Fried Collard Greens Recipe: How to Pan-Fry Collard Greens

Collard greens are leafy green vegetables with tough, inedible stems. They’re a member of the cabbage family (Brassicaceae), along with many other cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and turnip greens. Collard greens are slightly bitter and taste like a cross between cabbage, kale, and Swiss chard. Since this vegetable is quite fibrous and can withstand a long cooking time, it’s common to prepare it by braising or stewing. Though originally from Europe and Asia Minor, collard greens became part of the Southern culinary lexicon, commonly stewed in their potlikker—the liquid left behind after the greens are boiled—until dark and soft.

Fried collard greens is a dish of greens, pan-fried in rendered bacon fat until tender. Cooking the greens in bacon fat over medium heat allows them to gently fry without burning. It’s common to prepare fried green beans using the same technique. Serve Southern collard greens as a side dish alongside other soul food favorites like gumbo, cornbread, and black-eyed peas.

Flavorful Southern-style collard greens start with a thorough wash and choosing the right sauté pan.

1. 1. Thoroughly clean your greens. When you bring home collard greens from the grocery store or farmers’ market, they may still have some dirt or insects clinging to their leaves. Clean your collards by soaking them in cold water for ten to fifteen minutes: When you see the dirt coming off the greens and in the water, give the leaves a good swish. Next, rinse the leaves with clean water and dry them thoroughly with clean dish towels. From there, you’re ready to prepare them for cooking.
2. 2. Choose the right pan. Collard greens are voluminous in their raw form but will cook down when fried, so you’ll need a big enough pan to accommodate them. Choose a large skillet (sloped sides) or large sauté pan (straight sides) big enough to fit all of the collard greens in a single layer. If you overcrowd the pan, the greens will not cook evenly. A heavy-bottomed pan will help distribute heat evenly. Stainless steel sauté pans, aluminum fry pans, and cast-iron skillets are all good options.
3. 3. Add some acid. To balance the bitter flavor of collard greens, add an acidic flavor in the form of a few dashes of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Add the acid once the sautéed greens are off the heat, since cooking can change their flavor.
4. 4. Choose a smoked protein. Sliced bacon, ham hocks or other cured pork products are traditional, but you can flavor an-fried collard greens with other smoked proteins, such as smoked turkey wings. For a vegetarian dish, use olive oil to replace the rendered bacon fat.
5. 5. Add some spice. Add a pinch of Cajun spice or red pepper flakes your collard greens for some kick.
6. 6. Keep your heat steady. For steady, even cooking, keep your pan at medium heat. High heat will scorch the bacon before you are able to render enough of the fat to cook collard greens to the desired tenderness.