Sweet potatoes can be made even sweeter by pretreating them in a water bath to activate their enzymes. To do this with a sous vide–style circulator, set your circulator for 150°F (66°C). Place the sweet potatoes in the water bath and let circulate for 2 to 4 hours before proceeding with the recipe. To do this with a beer cooler, fill your cooler with water at 170 to 175°F (77 to 79°C). Add the potatoes, cover, and let rest for 2 to 4 hours before proceeding.

To Make Ahead: Sweet potatoes can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. To store and reheat, transfer the sweet potatoes to a heavy-duty zipper-lock bag with the air pressed out. Reheat by completely submerging the zipper-lock bag in a pot full of hot (not boiling) water, removing the bag occasionally to squeeze contents around, until fully reheated, about 30 minutes. The best way to do this is with a sous vide–style circulator set at 150°F.