Braised Collard Greens with Tomatoes Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

FAQs

Why do you put vinegar in collard greens? ›

This might seem like an unusual addition if you're new to making collard greens, but the vinegar adds a welcome tangy note that brightens the dish and balances out the salty, savory flavors. A tablespoon of sugar also helps balance out the greens' potential bitterness.

The green leaves turn dark green during this long cooking process, and the cooking water will be greatly reduced. Unfortunately, nutrients are leached out into the cooking liquid that many people pour down the drain. This cooking liquid or "pot likker," as it is called in southern states, is full on valuable nutrients.

In the case of collard greens, baking soda's utility is threefold, serving as a flavor enhancer, a tenderizer, and a color protector. Baking soda is an alkali salt possessing the tenderizing and flavor-enhancing properties of regular salt.

Collard greens are healthy for you, but it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Collard greens are full of fiber, which takes longer for your body to digest than many other substances. Eating too much fiber at once can lead to uncomfortable side effects like bloating or gas.

Leafy greens: Cabbage, collard greens, spinach, kale, and other greens are high in nitrates, which have been found to offer blood pressure benefits.

Benefits. Because of their sulfur-containing compounds, collard greens are natural liver cleansers. The vitamin C in collard greens has antioxidant properties that help fight damage. Collard greens cover up to 100 percent of the daily recommended value of vitamin K.

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.

Balance the bitterness by making sure the greens are well-seasoned with salt and include a punch of acidity from vinegar. Long cooking time. Slowly cooking collard greens not only softens the tough leaves, it also tames the leaves' bitter flavor.

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.

Add collard greens to the pot and stir them into the cooking liquid. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours until greens are your desired tenderness.

Why: Most collard recipes call to discard the stems because they're so fibrous, but if you chop them small, they will cook just like the leafy greens. The finished dish is just as delicious and a lot thriftier than traditional collard greens, and the pleasantly-supple stems give these greens a distinctive bite.

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

If you have added too much vinegar to a recipe, you can try adding a bit of sugar or honey to help balance the acidity. You could also try diluting the vinegar by adding more of the other ingredients in the recipe.

Apple cider vinegar: Or substitute any other acid such as lemon juice or white vinegar. Yield: This recipe makes 4 cups collard greens, enough for 4 (1-cup) servings. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Collard greens are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and calcium, a rich source of vitamin K, and a good source of iron, vitamin B-6, and magnesium. They also contain thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid, and choline.