Cooking Winter Greens
Winter greens are resilient, hardy vegetables that thrive when treated with a bit of patience. Whether you choose to wilt them quickly in a pan or simmer them until soft, the goal is to balance their natural earthiness with fat and acid.
Remove the bitterness at the source.
The thick stems contain most of the tough, bitter fibers; strip them away before you begin cooking. Ensure your greens are completely damp when they hit the pan to help them steam through as they wilt.
- Large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven
- Chef's knife
- Tongs
- Colander
What goes in.
- 2 lbswinter greens (collards, kale, or turnip greens)
- 3 tbsprendered bacon fat, olive oil, or unsalted butter
- 3 clovesgarlic, smashed and minced
- 1/2 cupchicken or vegetable stock
- 1 tbspcider vinegar
- 1 tspred pepper flakes
Mastering the Volume
Greens shrink to a fraction of their raw size once they hit heat. Add them in batches to a crowded pan, using tongs to turn them constantly until they collapse into a deep, dark emerald color.
The method.
Prep the leaves
Fold each leaf in half and slice along the stem to discard it. Roughly chop the remaining leaves into two-inch ribbons.
Clean thoroughly
Submerge the chopped leaves in a large bowl of cold water. Swish them around, lift them out, and discard the water. Repeat until no grit remains at the bottom of the bowl.
Sear the aromatics
Heat your fat in the pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, sautéing for sixty seconds until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
Wilt the greens
Add the damp greens to the pan in handfuls. Use tongs to toss them continuously for three minutes until they have wilted and turned bright green.
Braise
Pour in the stock, cover the pan, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 10–15 minutes until the leaves are tender enough to cut with the side of a fork.
Finish
Remove the lid, stir in the cider vinegar, and season with salt to taste.
Other turns to take.
Creamed Greens
Stir in a quarter-cup of heavy cream after the braising liquid has reduced and cook for an additional three minutes until thickened.
Smoked Meat Addition
Cook chopped ham hock or smoked turkey neck in the stock for 45 minutes before adding the greens to impart a deeper smoke profile.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always add the vinegar at the very end to keep the greens vibrant rather than olive-drab.
If the greens are too bitter, a pinch of sugar during the sautéing process can balance the flavor.
Save the washed greens in a zip-top bag lined with a paper towel; they keep for up to three days.
The ones that keep coming up.
How do I know when the greens are finished cooking?
They should be completely soft and supple, losing that raw, squeaky texture, but they should not be mushy or disintegrating.
Can I use the stems?
If you slice them very thinly, you can add them to the pan with the garlic, as they take longer to soften than the leaves.