Southern Collard Greens

A photo of a Southern dinner of fried chicken, baked potatoes (with butter and sour cream) and collard greens.
Potatoes with butter and sour cream, collard greens, and fried chicken. A truly Southern dinner. Photo by PattyCooks.

Diet
[x] Flexitarian + Omnivore
[x] Vegan: use a smokey aromatic replacement for bacon, and veggie broth.
[x] Vegetarian: use a smokey aromatic replacement for bacon, and veggie broth.
[x] Pescatarian: use a smokey aromatic replacement for bacon, and veggie broth. 
[x] Gluten free
[x] Weight Maint: This dish, eaten alone is lowish calories.
[O] Keto Diet
[O] Mediterranean 
[x] Lectin Avoidance:
[O] Oxalate Avoidance: collard greens
[x] Purine Avoidance

Southern Collard Greens

A tasty version of Southern Collard Greens that works well with fried chicken and baked potatoes.

  • 2 T Olive oil
  • 4 Strips Bacon (Or use bacon ends, you need a bit of meat + grease)
  • 1 Onion (Yellow, diced)
  • 3 Garlic (Minced)
  • 1 Jalapeño (Deseeded + diced)
  • 1 # Collard Greens (Wash, slice lengthwise, then short wise.)
  • 2 C Chicken broth (Homemade is best)
  • 1 t Kosher salt
  • 1 t Ground black pepper

Mise en Place

  1. Wash and then de-seed and de-membrane, then dice one jalapeño.

  2. Remove outer skin and then dice one yellow onion.

  3. Remove outer skin and mince 3 cloves garlic.

  4. Cut raw bacon into small bits. Use either strips of bacon or bacon ends as the point is an occasional meat texture, but mainly the smokey flavor and grease.

  5. Wash the greens, cut off the end stems, slice 2” wide strips lengthwise, the turn and cut 2” bits.



Cook the Greens

  1. Heat a pot that has a lid. Place a bit of oil in its base. Then add the bacon to release its grease and start to get crispy.



  2. Then add the onion until it becomes transparent, then add the garlic until it is aromatic.



  3. Add the pepper and stir well. Then add the cut collard greens and mix well until it wilts.



  4. Then add the 2C broth, turn the heat down to a medium summer and give it a good mix. Put the lid on and let it cook for ~20-30 minutes. Check occasionally and stir to make sure the liquid is still there to prevent burning.



Serving

  1. If there is still lots of liquid, drain the liquid off and serve the dish.



This is a very Southern Cuisine side dish that some will eat as a bowl all by itself. I served this with fried chicken (using chicken tenders) and small baked potatoes.