Southern-Style Collard Greens
There's nothing better than making a huge pot of Southern-style Collard Greens.
Equipment
- 1 large stock pot With tight-fitting lid
- 1 saucepan 3-quart
- 1 pair long tongs
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 colander
- 1 Microplane
Ingredients
- 4 bunches (approx. 6lbs) collard greens Stems removed and washed.
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 3 onions Thinly sliced into half-moons
- 6 cloves garlic Minced
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes More if you like it spicier.
- 1 qt chicken broth Unsalted and heated.
- 2 turkey wings Smoked
- 2 tbsps red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsps granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg Freshly grated
- 2 tbsps kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper Freshly ground
Instructions
- Prep The Collard Greens:Fresh collard greens are known to be full of dirt and grit. It's really important to wash the collard greens to remove any sandy grit. Fill your sink with cool water. Add a 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar and 3 tablespoons of Kosher salt.Swish this around and then submerge the greens (2 bunches) into the water. Agitate the greens while scrubbing and swishing them around in the water to loosen up any dirt. The vinegar and salt will help loosen and remove any dirt. Allow the greens to soak for 15 minutes. Drain the water. Next, turn the water back on and give each leaf a good rinse until each leaf is squeaky clean before transferring them to a colander to drain.I've bought 4 bunches of collard greens, so I'll need to repeat this process 1 more time.Start by following the prep above for cleaning the collard greens. Remove the collard greens from the stems by folding them in half lengthwise and pulling the leaf away from the stem.Stack the leaves on top of each other (6 to 8 leaves at a time), forming a stack. Roll them up as tightly as possible, then, taking a knife, slice each roll into about 2 pieces in width. This will form long ribbons of greens. Refer to the above picture. Transfer all of the cut greens to a large plastic container until needed.In a saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the chicken broth.In a large stock pot, over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the sliced onions, red pepper flakes, and sugar. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute.Next, add the smoked turkey wings, warm chicken broth, red wine vinegar, freshly grated nutmeg, Kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Add in the warm chicken broth and bring to a boil.Add the collard greens, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer. Cover and cook collards for 1 hour (or longer, depending on your desired tenderness), stirring regularly.Once the collard greens are done, taste the broth and the greens for seasoning. Using a pair of long tongs, fish out the smoked turkey wings. I prefer to remove the meat from the bones (totally optional) and return the smoked meat to the pot. Stir to combine.Serve the collards in a pretty porcelain bowl with pieces of smoked turkey wing meat and onions. I like to hit the collards again with a couple of dashes of red wine vinegar before serving.There you have it, my Southern-style Collard Greens.
Notes
1) 1 bunch is approx. 20 whole large leaves with stems equaling about 2 lbs, stems removed, they are approx 1.5 lbs.
2) To store cooked collard greens safely, allow them to cool to room temperature for no more than 2 hours. Transfer to zip-lock freezer bags (don't forget a little of the potlikker). Remove any air from the bag before freezing. Store for up to 3 months.
3) *Potlikkur is the flavorful, rich, savory broth-like gravy (liquid) that's created when you slow-cook a pot of collard greens.
4) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.