Peeled whole sweet potatoes being arranged in a slow cooker
Peeled whole sweet potatoes being arranged in a slow cooker
Arrange the peeled whole sweet potatoes in a single snug layer in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. The potatoes should be touching but not crammed so tightly that the lid won’t close.
Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the tops of the sweet potatoes, letting some fall down around the sides so it reaches the bottom of the slow cooker.
Dot the butter pieces evenly over the brown sugar and sweet potatoes, distributing them across the surface so they melt down into a syrup as they cook.
Brown sugar and butter scattered over sweet potatoes before cooking
Brown sugar and butter scattered over sweet potatoes before cooking
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the sweet potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork and the brown sugar and butter have formed a thick, glossy syrup.
Once tender, carefully spoon some of the syrup from the bottom of the slow cooker over the tops of the sweet potatoes. Let them sit on WARM for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the syrup to cling a bit more, if you have time.
A spoon drizzling syrup over cooked sweet potatoes
A spoon drizzling syrup over cooked sweet potatoes
Serve the sweet potatoes whole or sliced, spooning plenty of the warm syrup over each portion. Turn the slow cooker to WARM if you’re serving over a longer period, and keep the lid mostly on to prevent the syrup from drying out.
