Several years ago, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse came to Sacramento and my friends and I went there to see what all the shouting was about. I'm usually not a big steakhouse fan, but I thought Ruth's Chris was pretty darn good. They have some of the best seared tuna I've ever eaten. Yes, I found the best tuna at a steakhouse and it was cooked (barely) perfectly. While I was there, I noticed most of the tables had ordered small dishes of the restaurant's famous sweet potatoes and people were going batty over it. So, I ordered some too. I know, tuna and sweet potatoes? Crazy. The potatoes arrived in a very small dish, but were so incredibly rich I told everyone at the table that I needed help finishing them.
Last Easter I found a recipe for the sweet potatoes and brought them to my friend Nancy's Easter dinner. They were an enormous hit, so she asked me to make them for Thanksgiving dinner at her house this year. I also decided to make a batch for myself, and freeze them to use during the upcoming Christmas holidays. While the sweet potatoes were baking, I suddenly discovered that I had forgotten to mix in the melted butter. Not to worry, the dish was very nice--and substantially lower in calories.
My favorite way to eat sweet potatoes is simply baked, with butter in
the middle. But casseroles are the thing on the holidays and this recipe
is quite popular, judging by the Internet requests for it. I used the orange fleshed garnet yam, which is actually a sweet potato.
The sweet potatoes are mixed with eggs, butter, sugar and vanilla and poured into a casserole. As mentioned before, I forgot to add the butter and it wasn't missed by me or my husband. I like that this recipe doesn't have spices to mask the sweet potato flavor.
Then you sprinkle a mixture of chopped pecans, melted butter, flour, and sugar on top. Now, here you do need to include the butter. This bakes into a lovely nutty, caramel crust.
Ruth's Chris Sweet Potatoes (Ruth's Chris Steakhouse)
CRUST
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans preferred)
1/3 stick butter -- melted (Do not omit or reduce this amount)
SWEET POTATO MIXTURE
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (Garnets looks best and I bake mine first)
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs -- well beaten
1 stick butter -- ( 1/2 cup) melted (You can leave it out or reduce it, if you wish)
Combine brown sugar, flour, nuts and butter in mixing bowl. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, salt,
vanilla, eggs and butter in a mixing bowl in the order listed. Mix
thoroughly. Pour mixture into buttered baking dish. Sprinkle the
surface of the sweet potato mixture evenly with the crust mixture. Bake
for 30 minutes. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving.
Serves 6 Hint: Double the recipe. People will love the leftovers, which also freeze beautifully.
that looks lovely, especially the crust on top...yummm
Posted by: Nabeela | November 22, 2006 at 02:03 AM
mmmm...that looks soooooooo good. You're really getting me in the mood to start cooking!
Posted by: Glenna | November 22, 2006 at 06:02 AM
Fantastic!
I love it when you can leave the butter out or even cut it in half and not miss it!! But do not take it out of the topping!
Posted by: Tanna | November 22, 2006 at 06:03 AM
This looks so delicious. I am going to try this casserole over the weekend for my guests. Till then, I'm drooling over the pictures :)
Posted by: mandira | November 22, 2006 at 06:14 AM
sher, i dont know what i like better that beautiful baking dish or the sweet potatos! ok fine, i'll take both if you insist. {hope your feeling better}
Posted by: aria | November 22, 2006 at 06:15 AM
That looks delicious. Normally, I make my mashed sweet potatoes with butter, garlic and rosemary because I like the sweet savory combination, but I think I may try this instead this year. Thanks!
Posted by: e | November 22, 2006 at 07:31 AM
Only 1/3 a stick of butter? I think Butter when I think of Ruth's Chris
Posted by: Jeff | November 22, 2006 at 07:32 AM
I love how this dish looks and sounds. At the in-laws they always cover sweet potatoes with marshmellows but despite that combo's popularity in the US I've never liked it. This one sounds more like something I'd love, especially with the bit of crunch on top.
