In a large stock pot, I saute until just browned one sweet onion (rough chopped) in a little olive oil. Remove them from the pot. Then in the same pot, I simmer two smoked hamhocks and two garlic cloves in about 1 1/2 cup of beef stock for about 45 mins, adding liquid as needed. Then I turn up the heat, add the chopped and cleaned collards, cook until wilted and no longer tough (time depends on how old the collards are). Add beef stock periodically if needed to keep the pot from drying, or if you like pot liquor. Add the onions back to the pan with a little cider vinegar (to taste).

Very yummy and always a hit even with people who don't normally like collards.

Elise, I love everything you do.
I like to soak my collards in a salt brine for a couple hours before cooking them. This way, some of the bitterness is removed and there is no need for overcooking the greens.

Just another way, Use smoked pork kneckbone and a little water, boil till meat starts to get tender, a little salt [be careful] about half cup of sugar cook till colards are tender. Works just as good with turnip greens.

Ooh! Donald Link is such a good chef! I live in New Orleans and have been to both Herbsaint and Cochon this year.
But I digress....
I really love collard greens with bbq chicken. I usually just boil them in water, then serve them with a drizzle of leftover bbq sauce. Spicy bbq sauce works best.
But this looks really easy and I just bought some turkey bacon (and have the other ingredients on hand), so I will have to try it this way. I'll let you know how it turns out!

I've never added vinegar directly to greens like this, but it sounds interesting. I'll have to give it a try. For my greens, I add a piece of smoked meat (ham hock, smoked turkey leg, etc...) that I remove and shred at the end. Once shredded, I add the meat back to the pot. Serve with cornbread that I usually crumble in to a bowl with the greens. Helps soak up all the pot liquor (cooking liquid). Mmmmmm.... I'm making greens this week. Thanks, Elise!

It's nice to toss in a diced Granny Smith Apple toward the end, just cook enough to heat through. Chopped walnuts are great with it as well, or you could substitute the bacon for the walnuts.

Can the bacon be omitted without compromising the taste? I am trying to avoid meat.

Hi Fina, You could try using some smoked tofu. Or some barbecue sauce. ~Elise

I had collard greens for the first time at my cousin's last month. I LOVE them. But he did say that collard greens must be cooked for a LONG TIME - at least 45 minutes - or all day if you've got the time - to remove the bitterness.

Since he wasn't a true southerner, I checked with my southern cooking guru, and she said her grandma used to make a big pot and keep adding liquids (and greens). The pot would last several days and it just kept getting better.

My basic way of cooking collards (kale, etc) involves tossing a smoked turkey leg, hamhock or some such, into a pot of chopped up greens with water or stock. Oh, and a bit of sugar helps too.

For wide, 'floppy' greens, folding the leaf in half & removing the stem/spine works really well too.

Michel Richard's collard greens with lentils dish, which seems like it would have a similar taste profile to yours (bacon, onion, chicken stock and balsamic instead of the apple cider vinegar), but the heartiness of the lentils adds a lot. It can even serve as a lunch and is great over naan.

I am a southern girl so I love collards and turnip greens but do not like mustard greens. My favorite way is to use ham hocks. They are yummy! The only thing I hate is cleaning them. LOL.

Actually I like just eating 'em raw. Last night for dinner my salad was a bowl full of raw collard greens with a tablespoon of flax seed oil and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar for dressing.

Sounds delicious! Thanks Elise...I visit your site every day!

We eat collards a LOT. Fill a large stockpot about 2/3 of the way with water and toss in a small smoked ham hock. Wash thoroughly and chop a large bunch of collards (or two small bunches, or if absolutely necessary, a bag of frozen collards). Add to simmering ham water. Barely simmer for an hour. Add 3/4 cup of raw rice, simmer 20 minutes. Remove ham hock, shred meat and add meat to soup. Add two cans black-eyed peas. Add one can diced tomatoes with green chiles. Simmer another 15 minutes or so. That's it!

This soup is VERY forgiving, so you can simmer longer if you want. You can use leftover cooked rice if you wish, or used dried beans if you prefer (soak dried beans overnight first!) When serving, we offer salt, pepper, hot sauce and vinegar at the table...but most of the time, we just eat this as-is, with a chunk of corn bread!

