Do you want learn the best way to cook collard greens? Normally, collards need to be cooked a looooooong time before they taste good. But, by then, they take on a really unappetizing khaki color. You can’t just sauté them in some fat because they normally scorch before they soften enough. According to the nerds (in a good way) at Cooks Illustrated, the best way to cook collards (and any assertive greens) is to shallow blanch them before sautéing them. That way the collards are cooked quickly and they look pretty, too!
How to Cook Collard Greens (Tasty & Pretty!)
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
- 2 pounds assertive greens, such as kale, collards, mustard, or turnip greens; stemmed and coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced ham or bacon (optional)
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
Equipment:
- Large pot
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Colander
- Ricer
- Large skillet
- Silicone spatula
- All of my recommended kitchen tools are listed here.
Method:
Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a deep pot. Add the salt and greens and stir until wilted. Cover and cook until the greens are just tender (~7 minutes).
Drain the collard greens in a colander. Rinse the pot with cold water to cool and then refill with cold water and some ice cubes. Dump the greens into the ice water to stop the cooking process.
Transfer the greens back to the colander and place a small handful into a potato ricer…
…to squeeze out as much water as possible. Repeat until the greens are no longer soggy.
You can store the greens in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Now you’re ready to sauté the greens! If your greens need to be chopped smaller, do so now.
Heat up a large skillet over medium heat. Swirl in the olive oil when the pan is hot. Toss in some ham or bacon and then add your cooked collard greens. Add ¼ cup of chicken broth, cover for 2 minutes. Taste the greens and adjust with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice or vinegar if needed.
Collards cooked this way aren’t overly bitter – they’re perfectly tender, bright green, and delicious.
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Collard Greens (Tasty & Pretty)
Ingredients
- 1½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
- 2 pounds assertive greens such as kale, collards, mustard, or turnip greens; stemmed and coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced ham or bacon optional
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a deep pot. Add the salt and greens and stir until wilted. Cover and cook until the greens are just tender (~7 minutes).
- Drain the collard greens in a colander. Rinse the pot with cold water to cool and then refill with cold water and some ice cubes. Dump the greens into the ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Transfer the greens back to the colander and place a small handful into a potato ricer to squeeze out as much water as possible. Repeat until all the greens are no longer soggy. You can store the greens in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Now you're ready to sauté the greens! If your greens need to be chopped smaller, do so now.
- Heat up a large skillet over medium heat. Swirl in the olive oil when the pan is hot.
- Toss in some ham or bacon and then add your cooked collard greens. Add ¼ cup of chicken broth, cover for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice or vinegar if needed.
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