Curing Sweet Potatoes

Now that you have harvested your sweet potatoes, you may be tempted to rush right into the kitchen and prepare them, but there’s actually one more important step. Sweet potatoes need to be cured to reach their full sweetness. The process of curing allows the starches to convert to natural sugars and develop that yummy sweetness we associate with sweet potatoes. Curing also allows any scars from the harvest to heal and toughen up the skins to improve storage life. There’s really no rush to use up your sweet potatoes, they can be stored for 6 months or more. 

The first thing you will want to do after harvest is gently brush off any remaining soil, but do not wash them. The optimal conditions for curing sweet potatoes are a temperature of 85F, and 80-90% humidity with good ventilation for 4-14 days. These conditions are easily achieved in a greenhouse, but may be more difficult at home or school. Here are a few alternative curing methods that are suitable for small scale production.

1. Milk crate: Place a single layer of sweet potatoes on the bottom of a milk crate. Use wooden dowels or sticks through the holes in the sides of the crate to build a base for a second layer a few inches above the first. Place another layer of sweet potatoes on the sticks. Cover with a damp towel and place in a warm, dry, shady place outside or in a garage. This setup allows good airflow, and provides a moist warm environment.
2. Burlap bag: Place sweet potatoes in a single layer inside a burlap bag. Place a moist towel on top of the burlap bag and place in a warm, dry, shady place outside.
3. Plastic bag: Poke several holes in a plastic grocery bag. Place a single layer of sweet potatoes in the bag and tie shut. Place in a sunny window or warm, dry, shady place outside.

Once cured, sweet potatoes should be stored in a cool dry place with good ventilation.