I have made it with half collards and half turnip greens, and when I do that, I often chop and add a turnip root or two. This is our "go to" New Year's soup, as it has rice for luck, and black-eyed peas and collards for good fortune in the new year.

p.s. -- in the South, collards are almost always cooked with some sort of smoked meat, and served with vinegar and hot sauce.

I don't think I've ever had collard greens before. But I will try almost anything with bacon. :)

Oh that looks like heaven! I've got to make some greens very, very soon. They're always a part of my Holiday tables, so now is the perfect time for this recipe

These look delicious—I love these greens with bacon and vinegar...

I often cook them with a ham hock but lately have been cooking them in chicken broth instead. Serve with lemon or vinegar.

I'm a fan of sweet and salty greens so i like to add a little dijon mustard and subsitute dark borwn sugar for the white sugar.

My southern grandma made these though she called them "kilt greens" (kilt meaning killed).

I wash my collards in cold water. Then I wash each leaf to make sure they are clean. I roll up about 7 or 8 leaves and slice long way while holding onto the roll. I turn it and cut down a couple more times. (Now I live in North Carolina so this is a southern thing). Then I start chopping them up from the ends of the rolls. I throw the chopped up pieces into a huge pot. I chop up the stalks too as long as they are small. They taste good. I add a little water not much because these greens make their own liquid. Salt to taste. I slice off about 4 or 5 pieces of fat back and press them down near the bottom into the water. Put the lid on bring to boil. Turn the heat down and let them boil gently for the next 45 minutes to an hour. Stir occasionally. I only put while vinegar on mine and I make genuine southern corn bread (not Jiffy Mix) to go with them. On New Year's this is what I fix, Collards, pork chops, black-eyes peas, cornbread. Don't need dessert. (remove the pieces of fat back so it don't gross anybody out or scare them to death)

My mother-in-law used to cook greens in much the same manner as above, she always put a pinch of baking soda and a tsp of sugar and there was no HINT of bitterness. Absolutely wonderful..

Sorry if this is a stupid question but I'm living in Europe and have never heard of Collard Greens (or Kale or chard). Are these just different names for spinach or silver beet?

Hi Sharla, according to the Wikipedia, what you call silverbeet, we call chard. Kale is a form of cabbage without the head. Collard greens are related to cabbage and broccoli. Spinach is a completely different plant. ~Elise

Does this recipe replace the one your dad used to make? I usually make Alton Brown's recipe for collard greens from his show. The little bits of smoked turkey add just enough salt, smokiness and substance to make it a meal.

You mean the collard greens with barbecue sauce? No, not replace. More has to do with whether or not there is bacon in the house. (There is always bacon fat in the house.) ~Elise

Hmmm, while growning up in Massachusetts I honestly can never remember a collard green hitting the dinner plates! LOL

As a result, this is something I never even think to cook, but your recipe and all of the other comments and suggestions make it sound wonderful!

This looks great! I usually just simmer with ham for a loooong time - this is a must try for me!

I've never had collard greens before, but have always wanted to try them. This recipe looks great, I think I'm going to have to give it a try.

Wow, how timely, I went picking greens with a friend yesterday in her aunt's garden. I got a very large trash bag stuffed full and blanched and froze them to freeze (ended up only having a gallon after blanching)

Originally from NH now in NC, greens were a pleasant surprise for me and I've had them cooked many ways. My favorite is ham hocks but lately I have been seeing packs of country ham trimmings in the market, these work well.

For those avoiding meat, what works for me is garlic, onions, crushed pepper, olive oil and liquid smoke in addition to the baked tofu. Also, look to Indian recipes for a very spicy twist to greens, some local Indian restaurants in my part of NC use mixed greens rather than spinach for palak paneer.

We live near Mount Airy (the real Mayberry) in NC and there are two festivals each fall: Mayberry Days and Autumn Leaves Festival. I make a point to go but just for one food vendor: The women serving Collard Green Sandwiches!

This year I was really saddened to see a line with no end! I didn't get my treat, no one would wait for me. :-(

These women take a big square of cornbread split and filled with collard greens and a thin slice of country ham... it is to die for! and unfortunately, why the line was so long! The greens are very spicy and chopped fine and cooked soft. It can't be too hard to duplicate but I suspect there is a secret ingredient LOL.