Posted by: Ari (Baking and Books) | November 22, 2006 at 07:56 AM
Okay, Sher, this cinches it. This is what I'm bringing as my "sweet potato dish" that I was assigned for the family T-giving dinner t'mrow! Thank you!
Posted by: Shannon | November 22, 2006 at 09:01 AM
MMM. There are several people in my family who would go crazy over this.
Posted by: Kalyn | November 22, 2006 at 01:44 PM
mmm... sweet potatoes. And I love the dish they're in too. Can you come to my Thanksgiving dinner and bring this? Oh, and Upsie too? ;)
Posted by: kristi | November 22, 2006 at 07:19 PM
Happy thanksgiving to you and your family Sher! and to Upsie!
Posted by: Mae | November 23, 2006 at 01:23 PM
Hey! We have a Ruth's Chris here in Toronto. This looks delicious and I must try!!!
Posted by: Ivonne | November 23, 2006 at 07:33 PM
This looks wonderful Sher. I'll bet there won't be any leftovers tonight!
Posted by: Christine | November 23, 2006 at 10:47 PM
The casserole looks fabulous (what beautiful photos). I love sweet potatoes, and how wonderful with the crunchy nut topping. I must incorporate this into Christmas dinner...
Posted by: Lisa | November 24, 2006 at 08:19 AM
A friend brought the leftovers of this sweet potato casserole to work...what a treat!!! sidedish? dessert? you decide:)
Posted by: heather | December 02, 2006 at 09:04 PM
I did not like sweet potato casserole but I tried this at Ruth's Chris in Kansas City last week, and oh my...how wondeful! I even asked for vanilla ice cream and it was just as good as a desert!
Posted by: sara | December 12, 2006 at 12:39 PM
YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Lizzie warden | January 05, 2007 at 08:58 PM
Seriously this is the best sweet potatoes! My family enjoy making this dish but they enjoy the eating part was the best!!!Yummy!!!!!
Posted by: Jeannette Gomez | January 14, 2007 at 04:31 PM
I just ate at Ruth's on Wednesday night and this was my first time having those. I immediatley fell in love - and found your blog! I love it. THANKS so much - yours look absolutly amazing-can't wait to try them this weekend!
Posted by: Juanita Beck | March 23, 2007 at 03:55 PM
I had the sweet potato casserole at a Ruth's Chris in Hawaii, and they made it with Okinawan Sweet Potatoes instead. It was a bit sweeter and made us think of brownies because of the darker color! Best ever!
Posted by: Nick | September 23, 2007 at 08:59 PM
It is never okay to lie, sometimes okay to lie
Posted by: aegis | September 29, 2007 at 07:18 PM
i want to make this for christmas but a few days ahead...how would i go about reheating it if i froze it for a few days?
Posted by: dave | October 30, 2007 at 06:09 PM
Hello, this may sound like a stupid question, but are sweet potatoes and yams the same thing? I want to make this dish for Thanksgiving, but all I am able to find are white sweet potatoes. Thank you!
Posted by: Ness | November 09, 2007 at 09:51 PM
If I am making this as a non-dairy dish, will margerine work instead of butter? Looks delicious! Thanks :-)
Posted by: Shannon | November 10, 2007 at 08:17 PM
Shannon,
Yes, margarine should work just fine! :):)
Posted by: sher | November 10, 2007 at 11:00 PM
Any idea if this would work with canned yams? (sorry, I know that's an awful question, just need to save time this holiday!)
Posted by: Shannon | November 12, 2007 at 12:45 PM
It's not an awful question--and it would work just fine with the canned yams. Enjoy!!!
Posted by: sher | November 12, 2007 at 01:33 PM
Sorry, Shannon...margarine does not make something non-dairy. It still has whey in it. You'll have to use just oil, but it won't crisp up like if you used margarine or butter. (I know because my daughter is allergic to all milk products & byproducts!)
Posted by: Jules | November 17, 2007 at 06:53 AM
Is that the same recipe Ruths Chris uses ?
Posted by: Bill Sumrall | November 17, 2007 at 11:18 AM