My new favorite snack: Spicy BBQ Sweet Potato Chips

While I was searching online for recipes to make kale chips, I stumbled upon several recipes for making sweet potato chips.  Since I had a few sweet potatoes in the pantry, I decided to try to make some chips in the dehydrator.  I took recipes from several sites online, and tweaked them to do my own thing. I was very surprised at how well they turned out. In fact, I had to send Greg back to the store for more sweet potatoes, because we were gobbling up the chips and I need them for snacking in the field next week.  In case anyone else wants to try them, I am including my recipe below. Just a word of warning, however. I generally don't measure, so my directions and measurements are not precise. This can drive engineer-types crazy (just ask Greg), but this is how my biologist mind works. As long as it falls within the range of natural variability, it is just fine to my way of thinking. The directions below are as precise as I could make them.

Spicy BBQ Sweet Potato Chips

• Sweet potatoes--I used both white and orange (I know these probably have official names, but I don't know what they are.
• Olive Oil--I used a good extra virgin from California, but I am sure you could use whatever you want
• Salt--hickory smoked if you can find it. 
• Honey
• BBQ powder (recipe below)

BBQ Powder

Ratio of:

• 1.5 Chipotle chili powder
• .5 Hot paprika or cayenne
• 1 Sweet paprika
• 1 Onion powder
• .5 Garlic powder
• 1 Cumin

I used a ratio which is why there are no measurements above. You can use however much you need (teaspoons, tablespoons, ounces, or cups) just keep the ratio about the same. For instance in my first small batch of potatoes, I used teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons chili powder, .5 teaspoon hot paprika, 1 tsp sweet paprika, etc).  My second batch of potatoes was much larger, so I used tablespoons (1.5 tablespoons chili powder, .5 tablespoon hot paprika, 1 tbsp sweet paprika, etc.).  How much you need for the sweet potato chips depends on how big a batch you are dehydrating and how spicy you like your chips.  Using teaspoons for measurement gave me enough bbq powder for 1 dehydrator's worth of potatoes (Nesco American Snackmaster Dehydrator with 7 trays, or 5 sweet potatoes about 6-8 inches in length and 2 inches in diameter).

Thoroughly mix the powders together. I found that a mortar and pestle worked well to get the lumps all out of the mixture, but a spoon and bowl will work too.

Back to the Spicy BBQ Sweet Potato Chips:

In my first batch, as mentioned above, I used 5 sweet potatoes, about 6-8 inches in length and 2 inches in diameter. This completely filled my dehydrator with 7 trays.  When looking for good chip potatoes, it makes it easier if you find potatoes that have a consistent diameter as much as possible.  

I sliced the potatoes thin using a mandoline. On my mandoline the thinnest slice is about 1/8 inch, which seemed to work well.

After slicing the potatoes, I worked in smaller batches to season them before putting them on the dehydrator trays. I first drizzle the potatoes with olive oil, enough to coat them. I gently toss the potatoes to evenly coat them. You have to be gentle or you will break the slices.  I use my hands to toss, because it makes it easier to make sure all the slices are getting coated. After the oil, I sprinkle with salt. Again, if you can find hickory smoked salt, it adds a lot of flavor to the chips.

Again, gently toss the slices to get the salt evenly distributed. I then drizzle the slices with honey, enough to coat (usually one or two teaspoons? I didn't measure and I used honey drizzler, so I honestly have no idea). I then toss the slices again to coat. Add the bbq powder, about a teaspoon or so, and toss some more to coat. You can always taste a chip to see if it is spicy enough. If not, add more powder. Just keep in mind that the flavor will intensify some while dehydrating. Then place the slices on the dehydrator trays.

Dehydrate the chips at about 125 degrees F until they are crispy. In Utah during thunderstorms with humidity in the air, with 7 trays in the dehydrator, it took about 6 hours.  Take the chips off the trays when they are done, and let them cool. They will crisp up more as they cool. Put in an airtight container and enjoy!