Cook Sweet Potatoes and Grill Them
Many people, when buying a grill for the first time, are overwhelmed by the desire to cook all their dishes on it, from start to finish, without “cheating” or using any other sources of heat. This is madness. While some things are fine for the grill-only process, others are much better for the two-step approach.
Sweet potatoes (or yams) are a prime example. Roasted sweet potatoes are a great combination of charred and candied, but the dense, starchy nature of the root means it takes a hell of a lot of time to get to. You can grill them slowly over medium to high heat, but that means your grill is busy with the vegetable for 40-50 minutes, which seems too long (to me). To enjoy smoky-sweet charred potatoes quickly, simply cook them up a bit at home and then squeeze them out on the grill.
The microwave is the easiest way to do this. Wash the potatoes, dry them, prick them with a fork, and place them on a microwave-safe plate. Place a plate in the microwave and beat for five minutes, then gently pierce one with a knife to check for doneness. The knife should go in fairly easily, but encounter some resistance in the center. If that doesn’t work in the first five minutes, toss them back into the microwave for another minute (and repeat the process as needed) until you get to the desired state. (If you want to eat grilled sweet potatoes all week, cook a whole bunch this way and store them in the refrigerator for up to five days.)
When the potatoes are soft on the outside but still a little hard in the middle, brush them with oil and sauté over high heat until the skins are crispy and blackened. If you want to taste the aroma of tubers roasted on a sweet and tender flesh, first separate the potatoes, brush the cut side with butter (or mayonnaise) and grill the cut side down until soft and charred.