Al Roker’s poon is the talk of the town after the recipe for the sweet potato concoction dropped in a sneak peek of his new cookbook. He learned the recipe from his mother, and in the entry, Roker recounts how his mom used to serve her poon on special occasions and reminisces about its “divine” aroma. The cookbook, Al Roker’s Recipes to Live By, is a collaboration with his daughter Courtney, which hit shelves on October 15.
You can get your hands on Al Roker’s poon with this recipe
While this isn’t the first time Al Roker’s Sweet Potato Poon has been discussed by the 3rd Hour Today host, it’s the first time it’s been included in a cookbook. He previously showcased the recipe on Today, and it’s been referenced on the show several times.
Al Roker’s poon would be more appropriately called a casserole, and he said no one in the family knows where the name for the side dish came from.
In the sneak peek of Al Roker’s Recipes to Live By, which was published on AP News, Roker recounted a tradition the kids had when the poon was being made. Timing is crucial when adding marshmallows to the poon and putting it in the broiler, so the kids would distract Roker’s mom, and soon black smoke would come from the oven. However, he said that she eventually figured out their game. One day after the kids had pulled their gag, she pulled a backup poon from the fridge she had made earlier, thwarting their antics.
The recipe for Al Roker’s Sweet Potato Poon, as found on the Today website, is:
Ingredients:
- 6 Large sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 8 Tablespoons of unsalted butter cut into pieces
- 1 Cup flour
- 1 Cup brown sugar
- 1/4 Cup baking powder
- 1 Teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 Teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 Teaspoon allspice
- Kosher salt
- 1 Cup crushed pineapple, drained
- 1 12-ounce bag of marshmallows
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Butter a 9×12″ glass baking dish.
- Boil a large pot of water and add sweet potatoes; cook until soft (around 12 minutes).
- Drain the potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl.
- Add butter and mash the potatoes until the mix is consistent
- Stir in and mix the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and a teaspoon of salt.
- Fold in the crushed pineapple.
- Transfer the mix to the baking dish.
- Bake until the sweet potatoes are brown on top (around 30 minutes).
- Remove the dish from the oven and place marshmallows on top in a single layer.
- Preheat broiler.
- Place the dish underneath the broiler to toast the marshmallows.
