Slow Braised Collard Greens Lodge Cast Iron Food

SLOW-COOKED COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• To prepare the greens: cut away the tough stalks and stems from the collards, and discard any leaves that are bruised or yellow. Wash the collards thoroughly to remove the grit, 2 or 3 times, until the water runs clear. Dry thoroughly. Tear the leaves into large pieces.
• Place a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, and ham hock. Cook until the onions are soft and starting to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Pack in the greens, pushing them down into the pot. Add the broth, vinegar, and sugar. Bring up to a boil turning the greens over occasionally with a wooden spoon as they wilt. Lower to a simmer, cover the pot, and let cook for 45 minutes. Taste the "pot liquor" (broth) and check the seasoning, add salt and pepper. Cover and let cook for 15 more minutes. Remove the bay leaves and serve.

BRAISED COLLARD GREENS WITH BACON

Steps:

• Cut and trim the collard greens, removing the tough stems. Roughly chop the trimmed greens into 1/2-inch ribbons.
• Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon to leave behind all of the delicious bacon fat to cook the collard greens in.
• Add the onions and red pepper flakes to the same skillet. Depending on the bacon you use, you may need more fat in the pan, so add the canola oil if needed. Saute until the onions are softened, fragrant and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and sweat 30 seconds. Then add the collard greens, stirring constantly until softened. Pour in the chicken broth and wine and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the greens are tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Once the greens are tender, return the bacon to the pan, add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

SLOW-BRAISED COLLARD GREENS | LODGE CAST IRON

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a cast iron Dutch oven until crisp. Remove the bacon to drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons of the drippings in the pot. Crumble the bacon.
• Cook the carrot in the hot bacon drippings over medium-high heat, stirring a few times, for 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring a few times, until the carrot and onion begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the vinegar and cook 30 seconds. Add the collards, crumbled bacon, broth, red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the collards are tender, about 1 hour.

BRAISED COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a lid over medium-high. When hot, add ham hocks. When they're sizzling, flip and crisp the other side.
• Add the onions and stir so they are coated in the fat and nestled under and around the hocks. Turn the heat down to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add the garlic, paprika, cumin, cayenne, salt and brown sugar, and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Pour in the chicken stock and hard cider and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours, until the ham hocks are very tender.
• Remove the ham hocks and allow to cool slightly. Skim the fat off the surface of the stock. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bone (discard the fat and the skin) and chop into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.
• Bring the stock back to a boil, then add the greens in large handfuls, pressing them down to wilt in the hot stock before adding more leaves. Add the reserved ham hock meat.
• Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the greens are silky and tender. Season with salt and serve with hot sauce and a splash of apple cider vinegar, if desired.

BRAISED COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• Place ham hocks, salt pork, onion, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and sugar in a large pot with the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and cook for 30 minutes.
• Stir collard greens into the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, and cook for 30 minutes, or until greens are tender. Season with red wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

BRAISED COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a deep saute pan on medium-high heat until crisp, then set aside, leaving the fat in the pan. Add the red pepper flakes, garlic and lemon zest, and saute until fragrant. Add the collard greens and cook until they begin to wilt. Add the chicken stock and 1/2 cup water and cover, lowering the heat to a simmer. Let cook until the greens are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Uncover, add back the bacon, raise the heat to medium-high, and reduce the liquid by one-quarter, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.

BRAISED COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• Remove the tough stems from the collardleaves. Finely slice the stems crosswise.Stack a few leaves on top of each other andcut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces. Repeat with allleaves. You'll have 8 packed cups.
• Heat a 10-inch saute pan over high heat.Swirl in the oil and add the onion, bacon,and red pepper flakes. Fry until the onion issoft and the bacon is beginning to renderits fat and crisp up, about 13 minutes.
• Add the greens, 2 cups at a time. Stir into theonion mixture as you add. They will collapseand shrink in the heat.
• When all the greens are in the pan and theheat has returned to sizzling high, pour inthe vinegar. Stir to evaporate. Cover andlet the greens cook over low heat until justtender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add a bit of wateras needed to keep the greens from burning.Add salt to taste and serve.