Yams are the perfect diet food. They are high in energizing complex carbohydrates and fiber. Whether baked, fried, mashed, or boiled, yams are filling, delicious, and nutritious! That’s why it’s always a good idea to keep these root crops on hand. But can you freeze yams?
The fact is that sweet potatoes are not available all year round. Freezing sweet potatoes ensures you have your favorite starchy sweet potatoes on hand when supplies are limited. Like other starchy root crops, cooked sweet potatoes store well in the freezer.
However, the starchy pulp of a yam is quite tender, so preparing the root crop is essential to preserve its original flavor and texture. As for fresh yams, we don’t recommend freezing raw yams because the texture and flavor will change no matter how careful you are with the preparation.
Uncooked sweet potatoes stay fresh at room temperature for about 2 weeks. Cooked sweet potatoes stored in the refrigerator have a shelf life of 2 to 3 weeks. Freezing cooked sweet potatoes extends their shelf life to 10 to 12 months at 0° Fahrenheit. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to freeze sweet potatoes:
How do you freeze yams?
Because raw sweet potatoes are not recommended for freezing, consider cooking or baking the sweet potatoes before freezing. Heat a pot of water on the stove and bring the yams to a boil, add the yams to the pot and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the yams are tender but not 100% cooked through.
After the yams have cooked, turn off the heat and let the yams sit at room temperature until completely cooled. When the yams are completely cool, dice or slice them with a sharp knife. Get several storage bags, resealable ones of course, and place a fair portion of the sliced yams inside. Squeeze out as much air as you can then occlude. Write the storage date with a marker and stick them in the freezer.
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If you want to bake or mash the sweet potatoes first before freezing, see the cooking instructions above. After the yams are completely cool, slice them open, season, and process the yams appropriately. Then prepare several resealable plastic bags, put the yams in liberally and squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing. If you have a vacuum sealer, use it to evacuate the air from each bag before sealing. Finally, write down the storage date before you put the bags in the freezer.
How do you thaw and reheat frozen sweet potatoes?
Peeled yams are prone to oxidation, so they should never be exposed to air after freezing. This means that cooked sliced yams should be used as soon as they are taken out of the freezer. If you’re not cooking the thawed yams right away, try soaking the yams in salted water until cooked through. Pureed or baked yams will not discolour in air, but we recommend reheating the dish after defrosting for optimal flavor.
To reheat baked sweet potatoes, simply place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 to 35 minutes. For mashed sweet potatoes, you can reheat them in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little milk while stirring to break up the consistency, then serve piping hot.
summary
While yams are delicate root crops, as long as you take extra measures to maintain their freshness, they can be stored in the freezer for a year or more. Now that you know how to freeze yams, you no longer need to worry about ruining a batch or struggling with spoilage when buying yams in bulk!