Braised Collard Greens (Turkey And The Wolf Copycat)

Three white bowls containing braised collard greens next to forks and blue napkins.

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Braised Collard Greens (Turkey And The Wolf Copycat)

Easy braised collard greens with the perfect balance of acid, sugar, and heat. This Turkey and the Wolf copycat recipe is so good, you won’t miss the ham.

Prep Time15

Cook Time2 30

Total Time2 45

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chili, collard greens, greens, side, southern, vegetable

Servings:

Calories: 171kcal

Author: Ali Mairet

Equipment

8 to 10-quart stock pot with a heavy bottom

Ingredients

3 pounds collard greens about 4 bunches
6 tablespoons salted butter
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ cup red wine vinegar
⅓ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons Louisiana brand hot sauce
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) or red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
8 cups water

Instructions

Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat. Cook the garlic while stirring for 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar, red wine vinegar, rice vinegar, hot sauce, Creole seasoning, chili flakes, chicken bouillon, salt, and water. Bring to a simmer.
Remove the stems from the collard greens and dispose of them.
Chop the collard leaves into 2-inch pieces.
Add handfuls of collard greens to the simmering pot. Stir them to let them wilt and make room for the next batch of collard greens. Continue until all of the greens are added and bring to a simmer.
Simmer the greens for about 2½ hours until they are soft and the liquid has reduced to 1-inch in the pot.
Taste to see if salt or more hot sauce is needed. Serve.

Video

Notes

You can substitute or mix any bitter greens like turnip, kohlrabi, mustard, beets, and kale.

How To Wash Greens:

Fill the clean kitchen sink or a large pot with enough cold tap water to submerge the leaves.
Add the collard greens (either trimmed or whole) to the water and swirl them in the water with your hand.
Lift the greens out of the water and onto a clean kitchen towel.
Drain the sink water.
Repeat this process until there is no dirt remaining in the bottom of the sink. This might take 3 times.

Make-Ahead: You can cook these up to 3 days in advance. Just reheat them over low heat or in a microwave until they've warmed up. Add a bit of water if the liquid has evaporated.

Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The flavor actually deepens as they sit.

Freeze: Freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave.

Nutrition