Sides

Bacon Braised Greens

Name: Bacon Braised Greens
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 6 bunches collard greens, cleaned and rough chopped; 100 g (3½ oz) bacon, large dice; 1 yellow onions, sliced; 6 garlic cloves; 3½ tbsp sherry vinegar; 450 ml (2 cups) chicken stock; 1 Tbl salt and pepper mix; 1 tsp ground black pepper

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Prep

20 minutes

Cook

1 hour 15 minutes

Total

1 hr 35 min

Serves

6 servings

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Tender, smoky, and tangy from sherry vinegar, these slow-braised collard greens are cooked down until silky in bacon fat and chicken stock. Low, slow, and worth the wait.

Ingredients

6 bunches collard greens, cleaned and rough chopped
100 g (3½ oz) bacon, large dice
1 yellow onions, sliced
6 garlic cloves
3½ tbsp sherry vinegar
450 ml (2 cups) chicken stock
1 Tbl salt and pepper mix
1 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

1
Cook the bacon in a large rondeau over medium heat until the fat has run out and the pieces are starting to crisp.
2
Add onion and garlic. Cook until slightly tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
3
Add collard greens and all remaining ingredients.
4
Cover with a lid and cook slowly over low heat, adding water if the pot starts to dry out, until the greens are completely tender, about 1 hour.
5
Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
6
Cool to below 5 °C (41 °F), cover, and hold cold.

Cook's Note

Do not rush the greens, they need the full hour to go from tough and bitter to silky and sweet. If they are still a little chewy after an hour, keep going. They will get there.

Best Served With

Serve alongside barbecue, fried chicken, short ribs, or any braised or roasted pork.

Why This Recipe Works

Cooking the greens slowly in bacon fat and chicken stock pulls out the bitterness and replaces it with rich, savoury flavour. The sherry vinegar goes in with the greens so it cooks off and mellows, becoming part of the background rather than a sharp note on top.

Make It Yours

Add a pinch of red pepper flake when the garlic goes in for background heat.
Swap sherry vinegar for apple cider vinegar for a slightly fruitier note.

Leftover Strategy

Keeps refrigerated for up to 4 days. Flavour improves overnight. Reheat in a covered pot over low heat.

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Pairing

Sweet tea, cold lager, or a light Pinot Noir alongside any pork-forward main.