A Staple of the Southern Diet

It seems that cleaning and cooking collard greens is a Southern daughter's transition from babyhood to womanhood in the South!

 Collards have been part of the Southern diet for centuries now. When I hear the word "collards," I call back of the days before the mega marts. These were the days when life was simpler, when every Southern family farmed the land.

It is too bad that these wonderful greens are at present merely prepared at barbecue restaurants. With a little motivation and a spot of fertile land (yous don't need a lot, mayhap a 4'x8′ department) you can easily grow your own "mess of greens."

Growing Collards

The showtime step in growing collards is, of form, ownership the seed. I establish the variety Greenish Glaze, an old heirloom from the 1820'due south, but other varieties such as Georgia Light-green are smashing as well.  Plant the seeds i/2 inch deep around 8 weeks earlier the showtime frost (Nov. 15 for central Alabama).

After the seedlings are about 4 weeks erstwhile, start thinning, spacing the collards start to about four inches, then to six inches. Don't throw away the outcast; this can exist your first harvest of collards.

After y'all sparse, you can continue to harvest the collards by snapping off the larger outside leaves and assuasive the head to continue to grow.  One time you have your collards inside, y'all are ready to start the cooking process.

How to Clean Your Collard Greens

Many people are scared to cook fresh collards for the hassle of having to launder abroad the dust and fearing the texture to be mushy and grainy (I know, I've had it too many times).  Information technology doesn't have to be this manner.

When you prepare to cook your collards, the first step yous need to accept is not to reach for the spices, but for the sink.  This is the hardest step, simply is Absolutely NECESSARY, or you lot volition be taking a visit to the dentist.  The easiest way to practise this is to fill the largest pot you lot have upwardly with h2o and identify the collards in the tub.  Give them a stir and let them breast-stroke for about a infinitesimal.

Now remove the collards, pour out the dirty water, and supercede with new water. When yous see that pile of sand at the bottom of the pot, you will exist glad yous took the trouble.

Repeat at least 2 more times or until the collards release no more sand.

Relish delicious, clean collards–or any kind of greens, for that matter.

Note: Collard greens are loaded with Vitamin K, which is essential for wellness. It helps increase bone mass and may decrease the effects of Alzheimer'south disease by limiting neuronal impairment.

Hint: If you do non want to go through the cleaning process above, soak the entire bunch of leaves in common salt water for most xxx minutes then rinse the greens in running water for about 3 minutes earlier cooking fresh collards.

Collard greens with bacon on top in an antique white casserole dish with china plates in the background
Collard greens are amid my favorite wintertime vegetable and they are incredibly easy to prepare. You lot can cook every part of this vegetable from the leaf to the root.

Cooking Your Collard Greens

Follow the easy recipe below for delicious, nutritious collard greens.

Southern Collard Greens

Collard greens are among my favorite winter vegetable and they are incredibly easy to prepare. You lot can cook every office of this vegetable from the leaf to the root.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Southern

  • Olive oil
  • 1 onion chopped
  • one tablespoon garlic
  • 2 pounds collards washed and pulled from the stem
  • 2 cups dry out white wine such equally a Chardonnay
  • iv cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • ane/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • ¼ tablespoon freshly ground pepper

  • Sweat the onions until they are translucent, well-nigh 5 minutes.  Add together garlic and continue to cook for 30 seconds longer.

  • Placed washed collards into sauté pan.  You may have to add half of the greens to the pan and let them shrink and then add together the other half.  Add wine, broth, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to the pan.  Bring mixture to a boil and lower to simmer for 1 hour. Serve with Southern Fried Corn Bread crumbled upward in your tasty collard greens!

Keyword collard greens, stacey lyn, stacey lynn, stacy lyn, stacy lynn

If you like this recipe, please give information technology a star rating to help other cooks find it!

Follow me on Instagram and tag #stacylynharris and so I can see all the SLH recipes you make. ♥

Let me know how it was!