Skip to main content
Epicurious

Sautéed Collard Greens with Slab Bacon

By Blue Smoke

5.0

(1)

Image may contain Food Meal Dish Plant and Produce
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Grace Parisi

Crisp and juicy pieces of slab bacon and just the right hit of red wine vinegar bring the perfect tangy-porky balance to these slow-cooked Southern greens.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    25 minutes

  • Yield

    6–8 servings

Ingredients

1/2 pound slab bacon, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 pounds collard greens (about 3 bunches), thick stems trimmed, leaves cut crosswise into wide ribbons
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
Kosher salt

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cook bacon in a large wide pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Add onion, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.

    Step 2

    Add collard greens. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, about 8 minutes. Add vinegar and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is almost evaporated, 5–7 minutes. Stir in sugar and 6 cups water; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until collard greens are tender, about 1 hour. Transfer to a platter and season with salt.

  2. Do ahead

    Step 3

    Collard greens can be cooked 2 days ahead; cover and chill. Warm in a covered large wide pot with 1–2 Tbsp. water over medium heat, about 8–10 minutes, just before serving.

TagsSouthernAmericanBaconCured MeatMeatCollard GreensLeafy GreensVegetableSideDinnerNut FreeDairy FreeGluten FreeMake AheadEasyNew YearsEpicurious

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Smothered Italian Sausage
This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.
Luscious Banana Pudding
Layer homemade custard, ripe bananas, and vanilla wafers under clouds of whipped cream for this iconic dessert.
Charred Vegetable Ragù
This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!
Sheet-Pan Sausage With Corn, Peach, and Cucumber Salad
This summery sheet-pan dinner celebrates the bounty of the season and couldn't be simpler to make. Chorizo plays nicely with the salad, thanks to its spice.
Maple Bacon Cabbage Wedges
Roasted cabbage wedges get cloaked in a salty-sweet glaze of maple syrup and Dijon mustard before getting topped with crunchy bacon.
Spaghetti With Cabbage, Pancetta, and Calabrian Chile
Cabbage is the unsung hero of the winter kitchen—available anywhere, long-lasting in the fridge, and super-affordable. It’s also an excellent partner for pasta.
Fufu
Fufu is a dish that has been passed down through many generations and is seen as a symbol of Ghanaian identity and heritage. Making fufu traditionally is a very laborious task; this recipe mimics some of that hard work but with a few home-cook hacks that make for a far easier time.
Slow-Smoked Chicken
An espresso-and-cumin-spiked rub (or brine) gives this smoked chicken impressive flavor.