Candied yams are a Southern staple that are easy to love, but the first thing you should know is that they’re not actually made with yams. A yam is a dry, starchy root vegetable whose skin resembles the bark of a tree. They can be difficult to find in grocery stores, which is probably why sweet potatoes are more commonly used. In fact, what your grocery store is labeling a “yam” is likely actually a sweet potato.