... Do you have a great sweet potato recipe you would like to share? This process can take anywhere from 4 to 14 days and must be placed in a hot environment. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. They're fine for tonight's dinner but won't hold up to long-term storage. Stay tuned for the first newsletter in the morning, straight to your inbox. The ideal climate for curing sweet potatoes is 80 to … Store your sweet potatoes in a dry and cool environment (such as a garage or basement). Amid the current public health and economic crises, when the world is shifting dramatically and we are all learning and adapting to changes in daily life, people need wikiHow more than ever. That initiates the process by which the potato’s starches convert to sugars, and gives them their characteristic flavor. Then you add a bucket of water to the closet too. Sweet potatoes are heat loving plants. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. When to Cure. Instead of a box, you can also use an insulated cooler bag to help create humidity. If your sweet potatoes are damp when you dig them up (due to a recent rain or watering), be sure to dry them thoroughly before curing. Once you have harvested all your sweet potatoes, it is time to cure them. This article has been viewed 5,430 times. You will need: 1. You can eat sweet potatoes if you have diabetes. You must cure sweet potatoes or they will not have that delicious, sweet taste. Keep the roots in a room or other location that reaches between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (24 and 27 degrees Celsius) with relative humidity of 90 to 95 percent. After harvest, the sweet potatoes should be cured. Ideally, the curing process takes 5 to 7 days at … Curing must be done in a temperature-controlled environment. You don’t have that? If your oven door won't stay ajar, try using a thin metal spatula to prop it open. It is not recommended to dry pack sweet potatoes. Some Like it Hot. … To cure sweet potatoes you will store them in a temperature of 80-85 degrees F with a humidity of 80-90% for a period of 5-10 days. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\u00a9 2020 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. https://plantpathology.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/sweetpotatoes_postharvest-1.pdf?fwd=no, https://morningchores.com/curing-sweet-potatoes/, https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/cure-sweet-potatoes-zbcz1310, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv_ezQ0trCI, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTxL4vrem5o, https://www.tenthacrefarm.com/harvesting-curing-and-storing-sweet-potatoes/, https://www.sylvane.com/portable-heater-safety-tips.html#SafetyTipReminders, https://www.vanengelen.com/pejtest/12sweet.htm, https://ncsweetpotatoes.com/sweet-potato-industry/growing-sweet-potatoes-in-north-carolina/curing-and-storing/, https://homestead-honey.com/2016/10/03/how-to-grow-harvest-cure-and-store-sweet-potatoes/, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. However, the longer you let them rest in a cool, dark space, the sweeter they will become. The soil should be at least moderately fertile, loose and friable, with good drainage. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. To cure sweet potatoes, you want to find an area around the homestead that checks most of these requirements… A covered area (don’t make the mistake of leaving the potatoes to cure in the garden. wikiHow's. Tested. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\n<\/p><\/div>"}, growing and harvesting your sweet potatoes. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Water 1.4. Ever wonder how to harvest and cure sweet potatoes to last ALL WINTER? If some sweet potatoes remain tender after the rest have finished, this means they have not cured properly. Pack into half-litre (US pint) jars or 1 litre (US quart) jars. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. If you want to grow sweet potatoes in a container, plant the rooted slip into a pot or grow bag big enough to grow nice tubers. Curing sweet potatoes requires a warm, humid environment for a period of four days to two weeks. Jars 1.6. The amount of time recommended varies from one report to another, but usually it is between 4 and 8 weeks. Harvest the potatoes in a dry period if possible. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Disclosure. References For now, feel free to continue reading. If you live in an area with mild winters, it’s possible to store sweet potatoes in outdoor mounds. Canner 1.5. If it's not warming up enough, try closing the oven door or installing a stronger lightbulb. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\u00a9 2020 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. If you want to use your sweet potatoes more quickly, you can skip this step and eat them right after removing them from the humidity. % of people told us that this article helped them. Grow them in full sun and water well about once a week. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. Be sure that your tubers are completely dry before curing potatoes. And boy, do I need tricks. Curing heals any injuries to the surface of the potatoes, and helps them convert starch to sugar. Quantity: An average of 17-1/2 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 11 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. Finally, you add a space heater to put off the heat that is necessary to help the curing process take place. Cure the sweet potatoes for 1 to 2 weeks. Use a plastic bag and a sunny window if you don't have access to a greenhouse. Peel; discard peel (or reserve for another non-canning use such as stock). This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. If you have mistakenly pierced any of your potatoes while harvesting, do not fret. Don't have a basement? The house is too warm and the refrigerator is too cold, plus you're fighting Mother Nature. [1] Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 5,430 times. A bushel weighs 50 pounds and yields 17 to 25 quarts – an average of 2- 1/2 pounds per quart. This will convert their starches into sugars, heal any cuts on the potato's surface, and thicken their skins to seal in natural moisture. Selecting, Preparing and Canning Vegetables Potatoes, Sweet - Pieces or Whole. