Cider-Stewed Mashed Sweet Potatoes

The story of this epic sweet potato mash goes back to July, when Heather and I ran the Spartan Super in Wintergreen, Virginia. Nearby in Nellysford, there is a cidery by the name of Bold Rock. They have some fantastic hard ciders, and we have admired their product for a long time. Made with apples grown right in Virginia, we were happy to support a local business with a great product.

Following the race, we took our bruised, muddied, and exhausted selves to the cidery for a tasting. During our visit, we found ourselves in a conversation with John “Johnny Apple Cider” Washburn, Bold Rock’s Chairman and CEO. John radiates positive energy and seems utterly in love with the venture and creating a great product locally with minimally processed ingredients.

What was supposed to be a 20-minute pit stop effortlessly turned into a 3+ hour visit. John and his wife Robin took us on a tour of the property as well as the new tasting room that opened a few weeks after our visit. What really impressed us about the cidery was their focus on the product.

The motto for Bold Rock is: Be Bold. Tread Lightly. Make it Happen!

The week we were there they had pressed 58 TONS of local apples, which travelled in an underground pipe to their fermenting operation from the pressing room. The cider is pitched with champagne yeast, and fermented into hard (alcoholic) cider in a process that takes between 17 and 21 days from apple to glass. The cider is never heated or pasteurized and is cold filtered after fermentation, so vitamins and minerals from the apples are maintained throughout the process (as Robin mentioned, they say an apple a day keeps the doctor away—they never specified how you take the apple).

Recently we resisted the temptation to drink this cider, and instead found a home for it in our kitchen. This recipe is just in time for Thanksgiving and is a perfect substitution for a sweet potato marshmallow casserole. We think you’ll love this recipe and this cider. If you’re a Virginia native, or visit the area, take a tour. There you will find good cider, great people, and some “apple-tizers” to pair with your drink. Until then, this apple-tizer is a great addition to the dinner table.

If you’re lucky enough to see this cider at your local store, pick up a six-pack (or keg)—you won’t regret it. Also, feel free to check out some cool photos from our visit at the bottom.

Ingredients
3 sweet potatoes (2 3/4 lb), each cut in half
4 C Bold Rock Virginia Apple Hard Cider (or another unflavored cider if you can’t find this one)
2 pinches salt
4 Tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Method

Peel sweet potatoes, halve, and place in a dutch oven with salt and cider.

Cook covered for 40 min over medium heat at a rolling boil.

Remove potatoes to large bowl and add in ghee and cinnamon.

Mash thoroughly.

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