Slow-braised Collard Greens

This recipe from Scott Jones, former Executive Food Editor of Southern Living, is an update to his grandmother’s recipe. “My Mema used a smoked hock in her greens, along with a generous shake of hot sauce and pinch of sugar. I get my subtle sweet-tart pop from balsamic vinegar and the heat from red pepper flakes.” Scott made the recipe a tad healthier by using bacon and fat-free chicken broth, which he also thinks helps create a cleaner tasting potlikker. Scott’s been known to ladle the greens and potlikker over a bowl of creamy stone-ground grits.

Ingredients

• 4 strips bacon
• 1 large carrot
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 4 1-pound packages fresh collard greens, washed well, heavy stems removed and chopped
• 1 ½ cups reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Cook the bacon in a cast iron Dutch oven until crisp. Remove the bacon to drain on paper
2. towels, reserving 2 tablespoons of the drippings in the pot. Crumble the bacon.
3. 98
4. Cook the carrot in the hot bacon drippings over medium-high heat, stirring a few times, for 5
5. minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring a few times, until the carrot and onion begin to
6. caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the
7. vinegar and cook 30 seconds. Add the collards, crumbled bacon, broth, red pepper, salt,
8. and black pepper. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the
9. collards are tender, about 1 hour.

Notes

From the Lodge Cast Iron cookbook I picked up during my visit to the Lodge Museum of Cast Iron in South Pittsburg, Tennessee (June 2026). Contributed by Scott Jones. Recommended cookware: Camp Dutch Oven.