How to Cook Collard Greens Five Ways

Collard greens, like other greens, are a New Year's delicacy. In the American South and beyond, people eat this vegetable on New Year's Day in hopes that it will bring them a little more green ($) in the coming year.

But there are more benefits to eating collard greens than just luck. This Southern comfort food is good for you too. These leafy greens are packed with nutrients and have cholesterol-lowering abilities. So grab yourself a "mess o' greens" and learn one of these simple techniques for cooking collards.

How to Pick, Store, and Prep Collard Greens

For the freshest flavor, look for leaves with a firm texture that haven't yet wilted. A deep green color free of blemishes or browning is best. Collard greens can be stored in a resealable plastic bag in the fridge for up to five days.

These greens tend to collect some of the sandy soil they grow in, so a thorough rinse under running water is a must, but not enough. Allow your collards to soak in water for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to loosen any dirt. Then give them a final rinse to remove any of the remaining sand. Shake off the excess water and pat dry with a paper towel, or use a salad spinner.

Remove the stems from each leaf and toss them. You can do this by either cutting the stems out with a knife or simply tearing/stripping the leaf away from the stem. Now you're ready to get cooking.

How to Make Collard Greens Five Ways

1. How to Sauté Collard Greens

While collard greens are traditionally cooked low and slow, this method is great for when you're short on time. This is a versatile method that will work for a variety of flavor profiles, from simple to sweet and tangy. Here's how:

1. After washing and removing the stems, stack the leaves together and roll them lengthwise. Cut the roll into 1-inch pieces to create ribbons in a chiffonade technique.
2. For a basic version, heat oil in a skillet. Add a little garlic to help balance the bitterness of the greens. Toss in the greens and season to your liking. Sauté and then stop cooking once the greens are slightly wilted but still bright in color.
3. Drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar and you're done.

2. How to Fry Collard Greens

VIDEO: Kickin' Collard Greens

A little bacon grease goes a long way. Frying collards with bacon and onions is an easy way to pack your greens with flavor like in this recipe for Kickin' Collard Greens. Here's how:

1. For basic fried collard greens, start by frying a few slices of bacon over medium heat. Once they're done, remove the cooked bacon and crumble.
2. Add whole collard greens (stems removed) and onion to the bacon grease and cook for several minutes.
3. Add water or broth, along with any seasonings you prefer for flavor. Cover and allow the mixture to simmer for at least 15 minutes.
4. Drain the liquid, and toss the greens with bacon and apple cider vinegar.

3. How to Cook Collard Greens in the Slow Cooker

If you have a little more time on your hands, a slow cooker provides the gentle braise that collards need for peak flavor and tenderness. Not to mention you can toss in your ingredients in the morning and come home to the fragrant (well, pungent) aroma of collard greens and ham hocks like in this Slow Cooker Collard Greens recipe. Here's how:

1. After removing the stems, roughly chop the greens and add them to the slow cooker.
2. Add broth, smoked meat (like ham hocks), and onion (along with brown sugar, salt, pepper, and apple cider vinegar for flavoring).
3. Cook on low for 8 hours. Once it's ready, remove the ham hocks and chop off any meat and combine it with the other ingredients.

4. How to Simmer Collard Greens

VIDEO: Tasty Collard Greens

Maybe the most popular option for cooking collard greens, a low simmer gives you tender greens that can be flavored however you'd like — it's all in the broth. Try these tasty collards or follow these instructions:

1. Add water or broth to a large stockpot, along with smoked meat (like ham hocks) and seasoning. Allow this mixture to simmer for about an hour.
2. After removing the stems of the collards, stack the leaves together and roll them lengthwise. Cut the roll into 1-inch pieces to create ribbons.
3. Add greens to the pot along with a little butter. Allow them to simmer for another hour, stirring throughout. That's all there is to it.

5. How to Blanch Collard Greens

While bacon and other meats are great for flavoring bitter greens, this blanching method offers a healthier alternative to the traditional methods. And it's so easy. Used chopped collards for a side dish, or use the whole leaf for wraps. Here's how:

1. Cook the leaves in a pot of boiling, salted water for about 10 minutes.
2. Drain them and chill them in cold water. Drain them once again and you're done!

Related:

• How to Cook Mustard Greens
• Eat Some Lucky Greens on New Year's Day
• Browse our entire collection of Collard Greens Recipes.