Collard Greens are a flavorful, traditional Southern side dish slowly cooked until tender and amazing. This collard green recipe is perfect for New Year’s Day and as a delicious everyday side dish!
Vinegar is often added to collard greens recipes to add a tangy flavor and balance the bitterness of the greens. The bitterness of collard greens comes from their natural compounds, such as glucosinolates and phenolic compounds, which can be reduced by adding an acidic ingredient like vinegar.
How to Cook the Best Southern Collard Greens
There are so many ways to cook collard greens, but this is the recipe that my family has loved for generations. Follow my step-by-step instructions for the best collard greens I think you’ll ever taste!
For my family’s recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Collard greens: Also simply called “collards.” Fresh, washed, and cut greens are the best in my opinion. However, you can also use frozen if you’d like. I’ve used it many times when fresh collard greens were not in season or available.
Bacon: Adds a deep, smokey flavor to the cooked greens and provides the fat for cooking them.
Onion: This is an optional ingredient but adds incredible flavor.
Chicken stock: Adds a rich flavor. I prefer to use my homemade chicken stock, but I also love a great organic store-bought. You can also use chicken broth if you prefer.
Apple cider vinegar: Collards can be notoriously bitter. The vinegar balances the flavor and removes the bitterness.
Stone House Seasoning: My favorite house blend seasoning of garlic, salt, and pepper.
Sugar: A little bit helps remove any bitterness from the collard greens while giving a slightly sweet flavor. I also love to use maple syrup. You can omit if preferred.
Hot sauce: If you like spicy collard greens, you can add them to the pot as they cook or serve the hot sauce alongside the greens when you serve them. I prefer to serve them alongside since some people love them spicy while others do not.
Cook bacon and onion. Cook bacon and onion (if using) in a large stockpot or Dutch oven until the bacon is crispy.
Add chicken stock. Pour in the chicken stock and stir to combine.
Add vinegar and other seasonings. Pour in the apple cider vinegar, sugar, and Stone House Seasoning.
Add collard greens. Add collards and cover them with a lid to the stockpot. If all of the greens will not fit at the beginning of cooking the greens, add as many as will fit, stir and cover the stockpot. Then, add the remaining greens once those have cooked down. They wilt rather quickly, so you should be able to add them in just a minute or so.
How to Store and Freeze Collard Greens
To store. Cool the greens and then transfer them to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To freeze. Cool the greens completely. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container or zip-top freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stovetop or microwave until heated throughout.
Vegan Collard Greens: Substitute 2 tablespoons olive oil for the bacon and bacon drippings. Substitute vegetable broth for the chicken stock used.
Sugar-Free Collard Greens: Omit the sugar (or maple syrup) used. Note that the collard greens will have a bit of bitterness.
Slow Cooker Collard Greens: This provides a relatively hands-off solution for cooking these greens. Add the cooked bacon and onion to the slow cooker along with all of the remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 8 hours.
Here’s my Collard Greens Recipe. I hope you love them as much as we do.
Why do you put vinegar in collard greens?
FAQ
What does vinegar do to collard greens?
What to do if I put too much vinegar in my greens?
What takes the bitterness out of collard greens?
Why do people put baking soda in collard greens?
Why do you add vinegar to collard greens?
Collard greens have a tendency toward bitterness and vinegar seems to counteract that. So, the main reason for this addition is that vinegar complements the flavor. Also, collards are often cooked in rich chicken broth and bacon or ham hock so adding a little vinegar seems to balance out the richness.
What are the health benefits of vinegar?
Vinegar can be made from a variety of different substances. Some examples include but are not limited to rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and malt vinegar. The possible benefits of vinegar vary depending on the type of vinegar. Some vinegar is a source of antioxidants. There are some claims that have been made about vinegar being a source of “good” bacteria, but not enough research has been completed to determine if this is valid. In general, vinegar is not a source of any significant amounts of calories, vitamins, or minerals.
How do you clean collards?
Fill a clean kitchen sink with slightly warm water, ½-1 cup (120-250 ml) of white vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of salt. Soak the collards for 10-30 minutes, then scrub each leaf with your hands to get the sand and grit off. Rinse well with cold running water and set aside.
Why is Collard good for You?
That’s because the vitamin K in the leaves helps your body to absorb calcium which strengthens your bones. Collard also contains fiber – some of which are soluble and can decrease cholesterol levels. The insoluble fiber it contains feeds your gut bacteria and helps to keep you regular.