If you really want to like collard greens, but just can’t seem to find a good way to cook them and have them taste good, then look no further! The key ingredient here is… BACON! If you don’t already know, we love bacon on practically everything. Breakfast sandwiches, salads, wrapped around a roasted pork loin, and in a Brussels Sprouts dish that I’ll be posting soon. It’s so full of flavor and other interesting ingredients that’s made it a favorite among guests here at our house. Stay Tuned!
This recipe was first prepared for me by our friend, Susan, and I have not prepared collard greens any other way since! It’s the perfect balance of flavor and acidity that makes you grab another big helping… or two… In fact I substitute kale and other greens for the collards in this recipe, depending on what’s fresh at the market.
Here’s how I make it.
Brazilian Collard Greens
In a 6-8 quart stock pot, cook the diced bacon over medium-low heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon is starting to crisp a bit.
Tip: Use kitchen scissors to cut the bacon slices into 1 inch pieces.
Add the diced onion and saute’ with the bacon for about 3-5 minutes until the onion is tender and translucent.
Add the prepared collard greens and toss around with tongs, coating the greens with the bacon and onion mixture.
Pour in the chicken broth/stock.
Tip: For convenience, I keep chicken base in the refrigerator to make my own chicken stock as needed. Typically you add one teaspoon of chicken base to one cup of water. With the ever changing of package sizes these days, I’m able to make as much or as little as I need without waste. Plus, I find that the base (also available in beef and vegetable) has much more flavor! Just saying…
Cover, reduce heat to a low simmering heat. Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on how tender you want your collards to be. Check periodically for water level and don’t let them get dry and burn. (Been there and done that… not good!) When the greens are tender, pour in the red wine vinegar, bring the liquid to a boil and reduce the liquid to a minimal amount. I just find that the flavors are richer with less liquid. Salt and pepper to taste.
A few notes here:
When cooking any type of greens, remember they will shrink A LOT and produce liquid of their own. That’s why you start with a huge pot and end up with enough for a little serving bowl.
If you do like I do and substitute other greens, keep in mind two things: The more delicate the leaves, the more they will shrink and the faster they will get tender. So, I just throw in extra greens to keep the ingredients balanced and watch my cooking time.
The other thing is, I do not like cleaning greens, so I buy them in a bag already triple washed, stemmed and torn into pieces. That saves me LOTS of time too!
Brazilian Collard Greens at it’s finest!
When Susan, prepared this dish for us, she also prepared the Brazilian Black Beans that I’ve already posted on this site. To see that recipe, go to Brazilian Black Beans or click on the picture below. Add some cooked rice and plantains and you’ve got the perfect meal that heats over day after day and gets even better! Thank you, Susan!
Here’s the printer friendly recipe.
These collard greens have the perfect balance of smoky flavor from the bacon and acidity from the red wine vinegar that makes you grab another big helping... or two... In fact I substitute kale and other greens for the collards in this recipe, depending on what's fresh at the market!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces sliced hickory smoked bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 pounds collard greens, washed, stemmed and torn into 3 inch pieces
- 1 cup chicken stock (or 1 teaspoon chicken base with 1 cup water)
- 2 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a 6-8 quart stock pot, cook the diced bacon over medium-low heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon is starting to crisp a bit.
- Add the diced onion and saute' with the bacon for about 3-5 minutes until the onion is tender and translucent.
- Add the prepared collard greens and toss around with tongs, coating the greens with the bacon and onion mixture. Pour in the chicken broth/stock.
- Cover, reduce heat to a low simmering heat. Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on how tender you want your collards to be. Check periodically for water level and don't let them get dry and burn. When the greens are tender, pour in the red wine vinegar, bring the liquid to a boil and reduce the liquid to a minimal amount.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Tip: Use kitchen scissors to cut the bacon slices into 1 inch pieces.
When cooking any type of greens, remember they will shrink A LOT and produce liquid of their own. That's why you start with a huge pot and end up with enough for a little serving bowl.
If you do like I do and substitute other greens, keep in mind two things: The more delicate the leaves, the more they will shrink and the faster they will get tender. So, I just throw in extra greens to keep the ingredients balanced and watch my cooking time.
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