Description
A classic Southern Collard Greens recipe featuring tender collards slow-simmered with smoky bacon, aromatic onions, garlic, and a flavorful broth with apple cider vinegar and spices for a delicious, comforting side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Greens
- 3 bunches collard greens, washed, trimmed, and cut
Meat
- 10 slices bacon, chopped (12 oz. package)
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
Liquids & Seasonings
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the Collard Greens: Wash and pat dry the collard leaves thoroughly. Remove the thick stems and cut each leaf in half. Layer the leaves, slice into 1-inch wide strips, then cut those strips into 2-inch lengths for even cooking.
- Cook Bacon: Heat a dutch oven over medium heat and cook the chopped bacon until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease.
- Reserve Bacon Grease: Drain the bacon grease from the dutch oven, leaving about 1 tablespoon to cook the vegetables.
- Sauté Onion and Garlic: Add the finely chopped onion to the pot and cook until softened. Stir in minced garlic and continue cooking for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Broth and Deglaze: Pour in the chicken broth and scrape the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot to incorporate all flavors.
- Season the Broth: Stir in apple cider vinegar, sugar, seasoned salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper to the broth mixture.
- Add Collard Greens: Submerge the prepared collard greens into the broth in the pot, making sure they are well covered.
- Simmer the Greens: Bring the liquid to a simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 35-40 minutes or until the greens are tender.
- Drain and Serve: Drain off any excess liquid from the cooked greens and serve immediately, optionally topping with the reserved crispy bacon.
Notes
- Make sure to trim the thick stems from the collard greens to avoid bitterness and tough texture.
- If you prefer a spicier dish, add more crushed red pepper to taste.
- For a vegetarian version, omit bacon and use vegetable broth instead.
- Collard greens reheat well and often taste better the next day once flavors have melded.
- Leftover cooked collard greens can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
