice lacks the volatile aromatic oils and bright acidity necessary to effectively offset the natural sweetness of the potatoes.
- For an extra layer of complexity, add a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper to the glaze. The subtle, warming back-note perfectly complements the sweet and sour profile.
- If preparing ahead for a large holiday meal like Thanksgiving, you can complete the covered baking step up to two days in advance. Chill the dish in the refrigerator, then finish with the uncovered roasting step just before serving, adding a few extra minutes to account for the chilled start.
- When selecting sweet potatoes, choose firm, unblemished ones with orange flesh (often labeled as yams in US supermarkets) for the best texture and moisture content.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. The glaze will thicken significantly when chilled.
Freezer: 1 month — Texture may become slightly softer upon thawing. Reheat gently in the oven.
Reheating: Reheat in a 175 C oven for 15 minutes or microwave in short bursts.
