Despite growing up in the Savannah and enjoying many family meals at my grandparent’s home outside of Charleston, collard greens never made it to the dinner table growing up. I had an idea of what they were – likely some sort of green, fibrous mush, similar to many other southern “greens” – but I had nothing much more to go off of. Lucky for me, I’ve been enlightened in recent months by two of my neighbors, both of whom made delicious collards that left me begging for more.
Last Saturday as I was walking through the market, Vertu Farm’s hearty collard greens were calling my name. I wasn’t quite sure what I’d do with them, but I new I might as well get two bunches while they are in season. When you’re buying from local vendors, you must make the most of that season’s options before the window of opportunity passes.
As with many foods I’m new to preparing, I first opened Cook’s Illustrated to see what they recommend. They feature a recipe for braised winter greens that can work for collard greens, kale and other seasonal winter greens. They also have a variation that includes bacon that got my mouth watering. That morning I had purchased some heritage breed (Berkshire) bacon from Whippoorwill Farms, making the choice of recipe an easy one to make.
While cooking, I ended up making some changes from what Cook’s Illustrated recommended, which are reflected in my recipe below. Most notably, I decided to add in the bacon to the greens right from the beginning of the cooking process instead of waiting till the end. This allowed the meat to become more tender and impart increased flavor to the dish.
Ingredients
4-6 slices bacon
1 red onion
2 pounds collard green
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup water
salt
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1. Heat a pan (cast iron is preferred) on medium heat and cook the bacon slices until they begin to gain color. While the bacon cooks, chop the collards with one vertical slice along the stem and multiple horizontal slices every inch or so. Then slice the red onion into 1/4 inch strips. Once the bacon is done cooking, set the slices to the side and pour the rendered fat into a dutch oven.
2. Turn the dutch up to medium/medium-high heat. Once the dutch oven and rendered fat have reached the desired temperature, add in the red onion. Cook, stirring every so often to prevent burning, until soft and slightly translucent. The bright hue of the red onion should fade. While the onion cooks, chop the bacon into 1 inch pieces. Once the onion is ready, add in the garlic and stir, cooking till fragrant.
3. Add half of the greens to the pot and stir till slightly wilted and darker in color. Then add in the rest of the greens, chicken stock, water, bacon, and a little salt. Turn down to medium-low and cover. For the next hour or so, check on the greens periodically to be sure there’s no burning occurring and give them a little stir.
4. After about an hour, take out a spoonful of greens to taste. They shouldn’t require much chewing and shouldn’t taste particularly green. As all the flavors begin to meld together, the greens should take on a sweet yet savory taste. Another clue to their readiness will be the bacon, which should be on the verge of falling apart from tenderness. If in doubt, 15 more minutes won’t hurt! We’re often in a hurry for food to be ready, but sometimes it needs a bit longer to blossom and gain optimal flavor.
5. Once the dish tastes right and its parts have the consistency you’re looking for, remove the lid and add in the apple cider vinegar. Turn the heat up to medium high and let the liquid boil away. The dish is ready once the majority of the liquid has evaporated.
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