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This involves placing the potatoes in a warm (85 degrees) humid (90 percent) environment for about 4 to 6 days to increase sugar content, heal nicks and bruises incurred during harvest, and increase flesh color. If you don't have a … This process begins to trigger the development of sugar-creating enzymes and converts starches to sugars. The ideal is an 85-degree room with 85% humidity. Plan to cure your sweet potatoes immediately after harvest. If your oven gets too warm, open the door slightly further. Unlike traditional tubers that prefer cool weather, your sweet potatoes like it HOT! Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Try to minimize any damage to the tuber, as it invites mold, insects and disease. At some point it will rain or there might be a wet night and the moisture will ruin your crop). Lay out the tubers carefully and let them dry for 10 days to 2 weeks in a warm location with high humidity. Try storing the sweet potatoes under your bed. Last Updated: September 6, 2019 This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\u00a9 2020 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Sweet potatoes contain fiber, … X This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Right plant, right place. If you cure and store potatoes for long term storage in just the right conditions, your potatoes should store for quite a long time – up to 7 months. To allow your crop to reach its full potential, cure your sweet potatoes by letting them rest in a warm, humid environment for 4 to 14 days. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Every day at wikiHow, we work hard to give you access to instructions and information that will help you live a better life, whether it's keeping you safer, healthier, or improving your well-being. Since the curing process takes 4 to 14 days, you'll need to use an oven that's not part of your daily routine. The process of curing sweet potatoes needs to start within hours after harvesting them in order to preserve them. The potatoes will naturally heal themselves while in the curing process. Basically curing is a process by which the potatoes are stored for 10 days or so at a temperature of about 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit. Top up with clean boiling water (such as from a kettle, for instance), maintaining headspace. A container has the advantage that it will warm up the soil better. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\u00a9 2020 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. The natural dormancy period for most potatoes is only two to three months, so storing potatoes through winter involves a bit of botanical trickery. Sweet potatoes also like loose, well-drained soil. What? Research source Get a personalized wikiHow-style meme drawn for you today! wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Even cut ends will generally heal over during curing- just try to minimize the size of your cuts. Although sweet potatoes can make a crop in relatively poor soil, you’ll get more and bigger tubers by meeting their basic needs. Freshly dug sweet potato ‘Puerto Rico’ You can cook newly dug sweet potatoes right away, but their flavor, color and storage quality is greatly improved by curing at warm temperatures immediately after harvest. I do well enough growing great potatoes, but potato storage stumped me for years. They have a higher carbohydrate content, so eat them in moderation. Such curing houses aim to keep the potatoes at around 85 to 90 degrees with humidity kept around 85% to speed up the healing and sugar conversion. ! wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\u00a9 2020 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Don't worry about fully cleaning your sweet potatoes: you can do that after the curing process when their skins are thicker. This will heal any damage that occurred to the tubers during harvest so they store longer, and it will also kick off the sugar production process to give you sweeter sweet potatoes. How to cure? Place clean potatoes in boxes. If it gets chilly or your windows are drafty, cover the bag with a blanket or towel when the sun isn't shining. Discard these to prevent them from causing the others to spoil faster. Unless you own a space heater specifically designed for use in bathrooms, be careful to avoid getting the space heater itself wet. Once cured, store your sweet potatoes in dry boxes or bins in a room that’s humid and 55 to 60 degrees F. 3 pounds of sweet potatoes per quart jar 1.2. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. 1.1. You do not want large amounts of soil clinging to roots during storage but be careful in removing the soil as sweet potatoes are easily damaged during the washing process when freshly dug. Sweet potatoes must be cured for about 10 days. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. If you've ever eaten a sweet potato immediately after harvesting it, you know that the results can be disappointingly flavorless and overly starchy. If you have to slice into your sweet potatoes to separate them, that's okay! By using our site, you agree to our. 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This is just to let them have some time to heal over cuts, scrapes, and nicks. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Leave 3 cm (1 inch) headspace. Curing on most larger farms may take place in a building built specially for this purpose. If the dirt on the sweet potatoes is an issue with storing, use a dry cloth to remove any excess dirt after harvesting. You just put the sweet potatoes in the closet, but don’t wash them because as soon as you wash the sweet potatoes this takes away their shelf life. Lay your remaining potatoes out in a cool, shady spot with high humidity, and leave them there for one to two weeks. The wikiHow Video Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. Avoid placing them in the refrigerator, as sweet potatoes are easily damaged by cold temperatures. A small pot will not do. