Ingredients
- •2 slices of Fire & Smoke Kentucky Style Bourbon Smoked Ham (chopped roughly)
- •1 x large sweet potato
- •1 spring onion, finely chopped
- • 1 red chili pepper, finely chopped.
- •30g grated Monterey Jack cheese
- • Salt
- • Oil
There's no denying that the Deep South is hard to beat when it comes to delicious food.
So, we've teamed up with Fire & Smoke to take you on a virtual tour of six Southern US states to highlight some of their most mouthwatering dishes and help you create some of that incredible taste at home.
This time around we're heading to Kentucky and a sweet potato recipe that will win you some serious brownie points with your mates!
Kentucky
Kentucky is reflective of Southern cooking as a whole, so expect lots and lots of BBQ. This tradition goes way back to the foundation of the state in the 1700s and is largely centred on meats like ham and pork.
One of the interesting things about Kentucky is that the choice of barbeque is very localised, with long-smoked pulled pork, mutton, and grilled sliced shoulder being three of the most popular styles. These can be cooked over hickory pits for up to 30 hours, so you can only imagine how tender and tasty they are!
The sauces served with the meat can also vary depending on the area that you're in, veering from spicy vinegar and cayenne pepper blends to tomato-based sauces.
Burgoo is another popular dish that you'll find in this part of the US, which is a spicy stew made with hickory-smoked meats. It often serves a social purpose for Kentucky communities, with residents coming together for burgoo festivals.
Kentucky is the home of a whopping 90% of the world’s bourbon and the drink plays a key role in many dishes like Bourbon-Pecan Crème Brulée and steaks with bourbon and ginger sauce.
Local pitmasters even use old bourbon barrels for smoking meat, infusing it with rich, oaky flavours.
Fancy a taste of it for yourself? We reckon you’ll love this delish recipe for Loaded Sweet Potato Skins with Fire & Smoke Kentucky Style Bourbon Smoked Ham.
Instructions
Step 1
Season the sweet potato and bake in tinfoil for 55 minutes at 190 degrees C.
Step 2
Once baked, cut in half and scoop out the sweet potato. This will leave you with just the crispy skins.
Step 3
Mix your sweet potato with the salt, spring onion, chilli pepper, Fire & Smoke Kentucky Style Bourbon Smoked Ham, Monterey Jack cheese. Next, put the mixture back into the skin.
Step 4
Add some grated Monterey Jack cheese on top and place on tray with a little drop of oil. Pop them in the oven at 190 degrees C for 10 minutes. And you're done! How easy was that?
There you have it! A seriously tasty Southern snack that's perfect for a Saturday night feast or a pre-match treat.
