Quick Answer: How to Dry Sweet Potatoes?
You may just sun-dry sweet potatoes if you live in a tropical area with ample sunlight. You can swiftly dry hash browns, shredded sweet potatoes, and even sweet potato slices with a food dehydrator or an oven.
In this article, I will be outlining the best methods to dry sweet potatoes from the comfort of your home.
You’ll be requiring your everyday kitchen appliances for the same.
I’ve not only poured my personal experience with drying sweet potatoes but have also incorporated hours of research on what food bloggers and experts have to say on drying sweet potatoes at home.
There are many ways to dry sweet potato and I’ve got you covered with the three simplest methods.
Since each of these methods are unique in their own way, let’s kick things off with the most common method referred to for drying sweet potatoes at home.
Before you Proceed to Dehydrate Sweet Potatoes
Bring a big saucepan of water to a boil to blanch the sweet potatoes.
Bring the water back to a boil, then add the sweet potato slices or shredded sweet potatoes and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until fork-tender.
When a sweet potato is fork-tender, it may readily and quickly be penetrated with a fork without dissolving.
This is an extremely important step for you to take. Sweet Potatoes that have not been blanched might get an ugly grey or black color when dried.
How to Dry Sweet Potatoes Using a Food Dehydrator ?
People usually prefer to use a food Dehydrator since it is the most common method available to do so. You will get evenly dried sweet potatoes within a few hours from the comforts of your home.
Materials
- Sweet potatoes
- Paper towel
- Baking sheet
- Dehydrator trays
Tools
- Colander
Instructions
- Wash the sweet potatoes - Take your fresh sweet potatoes and place them under running water. Rinse them thoroughly and rub your thumbs on them to get rid of dirt.
Take a colander and dry your sweet potatoes. Get rid of the access water and pat-dry with some paper towels. - Preheat the food dehydrator - Your food dehydrator should be preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat them - With a fork or knife, pierce each sweet potato 3-5 times. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until tender. Remove and set aside to cool, then peel. - Slice the sweet potatoes - The sweet potatoes should be cut into consistent 1/8-1/4 inch thick slices or 1/4-1/2 inch dices.
- Arrange the sweet potatoes - Place on mesh dehydrator trays in an even layer. Any leftovers should be placed on a separate dehydrator pan to dry faster.
- Dry the sweet potatoes - Dehydrate sliced or diced chunks until brittle or very tough and leathery throughout at 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Split in half to check that the inside is completely dry and free of soft or damp places.
Sliced sweet potatoes will take 8 to 10 hours to dehydrate, whereas diced sweet potatoes will take 10 to 12 hours. - Let it cool - Set your dried sweet potatoes aside to cool down for a few minutes before you proceed with storing them away.
Sweet Potatoes Using Sun-Drying
Time Taken: 2 to 3 days
What You Need:
- Sweet potatoes
- Colander
- Paper towel
- Tray/racks
- Baking sheet
- Cheesecloth
You can dry your sweet potatoes nicely in direct sunlight without having to use any electrical appliances.
This method will take a couple of days to dry your sweet potatoes evenly and make them crispy.
Wash the Sweet Potatoes
Take your fresh sweet potatoes and place them under running water. Rinse them thoroughly and rub your thumbs on them to get rid of dirt.
Take a colander and dry your sweet potatoes. Get rid of the access water and pat-dry with some paper towels.
Boil the Sweet Potatoes
Depending on their size, steam/ boil them for 25 to 45 minutes over medium-high heat, or until a fork may easily pierce through the core.
Take them off the stove and set them aside to cool to room temperature.
Peel the Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes should be peeled and split into 6 to 8 halves. Transfer to the racks.
Arrange the Sweet Potatoes
Place the slices on the racks in one single layer with sufficient space in between each slice.
This will allow air to circulate properly as they dry in the sun.
Dry your Sweet Potatoes
Dry them in the sun for 2 to 3 days using a cooling rack or any other type of rack you have.
If the weather is gloomy or chilly, it may take an extra couple of days to dry.
The amount of time required depends on the size of the sweet potatoes and how chewy you want them to be.
If you prefer a chewier texture, dehydrate for a few more hours.
Let it Cool
Set your dried sweet potatoes to cool for a few minutes before you proceed with storing them.
Sweet Potatoes Using an Oven
Time Taken: About 1 hour
Optimum temperature – 375 degrees Fahrenheit
What You Need:
- Sweet potatoes
- Colander
- Paper towel
- Baking trays
- Baking sheets
An oven is the fastest way to dry sweet potatoes at home since it will only take an hour at max.
You will get properly dried sweet potato slices instantly without having to put in a lot of effort and time.
Wash the Sweet Potatoes
Take your fresh sweet potatoes and place them under running water. Rinse them thoroughly and rub your thumbs on them to get rid of dirt.
Take a colander and dry your sweet potatoes. Get rid of the access water and pat-dry with some paper towels.
Boil the Sweet Potatoes
Depending on their size, steam/ boil them for 25 to 45 minutes over medium-high heat, or until a fork may easily pierce through the core.
Take them off the stove and set them aside to cool to room temperature.
Slice the Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes should be peeled and cut into little cubes of the same thickness by slicing them crosswise approximately 38 to 12 inches thick.
If the potatoes have become too soft to cut, place them in the freezer for a few minutes to firm them up.
Dry the Sweet Potatoes
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and dry the sweet potatoes until they are crispy with no moisture.
Keep a watch on the sweet potatoes as they dry to make sure they don’t get burnt or cooked.
Let it Cool
Remove dried sweet potatoes from the oven, set aside to cool, and then peel away the skins. The skins are easy to remove.
The Proper Way to Store Dried Sweet Potato Slices
One can store dehydrated sweet potatoes in canning jars for longer shelf life.
However, any airtight container would suffice. Its sole purpose is to prevent air humidity from coming into contact with the dehydrated sweet potatoes.
It also makes it easier to transport during camping and other family trips by keeping the dehydrated sweet potatoes from being soggy and polluted.
Our Take on Which Method is Best
You may just sun-dry sweet potatoes if you live in a tropical area with ample sunlight.
You will not require any electrical appliances or artificial heat for this method.
You can swiftly dry hash browns, shredded sweet potatoes, and even sweet potato slices with a food dehydrator.
It’s the most widely used and effective method. Dry sweet potatoes quickly and in big amounts in the oven.
FAQs
Dried sweet potatoes will lose their color and flavor after 3 months if not cooked or blanched. The only exception is that if you utilize your dehydrated sweet potatoes within three months, you may not notice any changes in quality or flavor.
An oven is the fastest way to dry sweet potatoes at home since it will only take an hour at max. You will get properly dried sweet potato slices instantly without having to put in a lot of effort and time.
To avoid an unsightly black color, sweet potatoes are blanched first before dehydrating.
You can dry your sweet potatoes nicely in direct sunlight without having to use any electrical appliances. This method will take a couple of days to dry your sweet potatoes evenly and make them crispy.
Bottom Line
Hopefully, this guide has aided you in understanding how to dry sweet potatoes at home with ease.
In case you have any queries to ask regarding the process, do let us know.
Feel like we have missed out on something? Let us know any tips we can include in our guide to make it better!
Kindly share this guide with your friends and family to assist them with drying sweet potatoes at home.