Name: Coal-Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Maple-Chile Butter
Total time: 120 min
Ingredients: 4 large (12 to 14 ounces each) sweet potatoes, scrubbed; 3/4 cup (6 ounces.) unsalted butter, at room temperature; 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup; 1 tablespoons sherry vinegar; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 3/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, plus more for garnish; 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

Coal-Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Maple-Chile Butter . Photo:
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee

Active Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs

Servings:

Take your sweet potatoes up a notch by roasting them whole directly on hot coals, giving them a lightly smoked and deeply roasted flavor. A whipped compound butter made of sherry vinegar, parsley, and maple syrup add acidic, earthy, and savory notes. Top the sweet potatoes with toasted pecans to bring in some needed crunch. This is a great side dish for any occasion.

Ingredients

4 large (12 to 14 ounces each) sweet potatoes, scrubbed
3/4 cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

Directions

Prick sweet potatoes all over using a fork. Wrap sweet potatoes individually in a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Open bottom vent of a charcoal grill completely. Light an 8-pound pyramid of charcoal (about 1 1/2 charcoal chimneys full) on bottom grate of grill. When briquettes are covered with gray ash and flames have subsided, spread briquettes into an even layer on bottom grate of grill.
Using long metal tongs, carefully place wrapped sweet potatoes on top of coals. Using a metal spatula, nestle coals around sweet potatoes; using tongs, place some coals on top of sweet potatoes. Grill, uncovered and undisturbed, for 20 minutes.
Flip sweet potatoes over. Nestle coals around sweet potatoes again, placing some coals on top of sweet potatoes using tongs. Grill, uncovered and undisturbed, until a paring knife or cake tester very easily pierces into middle of sweet potato, 20 to 25 minutes. To test for doneness, remove sweet potato from coals using long metal tongs; carefully remove aluminum foil, and pierce sweet potato. If sweet potato is not tender, rewrap and place back in coals; cook 5 minutes, then test again. Once cooked, remove sweet potatoes from coals; let cool for 5 minutes. Carefully remove foil.
While sweet potatoes cool, beat butter, parsley, maple syrup, vinegar, salt, and Aleppo in a medium bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed until whipped and well combined, about 2 minutes. Set aside until ready to serve.
Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise three-fourths of the way through. Top each with 2 to 3 tablespoons compound butter; sprinkle evenly with pecans, and garnish with additional Aleppo. Serve alongside remaining compound butter.