There’s a bag of sweet potatoes in your hand and you’re standing in produce aisle trying to decide whether to buy more expensive, oversized, unevenly shaped roots or go with little guys that come out more uniform. Why would it matter? Why would you choose one over another beyond appearance? Cooking time? Texture? Sugar content?
If you’re at the grocery store buying bulk sweet potatoes like this, you can use chart above to see how commercial packers sorts these roots by size. Knowing the grades help make your potato purchase a deliberate decision.
How to Choose Sweet Potatoes by Size
Sweet potatoes is sorted by industry into various classes by their weight. They range from smallest (canner stock) to largest (jumbo). It’s not arbitrary. Each size fit a particular use in kitchen.
Eighteen-ounce-or-larger potatoes are the jumbos. They is good for stuffing and mashing. Because they are so big, they hold their filling without falling apart. Fewer per carton. Fewer needed to fill a table of eater. With thick flesh surrounded by skin tough enough to protect it during long roast, interior cooks evenly.
The other two sizes (medium & large) is reliable potatoes when it comes to cooking for your kitchen. For example, a medium sweet potato range from 6 to 10 ounces. That’s an all-purpose size. Baked whole, roasted cubed or sliced into fries, it fits perfectly on a single plate without dominating it. According to chart, it is one of the best single-serving weights. Too many home cook over-portion. With this size, you have better portion control. Because it’s even in shape, it also cooks evenly, outer edges won’t dry out by the time interior is tender.
Use canner and small potatoes for quick dishes. Four- to six-ounce potatoes are small. They roast very quickly. You do not need much prep. Pop them into oven and dinner is ready in under half an hour.
Canners are the tiniest of roots. Often overlooked by retail customers. They are very sweet. They are typically used for processing, but if you find them in your local store, grab them for purees or soups. Buy these if available in your market. Less starch to convert to makes for a smooth, sweeter consistency once blended.
How does it change the flavor? That’s what happens in curing process. The infographic describes that stage after harvest. Potatoes are stored at a warm temperature. Why? Because it convert starches to sugars and makes skins suberize.
Sweet potato is sweeter a week after you buy it. It is sweeter then on day of digging. If you don’t consider how they were stored, you might blame the variety. Maybe it just wasn’t cured properly. It takes about a week and a half for proper curing. It require the correct humidity level. This is why store-bought potatoes seem more tasty. Maybe they had time to set up.
Before picking a bag, have a look at size and shape: Three large ones are fine if your plan involve making a side dish that serves four. A jumbo root will be too much of a puzzle to cut up. Extra-large is in balance, good for serving a family with some left over. It is manageable but still gives a good yield. It is not the largest potato. It is not the least expensive.
Match the root to the job. It’s also about knowing which one to purchase. It will save you time. It will save you aggravation in kitchen. It will save you from asking questions, like why my mashed potatoes are watery. Why are my french fries soggy? It will help you choose according to what result you want.
Want a holiday meal? Choose a huge jumbo potato and bake it up. Need something fast for supper? Roast some smallish ones all together. Whatever the size, there’s a way of cooking it.
Look at weight grades next time you’re in the market. Then take home the potato that fits your plan. And let the sweet stuff work its magic.