This post takes me back to my Mississippi roots where greens of any kind were a staple at our dinner table. Collard, mustard, and turnip greens were all a regular part of our diet. My grandfather had a huge garden when I was a child and a “mess” of greens would often arrive at our house in his vegetable basket. The classic southern cook would chop the greens and boil them for an hour or two with a huge hunk of fatty pork meat of some variety.
My version of collard greens stays true to the classic southern preparation with a few tweaks to make them more healthful. I found that a smoked turkey wing which is usually available in most supermarkets imparts a flavor that is equally as delicious as pork. I also start with chicken broth instead of water for an extra flavor. A standard accompaniment to greens in the south is pepper sauce which consists of pickled hot peppers in vinegar. For years, I’ve added a jalapeno pepper and some apple cider vinegar to the greens while they’re cooking. The end result is similar to adding pepper sauce when the greens are served, but I prefer adding the vinegar and pepper during cooking.
Collard greens, a cruciferous vegetable, are relatives of broccoli and cabbage. Studies have shown that cruciferous vegetables have anti-cancer and cholesterol-lowering properties. Collard greens are an excellent choice to introduce a low calorie and nutritious vegetable to your diet, assuming they are prepared in a healthful way.
Preparing collards for cooking goes very quickly. Collard leaves can be very large so it’s important to carefully wash both sides of each leaf. The stems can be tough, so remove the thickest part of the stems.
Stack 4 or 5 leaves, roll them into a tube, and slice into 3/4 inch strips.
You can cook greens in any kind of pot, but I swear they don’t taste right unless they’re cooked in a cast iron dutch oven.
If I’m in a hurry, I sometimes saute the chopped collards with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper and finish by steaming them for about 10 minutes with a little chicken broth. This method probably retains more of the nutrients, but the result is not the same as the traditional southern preparation.
Collard greens, like other types of greens, cook down to a much smaller quantity than you might think. What looks like a tremendous amount of raw collards actually cooks to a modest amount of the greens. Bunches of collard greens vary widely in size. I used 4 smaller bunches for this post. The ingredient amounts I list are only guidelines and might need to be altered depending on the quantity of greens you are preparing.
Ok…this part of the post really takes me back to my childhood. A good southerner would not consider having collard greens without cornbread. A good southerner would also be familiar with “pot likker”, otherwise known as cornbread in the liquid the greens were cooked in!
Ingredients
4 medium bunches of collard greens (chopped and large stems removed)
6-8 cups chicken stock
1 smoked turkey wing or neck
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 jalapeno pepper
4 cloves garlic
Red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cups stone ground corn meal (not self rising corn meal mix)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 tbsp butter
Instructions
1. Bring chicken stock to a boil in dutch oven over high heat. Add turkey wing, garlic, vinegar, salt, and jalapeno pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
2. Remove turkey wing/neck and add chopped collard greens.
3. Cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until collards are tender.
4. Garnish with red pepper flakes to taste, if desired.
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Whisk dry ingredients together. Add eggs and buttermilk. Mix well.
3. Melt butter in 10" well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Swirl the butter around skillet until it starts to brown. Pour melted butter into batter and mix well.
4. Pour batter into heated skillet and place in oven.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until set. If top is not browned, turn oven mode to broil for 2-3 minutes. Watch carefully while broiling.
https://southernboydishes.com/2013/02/04/braised-collard-greens-with-cornbread/
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Now this is a southern meal if I’ve ever seen one! Growing up in Louisiana, greens and cornbread were served at least once or twice a week. My mother would eat them for breakfast. Me…I’ll wait until supper. Great meal!
I’ve never tried Collard Greens before….gosh, I think I’m missing out. I love your authentic southern cooking. 🙂 Can’t wait to give this beautiful dish a try.