Traditional Southern Greens Mustard Turnip Or Collards Recipes

TRADITIONAL SOUTHERN GREENS (MUSTARD, TURNIP OR COLLARDS)

Steps:

• Fill sink with cold water.
• Put in greens, making sure they have room to float.
• The greens will rise to the top, while the dirt will sink.
• Let greens sit in water for about 20 minutes.
• Scoop out greens being careful not to stir up the dirt on bottom.
• If they still look dirty, change water and repeat process.
• Finish the cleaning by rinsing under running water.
• Tear greens into pieces, throwing away thick veins and stems.
• In a large pot, heat the bacon grease over med-high.
• Add the greens and toss well with bacon grease for a couple of minutes.
• Add ham stock, salt and pepper and sugar and stir.
• Cover and simmer gently until very tender (DO NOT BOIL).
• As the greens cook, they will produce a lot of liquid that will cook down. Add water as needed to prevent burning, but only use what is necessary so your pot liquor won't be watered down.
• Cook time will vary but usually about 3 hours The flavor of collards is much better if you can cook for about 6 hours.

PERFECT MIXED GREENS

Steps:

• Pull the leaf portions of the collard, mustard, and turnip greens away from the tough stems, and discard the stems. Gently wash the greens in warm water to remove all soil and sand. Partially fill a clean sink with warm water, and stir in 3 tablespoons of salt and 2 cups of chicken broth; allow greens to soak in the mixture for 10 minutes. Scoop up the greens and allow to drain in a colander; discard used chicken broth. Do not rinse the greens.
• Pour the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth into a large pot, and mix in the greens. Stir in vegetable oil, garlic, bacon bits, and sugar, and season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the greens are tender, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

SOUTHERN TURNIP AND MUSTARD GREENS

Steps:

• Combine pork and 6 cups water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer gently over medium-low heat until it reduces to 1 quart, about 2 hours. Remove pork and discard. Season broth with pepper.
• Add the greens and cook over medium heat until tender, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the greens to a large glass or ceramic bowl. Reserve the broth for the dumplings (see recipe). Add the onion and vinegar, toss to combine. Serve immediately.