These smoked sweet potatoes are diced before smoking to get that amazing flavor throughout every bite.
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Smoked Sweet Potatoes make the perfect side dish to cook on your smoker alongside any poultry, pork or ham. They are so good, though, that it's worth the effort to crank up the smoker or pellet grill just for the sweet potatoes.
Got a corner of that smoker rack open? Add some fish and make Smoked Fish Dip. It's an eternally popular appetizer.
Our Smoked Ham on the Big Green Egg is one of our top recipes around here, and it is important to make your Smoked Beef Short Ribs on a true smoker, but this recipe can actually be made on the grill!
We've shown you this before in our Smoked Vegetables, Smoked Baked Beans, and Smoked Mac & Cheese recipes- you can actually get that great smoky flavor on a regular charcoal grill or even a gas grill, so don't worry if you don't have a true smoker!
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Just use a box for your wood chips like this one. We recommended a milder flavored variety of wood chips like apple.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Amazing Smoky Flavor: Dicing the sweet potatoes before smoking ensures that every bite is infused with a delightful smoky flavor. This is the most delicious way to make sweet potatoes!
- Versatile Side Dish: These delicious sweet potatoes make a perfect side dish to go with virtually any kind of meaty main course.
- Customizable Flavors: You can personalize the flavor by choosing ingredients like maple syrup or brown sugar, and herbs like sage, rosemary, or thyme, giving you options to make it your own.
Ingredients Needed
Check the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and instructions.
- Sweet potatoes: The star of the recipe, providing the main flavor and texture. Start with fresh, whole sweet potatoes.
- Honey: Adds a natural sweetness to complement the smoky flavor.
- Bourbon: Introduces a subtle caramel flavor to the dish. We love cooking with bourbon- Check out our Butternut Squash with Bacon and Bourbon for similar flavors!
- Butter: A little butter enhances the overall creamy texture of the sweet potatoes. You can use salted or unsalted butter for this recipe.
- Salt: Brings out the other flavors in the dish. Adjust the amount of salt you use if you go with salted butter.
- Sage or other herbs (rosemary or thyme): Infuses the dish with aromatic and herbal flavors.
We also really recommend a good cast iron skillet for this recipe.
In the photos you see here we used our Grizzly 10 inch Casserole. This nickel plated cookware is an absolute workhorse. It's a bit of a splurge but well worth it.
For more affordable options we're linking you here to more cast iron skillets, all on Amazon with 4 star or above ratings.
How to make Smoked Sweet Potatoes
- Start by melting the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. This buttery goodness will add a rich and creamy element to your sweet potatoes.
- While the butter is melting, it's time to get those sweet potatoes ready. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into ½-inch cubes. This step maximizes the surface area for that lovely smoke flavor to penetrate.
- Now, let's add some sweetness to the mix. Pour in the honey and give it a good stir. The honey will provide that delightful sweet flavor that pairs perfectly with the smokiness.
- If you've got some on hand, don't forget to include bourbon. It's going to bring a subtle caramel flavor to the party. Stir it into the butter mixture.
- Next, choose your herbs. Sage is a great choice, but you can also go with rosemary or thyme for a different aromatic twist. Sprinkle your chosen herbs into the mix and give it all a good stir. This step adds an herbaceous touch to the dish.
- Now, add your sweet potato cubes to a 10-inch cast iron skillet and pour the butter mixture you prepared earlier over the top. Make sure to stir everything together so the flavors are evenly distributed.
- Set your grill or smoker to around 275°F and add wood chips for that smoky essence. Now, place your skillet in there, and let it work its magic for about 2 hours. Remember to stir every 20 minutes to ensure even cooking.
- When a fork goes through a sweet potato cube without any resistance, they're good to go. Remove the skillet from the heat and enjoy!
Variations
Just like with the Smoked Vegetables you can adjust the time and temperature of your sweet potatoes if needed. If you've got something else on the smoker that needs to cook at higher or lower temperatures (like fish for smoked fish dip) than called for here, just adjust to your desired temperature and cook for more or less time accordingly.
For flavor options we chose to sweeten with honey, but brown sugar is definitely a good match for the smoked potatoes.
Sage was our choice of herbs with a garnish of rosemary or parsley, but thyme would be excellent as well. Smoked Sweet Potatoes are the perfect dish to make your own!
If you love sweet potatoes, but don't want to get the grill fired up, these Pan Fried Sweet Potatoes are for you.
Storage Tips
Refrigerator: Allow the smoked sweet potatoes to cool to room temperature before storing them. Once cooled, put your sweet potatoes in an airtight container. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Place the cooled sweet potatoes in an airtight, freezer-safe container or resealable plastic bag. Squeeze out excess air to prevent freezer burn. These smoked sweet potatoes will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer!
Reheating: When reheating, use an oven or stovetop method to maintain the texture and flavor. Avoid using a microwave, as it can make the sweet potatoes mushy. If frozen, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Recipe FAQs
Even though we use the words interchangeably in the United States, no, sweet potatoes and yams are not the same! They are two different plant species. Sweet potatoes are often orange or white and have a sweet taste, while yams are typically starchier and have a rough, dark brown skin.
Whether to peel sweet potatoes depends on the recipe and personal preference. In the case of this recipe, peeling is recommended for the best texture and absorption of smoky flavor.
The best way to peel and dice sweet potatoes is to use a vegetable peeler for peeling. For dicing, use a sturdy, sharp chef's knife to slice the sweet potato into ½-inch slices, then cut each slice into ½-inch cubes for maximum surface area for smoky flavor absorption. Alternatively, you can purchase pre-diced sweet potatoes for convenience.
Yes, you can use a gas grill for this recipe. The key is to create a smoke-infused environment by adding wood chips in a smoker box or using a smoker pouch.
Serving Suggestions
This sweet potato recipe goes well with a variety of main dishes. We love it with Smoked Chicken Thighs, Bourbon-Glazed Cajun Beef Tenderloin, and Slow Cooked Turkey Breast as well as Deep Fried Turkey Breast.
These are also the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving dinner! Use this unique recipe to replace the typical sweet potato casserole and wow your guests. You can even cook them at the same time as your smoked turkey!
📖 Recipe
Honey Bourbon Smoked Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Melt butter over medium low heat in small sauce pan.
- Add additional ingredients and stir to blend.
- Place cubed sweet potatoes in a 10" cast iron skillet and top with butter mixture, stirring.
- Cook in smoker or grill with wood chips in box at approximately 275° for 2+/- hours, stirring every 20 minutes. Remove and from heat when a fork pierces a cube without resistance.
Notes
Nutrition
Beth says
Sweet potato nut here so these are a must try! I love the idea of a little bit of bourbon.
Pam says
Sweet potatoes and bourbon are perfect together! Thaks, Beth.
Angela says
I had no idea you could do sweet potatoes in the smoker! What a great recipe and the perfect side dish for any grilled meat. Thanks so much for sharing!
Kechi says
I like the idea of dicing the sweet potatoes before smoking them. I can only image the flavors! YUM
Pam says
It really is so good. Thanks, Kechi!1
Mindee Taylor says
I'm always on the look out for new sweet potato dishes! This one sounds delicious! Definitely on my list to make!
Sara Welch says
This was such a unique and unexpected side dish! Not only great for fall, but delicious to boot; my whole family loved it!
Emily says
I can't wait to try these sweet potatoes! I love that there's bourbon added! My husband will be excited to try this on the smoker!