Baked Sweet Potato Chips

Oh, the simple things that excite me. I can’t tell you how excited I am about today’s blog entry. I know we just used sweet potatoes last week in the veggie burgers, but I have been trying to make the perfect baked sweet potato chip for some time now, unsuccessfully I might add. Sure the fryer would work but then they would be soaked in oil and I really wanted these baked.

Some might say I am picky. I might agree, but I have a very specific expectation for my sweet potato chips. That is, to be crispy, and not burnt. I don’t like crispy on the outside, soft on the inside (or middle). I mean c.r.i.s.p.y!

I have tried a slew of ideas - completely dry, with a drizzle of oil, seasonings before, seasonings after, placed directly on the baking sheet, placed on foil, on parchment paper, presoaked, various temperatures, various baking times, combinations of these ideas ....the list goes on. Last Sunday, I think I finally mastered a technique that works for me and my kitchen equipment. I can only hope it will work for you too! 

Before we start, does anyone know the difference between a sweet potato and yam? Technically speaking, I learned a yam has one embryonic seed leaf and a sweet potato two. Honestly, don’t really care! What you might care about is a yam is usually starchier and drier. If you are in a traditional grocery store, you are most likely finding a sweet potato.

Okay, here goes - the best Baked Sweet Potato Chips!

Baked Sweet Potato Chips

Ingredients:
Sweet Potato
Egg
Salt

First, wash and peel the sweet potato. Also, go ahead and trim the ends off. Don’t forget to preheat your oven to 385 degrees.

Better Bonus Tip: When I am at the store, I try to find a sweet potato that looks to be about the same width / diameter from top to bottom.

Next, we need to slice them up. You could use a mandolin or a steady hand and a knife. The key here is they need to be the same thickness and diameter. I ended up making my slices ¼ cm thick. If you are using a mandolin, just please be careful!!

First secret tip: soak the sweet potato slices in some water. This will do a couple of things, aesthetically it crinkles up the edges like a chip. More importantly, it removes the starch so the potato doesn’t caramelize (ie. brown / burn). Some browning is probably inevitable, but I have found this helps. Soak the potatoes for a minimum of 30 minutes. You will notice when you remove the slices of potato, the water is nice and cloudy. Go ahead and dispose of the water, rinse the potato slices and pat dry. 

  

While your potatoes are soaking, go ahead and line some baking sheets with parchment paper.

Second secret tip: add the presoaked slices, a few at a time, to a bowl with egg whites. I used 2 eggs for the one large potato. After dipping in the egg white, let the excess drip off and line them on the baking sheet. Make sure to not overlap. 

Better Bonus Tip: If you have different diameter slices, that is fine, I just recommend sorting them this way on different baking sheets. This allows you to remove the smaller ones first, before the larger ones are done.

Now for the baking. Add the baking sheet(s) to the bottom rack of the oven. Cook for 10 minutes and remove from the oven. Third secret tip: flip each slice over and replace the baking sheets back in the oven. Now comes the variable part. Start your timer for another 6 minutes. Every oven will vary, but most will need a total of 6-10 minutes on the second side. At the 6 minute mark, just watch and continue to cook in two minute intervals - checking frequently. When the edges are starting to turn brown, remove them from the oven. Sprinkle with salt as soon as you remove them, while they are still hot. 

Fourth secret tip: let them rest for 10 minutes.

Better Bonus Tip: Feel free to play around with your seasoning: add sugar for a sweeter chip, chipotle or chili powder for more of a smoky chip.

That’s it! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

~Ashley