Southern Collard Greens Recipe

These scrumptious and easy Southern Collard Greens are the perfect side for all your favorite southern main courses like fried catfish, hamburger steak, fried chicken, and smothered pork chops.

Course side

Cuisine Southern

Keyword collard greens recipe, how long to cook collard greens, how to clean collard greens, how to cook collard greens, how to make collard greens, what are collard greens

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 164kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

8 slices bacon chopped
1 medium onion finely chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 lb collard greens washed trimmed, and cut
3 cups chicken broth enough to cover the greens
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon cajun seasoning
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large Dutch oven or pan over medium heat, brown the bacon. When the bacon is about halfway browned add the chopped onion. Cook until the bacon is browned and the onion is soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Add the collard greens and cook until wilted and slightly softened. Add the chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, sugar, Cajun seasoning, paprika, and crushed red pepper. Cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes, letting the liquid cook down and the greens really soften. Drain most of the liquid or use a slotted spoon to remove it. Salt and pepper to taste. For best results, serve promptly.

Notes

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 liquor in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days to flavor 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 reduced power.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To freeze, add fully cooled collard greens along with the pot liquor to a heavy-duty freezer bag. Flash freeze by laying flat on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once fully frozen, store the bags on their side for easy access. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and heat on low on the stovetop.

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