Sprouted sweet potatoes
I have a 25lb box of sweet potatoes that are sprouting. I live in NC where it’s only going to warmer and more humid so I would like to Save them. You. Does anyone have any suggestions for freezing or other ways to preserve them? Thanks!
Best Answer
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Karen,
I have the same "problem" every year. Amazingly, these sweet potatoes are still very good, even if dried up a bit. I have a freeze dryer, so if I have any left over, I will cook into mashed, then freeze dry them plain. Last year I made several batches of sweet potato stew (wow, is it good!) from abundant tomatoes in the garden, some vegan and some with pork or beef--- and FD them, but I have enough stew!
Last summer, I saved the sweet potato sprouts and kept them growing in jars for quite a while. It was too late to plant, so they were eventually transferred to dirt pots and, believe it or not, I kept them SLOWLY growing in my basement all winter --(under lights---- for pond plants too). This last spring, I planted those pots of sweet potatoes--and they took right off! They had a huge root mass underneath, so I will be excited to see what manner / shape sweet potatoes I get from these this fall. They seem to be a very hardy plant--- almost the BEST thing to grow for anyone concerned about future food security or when SHTF. NOTHING lasts as long as sweet potatoes--- or is so versatile. You can even eat the leaves (I read) or feed them to rabbits (wish I had a bunch). They are a a wonder food!
It seems I hear those little sprouts yelling, "Let me live!" So I always comply and put them in dirt. They are happy and so am I....
Cheers----Wayne
Answers
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Thank you Wayne! I dont have a freeze dryer buts it’s definitely on my wish list. It’s comforting to know that they can be salvaged....I really try not to waste food. And the stew with tomatoes sounds like my kids d of meal. Would you share your recipe? I love that you were able to grow the sprouts into hearty plants! That is awesome! I hope there will be a huge harvest when the time comes.
Cheers
Karen
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There are tons of recipes online for sweet potato stew. My recipe keeps changing---usually have some sort of beans. I recently made a batch from 20 year old beans (Y2K) and a frozen organic hog head, forgotten on the bottom of my freezer (my first experiment with this!) Let me tell you---this was the BEST stew I've ever had---- so delicious and thick with all that cooked bone stock. Never throw away bones! Your grandmother probably never did, and for good reason! I usually read 4-5 recipes for anything new, then make e mental composite, then start experimenting! Go for it----:>)
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