Brazilian Collard Greens with Bacon Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What takes the bitterness out of collard greens? ›

The foods that help reduce bitterness are: Salt while cooking and/or while eating (like on bitter salad greens) Sweet or Spicy. Sour or Acids like lemon or vinegar.

This might seem like an unusual addition if you're new to making collard greens, but the vinegar adds a welcome tangy note that brightens the dish and balances out the salty, savory flavors. A tablespoon of sugar also helps balance out the greens' potential bitterness.

Prepare the collard greens bath by filling your kitchen sink with cool water and adding vinegar and salt. Place the collard greens into the prepared water bath and swish them around several times, scrubbing them to help loosen up any dirt. Let the collard greens soak for 15-20 minutes, giving them a scrub midway.

Baking soda has infinite uses in cooking and beyond: It's a leavening agent, an odor neutralizer, and an antacid to name a few. In the case of collard greens, baking soda's utility is threefold, serving as a flavor enhancer, a tenderizer, and a color protector.

A quick dip in boiling water can leach out some of the bitter compounds in these greens. Add acid. We use lemon juice in our slow cooker collard greens, but any type of vinegar or even lime juice will work great. Tip: Add citrus acids after you take the dish off the heat.

Mix With Juice

If ice-cold water isn't enough to mask the taste of wheatgrass, try mixing your greens with orange juice or another juice with a strong flavor profile, like cranberry or mango.

Apple cider vinegar: Collards can be notoriously bitter. The vinegar balances the flavor and removes the bitterness. Stone House Seasoning: My favorite house blend seasoning of garlic, salt, and pepper. Sugar: A little bit helps remove any bitterness from the collard greens while giving a slightly sweet flavor.

Boiling: For most greens, such as collard, turnip or mustard greens, it takes about 6-10 minutes to boil them. Steaming: For greens such as kale, spinach, or chard, it takes about 3-5 minutes to steam them. Sautéing: For greens such as kale, spinach, or chard, it takes about 2-3 minutes to sauté them.

The most authentic collard greens, in my opinion, are made with smoked ham hocks or bacon. But, as time has passed, society has gotten more health conscious. So, many families began using alternatives such as smoked turkey necks, wings, and tails.

Make sure you let the water drain out of you collard greens as much as possible. Too much water in your pot will ruin your greens.

Can you overcook collard greens? ›

It is important to not overcook collard greens or kale, as they tend to give off a sulfur smell and taste bitter. Cut the leaves into one-half inch strips and steam for 5 minutes on the stove. Collard greens make a great addition to eggs and bean soup or can be served alone as a steamed vegetable with a dressing.

Long cooking time.

Slowly cooking collard greens not only softens the tough leaves, it also tames the leaves' bitter flavor.

Why Cut Collard Greens? Collard greens have large and sturdy leaves with tough central stems that can be challenging to chew and cook evenly. By removing these stems and cutting the leaves into uniform strips, you not only enhance the texture of the dish but also help the greens cook quicker and more evenly.

The Fix: Balance bitter flavors by introducing something salty, sweet, or sour. For naturally bitter foods such as kale, you can soften the flavor by add a lemony vinaigrette, Parmesan cheese, and pomegranate seeds. You can also elevate kale by tossing it olive oil and salt, then roasting it in the oven until crispy.

Sweetness: From sugar, honey, fruits or otherwise, sweetness will counteract bitter and sour flavours. It can also be used to cut down the heat of a particularly spicy meal. Saltiness: Salt plays two very important roles in flavouring a dish. Firstly, it balances against bitterness.

Here's the thing with bitter greens: You want to tame their bitterness, not eradicate it. Your secret weapon: salt. Although sugar may seem like a natural antidote, your taste buds won't think so. Try this: Sprinkle a bitter green like radicchio or endive with sugar and eat it.

Drain the collard greens and collect their juice. Add a little apple cider vinegar, hot sauce and sugar to the juice and pour it into the pot.