Collard Greens Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What does adding vinegar to collard greens do? ›

This might seem like an unusual addition if you're new to making collard greens, but the vinegar adds a welcome tangy note that brightens the dish and balances out the salty, savory flavors. A tablespoon of sugar also helps balance out the greens' potential bitterness.

Baking soda is an alkali salt possessing the tenderizing and flavor-enhancing properties of regular salt. As an alkaline ingredient, it will make boiling water alkaline, effectively protecting the chlorophyll in green vegetables from breaking down.

Use salt.

Salt is a friend to bitter greens, whether you plan to eat them raw or cooked. Mellow the bitter flavor with a sprinkle of salt on endive or radicchio, or include anchovies or cured meat (like bacon, pancetta, or proscuitto) along with mustard, beet, or collard greens.

In the case of collard greens, baking soda's utility is threefold, serving as a flavor enhancer, a tenderizer, and a color protector. Baking soda is an alkali salt possessing the tenderizing and flavor-enhancing properties of regular salt.

Pour liquid into the pot and bring to a boil. Add prepared greens (greens should have stems removed, washed, and torn into pieces). Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour or until greens are tender.

Hint: If you do not want to go through the cleaning process above, soak the entire bunch of leaves in salt water for about 30 minutes then rinse the greens in running water for about 3 minutes before cooking fresh collards.

It is important to not overcook collard greens or kale, as they tend to give off a sulfur smell and taste bitter. Cut the leaves into one-half inch strips and steam for 5 minutes on the stove. Collard greens make a great addition to eggs and bean soup or can be served alone as a steamed vegetable with a dressing.

Cut stems from leaves immediately before cooking. The smaller leaves tend to be more tender than larger ones. It is common to prepare collards using a slow cooked method to make them more tender. Cutting the leaves into smaller pieces will help speed up the cooking time.

How much baking soda do you put in collard greens per? ›

Adding baking soda: Adding baking soda to the water when cooking collard greens will help to remove some of the bitterness. To do this, add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to a pot of boiling water.

Long cooking time.

Slowly cooking collard greens not only softens the tough leaves, it also tames the leaves' bitter flavor.

Add the collard greens to the skillet and cook, tossing occasionally, until they start to get tender, about 5 minutes. Mix together the apple cider vinegar, sugar and hot sauce. Pour over the collard greens and cook, stirring, until the greens absorb some of the moisture, about 8 minutes.

Cook for 30 to 45 minutes, then remove the lid, increase the heat to high, and add the vinegar and a teaspoon of hot sauce. Adjust the seasoning, if needed, then put it into a serving bowl.

Add Vinaigrette, Emphasis on "Vinegar"

Acidity can really bring a pleasant flavor out of bitter greens. If they're being used for a salad, it's good to add a vinaigrette with plenty of acidity to brighten it up. If you are sauteing, add some vinegar or citrus to the greens to finish them off.

Preparing collard greens with salt and acid helps remove the bitter taste. In this recipe, we cook them in salted water and salty bacon fat, then finish the recipe with apple cider vinegar.

Washing vegetables with vinegar is effective because vinegar is acidic. Its acidity allows it to remove dirt and break down residues, making it particularly useful for cleaning off the sticky film left by stickers on produce.