Jamaican Jerk Sweet Potato Wedges
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Sweet potato and jerk spice is one of those pairings that makes immediate sense the first time you try it. The natural sweetness of the potato meets the allspice, scotch bonnet warmth, and mustard backbone of TGCS Co Jamaican Jerk Mustard and the two push each other in the right direction: the spice cuts through the starch, the sweetness softens the heat. The technique here is a hot oven and a single layer with room to breathe. Wedges need dry heat and space to caramelize their edges, not steam each other into mush. You toss them in the sauce before roasting, which lets the sugars in the mustard char slightly at the edges, and you hit them with a second brush in the last five minutes to get a fresh, punchy finish on top of the cooked-in layer. Serves 4 as a side.
What you need
Food:
4 medium sweet potatoes, about 1.2 kg total (look for ones that are roughly uniform in diameter so your wedges are consistent. Scrub them well. You can leave the skin on, it crisps up nicely and holds the wedge together. Peel only if the skin is rough or damaged.)
3 tbsp TGCS Co Jamaican Jerk Mustard, divided (2 tbsp for the initial toss, 1 tbsp for the finish brush. Don't combine them ahead of time, you want the finish coat to be raw and bright, not cooked in.)
2 tbsp neutral oil (avocado or grapeseed. Helps the wedges brown and carries the sauce into the potato. Don't skip it or the sauce will sit on the surface and not penetrate.)
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp fresh lime juice, for finishing
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional. If you're a cilantro hater, thinly sliced green onion works and brings a similar fresh note.)
Flaky sea salt for finishing
Equipment:
Two large rimmed sheet pans (critical. You need space between every wedge. If you crowd them onto one pan they will steam and go soft. Use two pans and rotate them halfway through.)
Pastry brush or silicone basting brush
Parchment paper (makes cleanup easier and prevents sticking. Foil works but the wedges brown better on parchment.)
How to cook it
1. Preheat your oven to 425 F and put the two sheet pans in the oven while it heats. Starting with a hot pan gives you immediate contact heat the moment the wedges go down, which starts the crust early.
2. Cut each sweet potato in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 3 to 4 wedges, aiming for pieces roughly 2.5 to 3 cm thick at the widest point. Thinner than that and they'll be done before they get any color. Thicker and the center stays starchy and dense.
3. In a large bowl, toss the wedges with the oil, 2 tbsp TGCS Co Jamaican Jerk Mustard, kosher salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper. Toss until every wedge is evenly coated. (Take a minute here. Uncoated spots won't caramelize and will taste flat next to the jerk-coated edges.)
4. Pull the hot pans from the oven carefully and lay down parchment. Arrange the wedges skin-side down in a single layer with space between each one. DO NOT CROWD THEM. Every wedge needs clear space on at least two sides or the steam from the potato stacks up and you lose the edge char you're after.
5. Roast at 425 F for 20 minutes. The edges should be starting to caramelize and the bottoms should be getting a little color where they contact the parchment. Rotate the pans and flip each wedge onto the flat cut side.
6. Roast another 10 to 12 minutes. The wedges are done when the cut faces have deep golden-amber color, the edges have slightly charred tips, and a knife slides through the center with no resistance. (Undercooked sweet potato is chalky and starchy in the middle. If the knife catches, give them 5 more minutes.)
7. Pull the pans from the oven. Brush the wedges immediately with the remaining 1 tbsp TGCS Co Jamaican Jerk Mustard while they're hot so the fresh sauce clings and doesn't run. Squeeze the lime juice over the top.
8. Transfer to a serving plate. Scatter cilantro or green onion over the top and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
9. Serve immediately. These hold warm for about 10 minutes on the pan before the crust softens. Eat them hot.
10. ENJOY!