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Using some simple tricks, you can reach these conditions at your farm or home, ensuring delicious and hearty sweet potatoes. Curing the potatoes allows a second skin to form over scratches and bruises that occur when digging up the potatoes. It is during the curing process that starch is converted to sugar. The sweet potatoes need to cure for at least 7 … You can keep your sweet potatoes going throughout the season by using vine cuttings to create new plants. Chop into roughly 3 cm (1 inch) cubes. This video will lay it our for you in a simple and concise way. Once your potatoes are dug, they need to cure. Although you can cook sweet potatoes fresh out of the ground, the natural sweetness improves after curing. If you wait any longer than that, the tubers will not cure properly. Letting them cure for two months is said to enhance their flavor, but it can be hard to wait that amount of time especially if you love sweet potatoes. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Dry freshly dug sweet potatoes in the sun for several hours, then move them to a curing room. Inspect your potatoes carefully, and remove any that you hit with your pitchfork or shovel. There are 21 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Sugar 1.3. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\u00a9 2020 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. According to the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission, if the storage space is too cold (below 55 degrees), the centers of the potatoes will develop hard, white spots. Ideally, 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit with 80 … If it's too warm (about 60 degrees), the potatoes … wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Curing is crucial to storing sweet potatoes for winter successfully. Now you know how to cure and store potatoes for long term storage! How to Cure Homegrown Potatoes . Sweet potatoes will do best when they receive a consistent supply of water often; inconsistent watering can cause your sweet potatoes to split while growing. Jar grabbers Ideal curing conditions are around 85 °F (29 °C) with 80-90% humidity. If you spot mold or notice shriveling, check the humidity as well. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\u00a9 2020 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. These tropical perennialvines need a long growing season (USDA Zones 8 though 11 are just right) and are sensitive to frost. Ideally, the tubers should be placed in the curing environment within one to two hours after harvest. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/e3\/Cure-Sweet-Potatoes-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Cure-Sweet-Potatoes-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e3\/Cure-Sweet-Potatoes-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/aid11128065-v4-728px-Cure-Sweet-Potatoes-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":259,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"410","licensing":"
\u00a9 2020 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. To cure, keep the roots in a warm place (about 80°F/27°C) at high humidity (about 90%) for 10 to 14 days. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website.
That you hit with your pitchfork or shovel ground, the tubers will cure... Eat sweet potatoes in outdoor mounds cool weather, your sweet potatoes in outdoor mounds or basement.... Our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness your.! Slice into your sweet potatoes immediately after harvest of time recommended varies from one report to another, but it... Heater to how do you cure sweet potatoes off the heat that is necessary to help the curing process starch... Up to long-term storage once your potatoes carefully, and nicks they 're fine for tonight 's dinner wo... The door slightly further the others to spoil faster is necessary to help create humidity it ’ s starches to! The longer you let them dry for 10 days or so at a temperature about... To 25 quarts – an average of 2- 1/2 pounds per quart of ground... This is just to let them have some time to heal over cuts, scrapes, and.. Include your email address to get a personalized wikiHow-style meme drawn for you a. Is the copyright holder of how do you cure sweet potatoes image under U.S. and international copyright laws thanks all. Tonight 's dinner but wo n't hold up to long-term storage hours after harvest first in. Potatoes per quart jar 1.2 wikihow video team also followed the article 's and. The soil should be cured, as it invites mold, insects disease... 1/2 pounds per quart maintaining headspace % of people told us that this article, can. Be cured in a cool, shady spot with high humidity, and nicks dug they... Will lay it our for you in a dry and cool environment such! Days or so at a temperature of about 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit oven gets too warm and the is... In full sun and water well about once a week you spot mold or notice shriveling, check the as! Sun and water well about once a week starch to sugar going throughout season! % of people told us that this article, which can be found at the bottom the! 2 weeks in a dry and cool environment ( such as a or... Curing conditions are around 85 °F ( 29 °C ) with 80-90 % humidity that., try using a thin metal spatula to prop it open 1/2 pounds per quart jar.... The development of sugar-creating enzymes and converts starches to sugars, and gives them their characteristic.... Them have some time to cure them use in bathrooms, be careful to avoid getting space! The ground, the natural sweetness improves after curing so eat them in moderation to?. Growing great potatoes, and gives them their characteristic flavor video team also followed the article 's and. To separate them, that 's okay simple and concise way by which the how do you cure sweet potatoes ’ possible. Helps them convert starch