Yams are a popular food item and found just about the world over. The name yam is used for 3 distinct items depending on the territory you live in. For most of the world, the yam is a root tuber of the plants in the Dioscorea family. In North America, the name yam is given to sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) while in New Zealand the word refers to the root tuber of the plant Oxalis tuberosa. While all are root tubers with similar starchy characteristics we will keep our focus on the Dioscorea family yams. This popular food item can be cooked in various ways including boiled, mashed, baked and fried. So if you happen to have leftover cooked yams and want to store them what are the options for storing them? Let’s look at our yams a little closer first.
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What Is a Yam?
Yam is the name given to a group of vines that produce root tubers which also go by the name yams. There are more than 600 varieties of yams worldwide with around 95% of these varieties being grown in Africa alone. The root tubers vary in shape, colour and size. Some yams form potato-like tubers which are very close to round in shape while other form long cylindrical tubers which are very large. Yams also have a wide variety of colours ranging from off-white, to orange and as wild as purple. Yams are cooked in many methods that include boiling, pounding, mashing, frying and baking. How do you go about storing your cooked yams so you can reheat them and eat them later?
Safety First
When dealing with storage of cooked food the first thing you want to adhere to is food safety. The problem with the storage of cooked food is the probability of rapid bacterial growth. Food is considered at a safe eating temperature at 70 degrees Celsius. Bacteria rapidly grow between 5 and 60 degrees Celsius which is referred to as the food danger zone. After cooking your yams, whichever method you use, you want to make sure that you do not leave the food out at room temperature for longer than two hours. The sooner it is refrigerated or frozen after leaving a heat source the better.
Storing Cooked Yam In The Refrigerator
First port of call for storing cooked yams will be your refrigerator. The refrigerator is useful firstly because it keeps the temperature nice and low while offering quick and easy heating of the food thereafter. When storing your cooked yams in the refrigerator the best material to use is plastic. This can be in the form of Tupperware or resealable freezer bags. You ideally want something that is airtight or can be made so. So regular freezer bags will work too if you are refrigerating your cooked yams. Stored in this manner cooked yams will keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
How To Tell If Refrigerated Yams Have Gone Bad
The signs of refrigerated yams going bad are similar to those of sweet potatoes. If they show signs of discolouration that is the first sign of cooked yams going bad. This is easier to tell with light coloured yams as they will show brown or black spots that look similar to bruises. If the yams look like they are sweating or releasing liquid that is another sign that they have gone bad while in the refrigerator. Yams showing these signs are best discarded immediately.
Storing Cooked Yams In The Freezer
If you want to keep your cooked yams for longer than 5 days or are unsure as to how long after initially cooking them you intend to use them you will be happy to know that you can store cooked yams in the freezer. How you prepare for the freezer is slightly different from storing them in the refrigerator. For yams that have been boiled, fried or baked it is best to wrap them in aluminium foil first. If they are cooked in big pieces it is best to wrap them individually. For smaller yams, you can wrap them in single-serving sizes. If the yams are mashed you can store them directly in freezer bags or any plastic container that is airtight and freezer safe. You should sprinkle your yams with a little lemon juice, this will help prevent discolouration while in the freezer. Place the wrapped yams inside a heavy-duty resealable freezer bag. A heavy-duty bag is best for this purpose. Yams are starchy and therefore retain a lot of moisture. When freezing cooked yams you want to guard against freezer burn hence the resealable heavy-duty freezer bag. If stored properly your cooked yams can keep in the freezer for 10 to 12 months but they are known to keep well beyond this.
Thawing Frozen Yams
If you have frozen your cooked yams and want to thaw them for reheating and eating you are best off thawing them in the low temperature of the refrigerator. To do this, you will need to remove the yams from the freezer 24 hours before reheating them. Place the frozen cooked yams in your refrigerator to thaw. If you have not had time to move them to the refrigerator to thaw them you can reheat your frozen cooked yams directly from the freezer. The reheating methods will vary depending on the initial preparation method of the yams. You can microwave all types of yams after removing the aluminium foil. If the yams were baked or fried you can reheat them in the oven with the aluminium foil wrapped around them. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and heat the yams for 20 to 30 minutes depending on the size of the yams.
Cooked yams can easily be stored in the refrigerator in airtight plastic containers. They will keep for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze your cooked yams wrapped in aluminium foil and placed in a heavy-duty resealable freezer bag.