Soulful Collard Greens Without the Guilt! Get the Recipe Now! - BlackDoctor.org (2024)

FAQs

Why do you put vinegar in collards? ›

Collards may be a little bright and bitter, but rich ingredients like bacon and smoked ham will help cut through that. If it's still too strong, vinegar and sugar can cut the bitterness from collards, too.

All you need to do is add a teaspoon of baking soda to your boiling water or stock to ensure that your collard greens are flavorful, tender, and vibrant. The cooking liquid must reach a boiling point to maximize baking soda's alkalinity so that it can work its magic on the collards.

Prepare the collard greens bath by filling your kitchen sink with cool water and adding vinegar and salt. Place the collard greens into the prepared water bath and swish them around several times, scrubbing them to help loosen up any dirt. Let the collard greens soak for 15-20 minutes, giving them a scrub midway.

Add the collard greens, chicken stock, onions, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt. Mix in the smoked turkey. Turn the heat to low and cook, covered, until the greens are tender but not too soft, 35 minutes.

Collard greens are rich in potassium, which is important for regulating your heartbeat, helping your muscles contract, and balancing out the effect of salt on your body. Collard greens also have a low glycemic index rating, which means they won't cause your blood sugar to spike after eating.

Collards do enjoy some good fertilizer in the soil to help them grow big leaves that are sweet and juicy. To fertilize my collard greens I use natural fertilizers like fish emulsions, Epsom salts, and compost tea.

Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to very low and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Add the collards and the hot pepper flakes the pot. Simmer covered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

It is important to not overcook collard greens or kale, as they tend to give off a sulfur smell and taste bitter. Cut the leaves into one-half inch strips and steam for 5 minutes on the stove. Collard greens make a great addition to eggs and bean soup or can be served alone as a steamed vegetable with a dressing.

Can you put too much water in collard greens? ›

Make sure you let the water drain out of you collard greens as much as possible. Too much water in your pot will ruin your greens. In a stock pot add Oive Oil, Onion, Green pepper, and Turkey bacon (or your choice of turkey or pork).

The vinegar balances the flavor and removes the bitterness. Stone House Seasoning: My favorite house blend seasoning of garlic, salt, and pepper. Sugar: A little bit helps remove any bitterness from the collard greens while giving a slightly sweet flavor.

Acids, like vinegar and citrus juice, help to brighten up bitter greens and provide a light contrasting flavor.

The science of using vinegar for food preservation is simple. The acetic acid contained in the vinegar increases the acidity of the vegetables, killing off any microorganisms and effectively preserving the veggies by preventing spoilage.

Adding vinegar to the water (1/2 cup distilled white vinegar per 1 cup water), followed by a clean water rinse, has been shown to reduce bacterial contamination but may affect texture and taste. After washing, blot dry with paper towels or use a salad spinner to remove excess moisture.