Love your blog, Elise! I've been reading it for a few weeks, and I had to comment on the collard greens questions. Yes, I ADORE collard greens! I "discovered" them last fall by shopping my farmers' markets. I saute them with onions and garlic and add a little salt and pepper. Or, I use garlic, onions, Rotel tomatoes, and a little chili powder and cumin for a Mexican-flavored side. Or (and this is our favorite way), I make some lemony red lentil soup with sliced collards in it. Yum! (The recipe for the soup is on my blog in the recipe box if anyone is interested.) I've never tried them the old-fashioned, southern way. I may have to give it a try.

Hi Elise,
How many minutes (hours?) of simmering does it take to "cook until the greens are completely wilted and have lost their brightness".
Thanks,
Mary

Hi Mary, we cooked these at least 15 minutes, though depending on how tough you particular greens are, it could take a bit longer than that. ~Elise

I slice up a med-lg onion and about 6oz (sliced)mushrooms,saute in a little oil till onion softens then add 2 smoked turkey legs (or wings)then add some apple cider (about 1/4 cup)and about 1 cup of broth (vegie is best)fill the pot with the collards and simmer till tender. You can add hot sauce when served or to taste. If you get bored whit this one rinse a lg can of white beans and add them to the pot. be sure to pull the turkey legs out when done,pull the meat and add back to the pot. This also works well with Kale, mustard greens or turnip greens.

Thanks for this recipe. I'll print it out straight away. We love collard greens and enjoy them whenever we go out to eat at cracker barrel. Now we can enjoy them at home!

When we lived in North Carolina, this signature dish was featured at every get-together imaginable. Unfortunately, they were usually cooked to point of turning brown. Yours is cooked just right. That vivid green is so appetizing.

Wow, so many comments! I love collard greens, kale, chard, mustard greens. I actually enjoy the slight bitterness myself. I usually just saute with some garlic and red pepper flakes. I don't mind if it is a little firm. But I also love the results of long cooking as it's prepared at soul food restaurants with the yummy pot liquor.

I love greens, being a Deep South native and resident, but I had to read a blog out of the Pacific Northwest to find the best way ever to eat greens. This is from Molly at Orangette, and it couldn't be simpler. Cook onion and slivered garlic in olive oil, add the greens to wilt, then just barely cover with vegetable or chicken broth (I'm lazy, I use the lo-so organic kind from Pacific in the aseptic shelf-stable packages). Cook for about 30 minutes at a simmer. Toast a big slice of country bread, rub the surface with a clove of garlic. Spoon on the greens and a bit of the broth, top with a fried egg, a few shakes of Tabasco and chow down. This is wonderfully delicious.

Two ways: in salads (tossed with bacon bits, and a dressing made with olive oil, a little red wine and garlic); and the Italian way - sauteed with olive oil and garlic (lots of it) just until wilted. Yummy.

I love collard greens, and the method I use is similar to this one. In addition to garlic, onion, and a pinch of sugar, I use smoked ham hocks and add a hot pepper pod while cooking. This adds a wonderful flavor, but not too much heat. My family passes southern style pepper sauce at the table. Serve with any kind of pork, baked sweet potatoes, and crackling corn bread. Collards are also great with fried chicken and chicken and dumplings.

This summer we frequently received collards in our CSA box. The first bunch eventually got thrown out because I didn't know what to do with it. The second bunch was added with kale into croquettes (an excellent way to prepare dark leafy greens). Then one of the other shareholders told me that she just prepares collards like spinach -- sautéed quickly in a bit of bacon fat with garlic, onions, salt and pepper with crumbled bacon on top. It's fabulous! Truthfully, though, I've decided that just about anything tastes good when it's mixed with bacon.

Being from OK, I was never exposed to the various "bitter greens" (mustard, turnip, collard, etc.) until I moved to NC. I turned my nose up to them until I finally tried them about a year ago ... and fell in love.

This recipe sounds really good and I would be willing to bet beats the crap out of the canned greens they sell around here. Maybe I can convince the wife to make them once we get moved to our new place :)

Elise, how do you store leftover bacon fat? In the refrigerator?

We keep ours on the counter or in the refrigerator. Depends on how fast we go through it. Here's a post on rendering bacon fat, btw. ~Elise

Elise,

You must have some "soul" in you. This is just how I learned to make collard greens.

We, hubby and I, also love Turnip greens with tiny baby turnips cut up into the greens.