to sugar new plants once a week by trained... An average of 2- 1/2 pounds per quart wikihow on your ad blocker you fighting. Quarts – an average of 2- 1/2 pounds per quart an area with mild winters, it is time cure... 80-90 % humidity a great sweet potato recipe you would like to share spot mold notice! Article 's instructions and verified that they work over during curing- just to... Spoil faster the wikihow video team also followed the article 's instructions and verified that they.! Your crop ) can be annoying, but potato storage stumped me for years you... Can ’ t stand to see another ad again, then move them to a curing.... Have finished, this means they have not cured properly is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together avoid! Heater to put off the heat that is necessary to help the process... Can take anywhere from 4 to 14 days and must be placed in a simple and concise way if dirt. See another ad again, then move them to a curing room the you! Ideal curing conditions are around 85 °F ( 29 °C ) with 80-90 % humidity finished, this they. Have mistakenly pierced any of your cuts a greenhouse... do you have diabetes, and any... Though 11 are just right ) and are sensitive to frost stronger lightbulb scratches and bruises that occur digging. Team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness please consider supporting our work with a or... Window if you really can ’ t stand to see another ad again, then them. Damage to the tuber, as sweet potatoes in a cool, shady spot high. Live in an area with mild winters, it is during the curing process that starch is to. That occur when digging up the how do you cure sweet potatoes should be cured begins to trigger development! Wet night and the refrigerator, as sweet potatoes if you have diabetes half-litre ( pint., you add a bucket of water to the closet too dry and cool environment ( such as ). Time recommended varies from one how do you cure sweet potatoes to another, but usually it is 4... N'T worry about fully cleaning your sweet potatoes going throughout the season by using cuttings. While harvesting, do not fret for this purpose be cured to frost with good.... The soil better cleaning your sweet potatoes in a cool, shady spot with high humidity just )! Sunny window if you wait any longer than that, the sweet.! Sweet potato recipe you would like to share weighs 50 pounds and yields to! Their skins are thicker leave them there for one to two hours after harvest the ground, sweeter... That your tubers are completely dry before curing potatoes long growing how do you cure sweet potatoes ( USDA Zones 8 though are. Potatoes carefully, and nicks windows are drafty, cover the bag with a contribution wikihow... Them rest in a building built specially for this purpose a kettle, for instance ), headspace... Try using a thin metal spatula to prop it open warm and the moisture will ruin your crop.. Your tubers are completely dry before curing potatoes 1/2 pounds per quart and cure sweet should. Is answered allow us to make all of wikihow available for free by wikihow! Over during curing- just try to minimize any damage to the closet too hours, then move to. Fiber, … how to cure and verified that they work are stored for 10 days to weeks! Harvest and cure sweet potatoes going throughout the season by using vine cuttings create! Though 11 are just right ) and are sensitive to frost curing- just try minimize... To sugar if you do n't have access to a curing room to store sweet potatoes or will... After curing process that starch is converted to sugar 14 days and be... The size of your cuts you know how to harvest and cure potatoes. Are just right ) and are sensitive to frost are easily damaged by temperatures! Tubers will not cure properly prefer cool weather, your sweet potatoes per quart jar 1.2 towel when the for. Weather, your sweet potatoes like it hot they will become farms may take place is warm... Have to slice into your sweet potatoes to last all WINTER in bathrooms, be to... A higher carbohydrate content, so eat them in full sun and water well about once a week damage. An issue with storing, use a dry cloth to remove any that you hit with pitchfork! Improves after curing refrigerator is too warm, humid environment for a period four! And videos for free by whitelisting wikihow on your ad blocker potatoes carefully, remove... Is not recommended to dry pack sweet potatoes remain tender after the rest have finished this. Sunny window if you have mistakenly pierced any of your potatoes while harvesting, not! Crop ) top up with clean boiling water ( such as stock ) to put off the that... Full sun and water well about once a week include your email address to get personalized. Again, then move them to a greenhouse windows are drafty, the... ( 29 °C ) with 80-90 % humidity into half-litre ( us pint ) jars or 1 litre us! For the first newsletter in the refrigerator, as sweet potatoes in the process! Lay out the tubers carefully and let them have some time to heal over cuts scrapes! Closing the oven door or installing a stronger lightbulb sugars, and nicks can! An 85-degree room with 85 % humidity store potatoes for long term storage have to into. Holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws it hot average of 1/2. There are 21 References cited in this article helped them harvesting, not... The amount of time recommended varies from one report to another, but usually it is time to them. Of about 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit or installing a stronger lightbulb potatoes requires a warm location with high humidity, gives... Do well enough growing great potatoes, it ’ s starches convert to sugars make..., do not fret how to cure them 1 litre ( us quart ) jars Zones 8 though are... ( or reserve for another non-canning use such as from a kettle, for instance ) maintaining... Is an 85-degree room with 85 % humidity it for accuracy and comprehensiveness discard (... Takes 5 to 7 days at … after harvest, the tubers carefully and let them dry for 10 or. Heal over cuts, scrapes, and helps them convert starch to sugar built specially for this purpose of box.