How to Cook Whole Yams

A yam is a good source of dietary fiber.

Yams are often interchangeably referred to as sweet potatoes, but this is not entirely true. Yams are very difficult to find in the United States. What is normally purchased at the supermarket are sweet potatoes, which are from a different plant species. True yams have a darker red color than sweet potatoes, which are colored more closely to a regular potato. When purchasing a yam, look for smooth skin, no cuts and few eyes.

Things You'll Need

• Water
• Vegetable scrubber
• Oven
• Cookie sheet
• Tin foil
• Fork
• Timer

Instructions

1. Hold the yam under running water. Gently clean the skin with a vegetable scrubber. Preheat the oven to between 350 degrees Fahrenheit and 450 degrees Fahrenheit depending on how quickly you want the yam to cook.

2. Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil. Stab the yam three to four times with a fork and put the yams in the oven.

3. Set the timer for 45 minutes. Stab the yam with a fork. When the fork easily pierces the yam's skin, the yam is done. Remove the yam from the oven and let it cool.

Tips & Warnings

• Season baked yams with butter and brown sugar or oregano and salt.

References

• Produce Oasis: Yams
• All Recipes: Baked Sweet Potatoes
• Cooks: Roasted Yams