How to Cook Fresh Collard Greens

Method 1: Prepping the Greens 

1. Take out the bunch’s stem. Holding the leaves together with your non-dominant hand. Make a slim cut from the bottom of the stem using your dominant hand to separate the leaves.
2. Place the leaves in a bowl of water and soak them. Fill a large mixing basin halfway with warm water and add the collard greens and a pinch of salt. As an abrasive, salt aids in the removal of dirt and contaminants. Rinse the leaves after gently scrubbing them with your hands.
3. Pick up each leaf, reach the spine and cut it out. Arrange each leaf on the counter in a single layer. Cut down the spine on either side with a sharp knife, dividing the leaf into two sections and removing the spine completely.
4. The length of the leaves should be stacked and rolled up. A lot of stacks might need to be made to achieve tight rolls.
5. Make a ribbon with the greens. Allow the parts to unwind into long strips by separating them with your fingertips.

Method 2: Sautéing

1. In a heavy, large skillet, the oil should be heated to 350°F. Use medium-high heat to heat the olive oil until it is hot.
2. Use a spatula to sauté  the minced garlic, garlic, to avoid burning Cook for another 20 seconds, or until the color of the garlic starts to change to a light tan or a darker yellow
3. Add collard greens in strips. To ensure that all of the greens receive the same amount of garlic, heat, and oil, it is advisable to add all of them at once rather than in batches. Stir in the strips with a spatula to coat all of the greens in oil.
4. Season the greens with a pinch of salt and a sprinkling of spicy peppers. Use your spatula to mix the collard greens with jalapeños or crushed red pepper and salt to incorporate the seasonings and combine everything from the top to the bottom. To ensure that the greens are combined evenly, repeat the process multiple times.
5. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Constantly toss the collard green using your spatula. Allow it to rest for a short period of time before moving it. The only method to assure uniformly heated and cooked greens are to move them around.
6. When the leaves are barely wilted, remove them from the heat. However, the greens should remain vibrant. The pan should be removed from the heat and turned off the stove.
7. Add vinegar to the mixture. Cider vinegar or red wine vinegar will suffice if you can’t get balsamic vinegar. Coat the greens again with the vinegar.
8. Warm it up and serve.

Method 3: Frying. 

1. Collard green leaves should fill the pot halfway. The stems and bunches from the spines and the leaves should have been removed already.
2. Place the greens in a bowl of cold water and soak them for 3 to 5 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, dissolve some salt in water. It should be thoroughly combined.
4. Remove the leaves from the sink by draining them.
5. Rinse the collard greens twice more.
6. Use medium heat to fry the bacon in a skillet or pot. Crisp up the bacon in a skillet. The cooked bacon should then be removed, crumbled, and left aside, with the bacon drippings remaining in the pot.
7. Fry the collard greens, which have been drained, in the bacon drippings. The collards should be allowed to wilt and absorb the bacon oil for several minutes in the skillet. After that, cover the saucepan with a lid.
8. Fill the pot with a little bit of water. While steaming the collard greens, mix the ingredients together.
9. In the same pot, combine the sugar, bouillon cube, and salt. To add more taste and flavor, the pot of greens should be seasoned with salt, granulated sugar, and a cube of chicken bullion.
10. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes on low heat with the lid on the pot. Cook the collard greens in the pot until they are soft and dark green, about 15 minutes.
11. Remove the liquid from the container.
12. Serve. When the greens are ready, finely cut them with two sharp knives and top with crumbled bacon. Serve the greens immediately after adding the apple cider vinegar.

Method 4: Blanching 

1. The ribs and tough stems of the collard greens should be removed and discarded.
2. Chop the leaves into small pieces with a knife.
3. Blanch the leaves for 8 to 12 minutes in a big pot of salted boiling water. The collard greens should be boiled until cooked and dark green, adding a pinch of salt to the saucepan.
4. They should be rinsed in cold water after draining them to wring out any residual liquid.
5. Serve. These blanched collards greens can be served alone or as a side dish to the main course.

Method 5: By Oven

1. Cut the collard greens into strips and set them aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Drizzle some olive oil over the collard greens and season with salt and pepper.
4. Place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed or lined with parchment paper.
5. Allow 20 minutes for cooking. Cook for another half-hour.
6. Remove it from the oven and serve them immediately.