Funny thing, I first ate greens when I lived in England in the early sixties. They were listed on all the menus as a vegie choice.

Try adding 2 tbsp soy sauce and replace the chicken broth and vinegar with 1 1/2 cups of dry white wine. I also don't add the sugar, but that probably wouldn't make a lot of difference. I live in SC and we always have collards for New Years Day and I am always asked to make the collards.

Remove stems from 3-4 lbs. collard greens.Remove stems. Wash with baking soda or
salt,then,rinse. Stack several leaves, roll, then cut across roll into about 1/4"-1/2". Place in colander as rolls are cut. Use 1/2 large green pepper and cut in small cubes;use 2 regular cans of chicken broth; add 1/4 -
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; use smoked turkey parts(par boil a few minutes. discrad liquid ( or use smoked pork) Add all to a large pot. Add enough water to bring liquid to 3/4 of pot. Cover pot and bring to a boil and semi-boil
about 2 hours or until greens are done. Add more liquid as needed. Add a little salt to cooking greens. Enjoy with a baked sweet potato.

This sounds like the recipe for me to try or maybe re-try as I have not checked my greens file yet. I love the idea of hot sauce and vinegar. The bagged grocery store collards does not really have a good recipe on the back of the bag. This will be tried this weekend with some corn bread.
Thanks!

I'm a big fan of making collard green chips. It's a refreshing change from the usual routine of boiling or sauteing the greens. I simply tear the collards into bite size pieces, spray with olive oil spray and sprinkle a little salt. Stick them in the oven for a few minutes and they're absolutely delicious! I do the same with kale.

Alternatively, I saute collards with fresh dill and parsley, carrot and onions. Yum!

Greens are simply the best! I've been growing my own collard greens this year and I've got some of the best tasting greens that I've had.

I have always loved greens and cooked it quite a bit as my children were growing up (my son called them leaves). I normally use bacon or bacon grease along with onions, garlic, salt and pepper. I have been known to use hamhocks every now and then, but usually reserve those for my beans.

I have never used vinegar or sugar, so I will have to try that out. Try putting in a tomato or two, just enough to notice that they are there. My kids swear the tomatoes make them even better.

This is similar to the way that I make collard greens, although I add some chopped red bell pepper and I hadn't ever thought to add any sugar. I will give this a try next time!

We add vinegar after the greens are cooked with smoked meat and chopped onions. Use a little cruet for the vinegar and poke a hot pepper or two down in it. Those long skinny red ones are perfect. After ladling the greens in your bowl, pour a little of the flavored vinegar over them.

Did you know the vinegar boosts the calcium in greens?

I put 2 or 3 smoked hamhocks in the crock pot and cook on high over night, then the next day if the meat isn't falling off I put them and stock from crock pot in my cook pot and boil them till the meat falls off the bone, remove the bones and fat leaving the lean meat and add collards, cook till tender, salt to taste.

I love collard greens and I make them in two main ways:

1. I love collards with a coconut curry sauce. I believe the recipe comes from "Feeding the Whole Family" and contains coconut milk and cashew butter. It is simply delicious over rice.

2. I blanch the collards and then submerge them in ice water. Then i fry up some pancetta and garlic and chop the collards relatively finely and add them to the crispy pancetta and garlic. Cook until they are sort of crispy around the edges. Delicious!!

I love collard greens! I've never tried making them but I had the most amazing dishes when I visited Tennessee and Georgia a couple years back. This recipe looks incredible.

I use a recipe somewhat similar. I use smoked ham instead of bacon; the flavor and smell of this is amazing. Instead of the cider vinegar I use balsamic; the different flavor gives a taste that you will go bananas for.

My mom makes collard greens for all holiday meals and special occasions. It is one of my favorite dishes. By removing the stem you will remove much of the bitterness. She also puts them in a big pot, fills it with water, add chopped salt pork and a little hot pepper seeds and cooks over night making sure to check that that the water level remains constant. They are always tender and flavored just right.

I am from the South and have a tip for getting the bitter taste out of the greens. Bring collards (or mustard, turnip) greens to a boil. Then discard the water. Next add new water, along with smoked ham or turkey, salt, and pepper and boil until tender and flavors have combined.

The first boil eliminates the bitter. You literally throw it out with the water and there is no need to add sugar.