Southern Collard Greens

These Southern Collard Greens are slow simmered with bacon, onion, garlic and a perfect blend of seasonings to give it that down home fresh off the farm southern touch.  This comfort side dish is one of our absolute favorites.  I love to serve it with Easy Pan Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy and Cornbread.

If your family is anything like mine than coming up with tasty side dishes that have not been served a gazillion times is always a challenge.  If you have never tried collard greens or maybe you just simply have not made them in years than these are a must try.

 

What are collard greens?

They are loose leafed greens from the same family as mustard greens, broccoli, kale, and cabbage although my husband swears that they taste like green beans.  I like them better than mustard greens and kale.  They are a staple at most southern meals and absolutely delicious when slow simmered with bacon or ham hocks.  Fresh collard greens are in season from January to April.

 

How to cook collard greens?

Start by cooking your bacon and onions until the bacon is crisp and the onions are soft.  Then add your garlic and cook for about 1 minute stirring constantly.  Next add the greens and cook until they start to soften and wilt. Now add the chicken broth, sugar, cajun seasoning, paprika and crushed red pepper.  Cover and simmer for about 1 hour letting the liquid cook down and the greens really soften.  Then drain most of the excess chicken broth or use a slotted spoon to remove.  For best results serve promptly.

Recipe notes and helpful tips

• Look for greens in the refrigerated produce section of your local grocery store next to the kale and other greens. The freshest collard greens are in season from January through April.
• Pro-tip – Bacon is easier to chop when frozen or partially frozen.
• When picking the greens look for dark green leaves that are not wilted and blemish free.  See below for tips on prepping and trimming them.
• After cooking save the pot liquid in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days to use in soups and stews.
• Just like spinach the greens cook down in volume.  A whole lot of greens cook down to several cups. So add some of the greens to the pot cook them down to wilted and add some more.  Repeat till everything fits in the pot and the greens are wilted down before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.
• Save a little bit of the crispy bacon to garnish the top.
• They are best served promptly however leftovers heat up well in the microwave at a reduced power.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

How to prep and trim them

Either rinse the leaves under cool water or wash the them in a large sink full of cool water to remove any dirt and grit.  Then dry well with paper towels. Now simply fold the leaf in half lengthwise making it easy to remove the tough stem and thick ribs.  Then using a sharp knife cut away the stem and ribs.  Now lay the leaves on top of each other in a somewhat orderly stack and cut to desired size. Some stores sell prepackaged collard greens that are prepped, washed and ready to go.

Other vegetable recipes you will love!

• Oven Baked Wrapped Asparagus
• Creamed Peas with Pearl Onions
• Southern Fried Cabbage
• Oven Roasted Corn
• Maple Glazed Green Beans

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