Growing up, I hated collard greens. I found them to be bitter, chewy, and strong in flavor. The funniest thing, though, is that braised collards was the dish my family would often ask my mother to make. My family loved them, so why didn’t I? It wasn’t until we visited my grandmother in Georgia one winter that my opinion on collards changed. It was the first time that I had my grandmother’s stewed collard greens with pig tails. The pot filled with greens, pork, and spices bubbled and boiled all day long! When they were done I ate them because that’s what you do when your grandmother cooks for you—you eat, no matter what it is. So I did. To my surprise those greens were different. They were spicy, tender, slippery, and sweet—I even went in for seconds and thirds. When we returned to New York City, my mom and I found ourselves in our kitchen trying to replicate that delicious combination.
This recipe isn’t my grandmother’s version, but she inspired it. I hope to invoke those same feelings about these greens that hers invoked in me: patience and deliciousness.
Ingredients
Pepper vinegar
Collard greens
Preparation
Pepper Vinegar
Step 1
To make the pepper vinegar: Bring the vinegar and sugar to a boil and stir to dissolve. Add the chiles and cool in the fridge for at least 2 hours to overnight.
Collard Greens
Step 2
Smoke the collards in 2 batches: Preheat the oven to 200°F. To create a smoker, use two large aluminum pans. First, heat the wood chips in a cast-iron pan over hight heat, until they begin to smoke. Remove the cast-iron pan from the heat and place the hot wood chips in one of the aluminum pans. Then, using a small but sharp knife, punch holes in the bottom of the second pan and place it on top of the first pan with the wood chips inside. Add the collards to the top pan, place in the oven, and smoke for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Step 3
In a Dutch oven, sweat the red and white onions, leeks, and shallot with 2 cups of the olive oil and a nice pinch of salt. Add the smoked collards in increments until they cook down, then add more. Once all of the collards are in the pot, add the remaining oil and 8 cups of water. Cook, covered, on low heat, until done, about 1½ to 2 hours.
Step 4
To serve: Dress the collard greens with the pepper vinegar to taste.
