Tangy Collard Greens #NAKANORiceVinegars

I wanted to make a Southern style Thanksgiving this year, so of course collard greens had to be part of the meal. While it’s a great dish for holiday meals, you can make collard greens any time of year, from fancy sit down dinners to backyard barbeque parties.

Usually, collard greens are made with a bacon or slices of fatty pork, so I tried to health up the recipe – and keep the taste – by using turkey bacon instead. The original recipe also called for six pounds of greens, so I halved it as that was way too much for one meal. Even so, you’ll need to make this in a large pot.

If three pounds of collard greens are too much for your pot, fill it with as much collard greens as possible and cover with a lid. Wait awhile until they cook down and add some more. It’s amazing how much collard greens will shrink down. Also, use presliced collard greens to save time and hassle if they’re available in your area of the country.

Finally, I used NAKANO’s Red Pepper Seasoned Rice Vinegar instead of cider vinegar. I love how NAKANO’s rice vinegars are already seasoned and sweetened, saving you a few steps in the cooking process. Make sure to keep a bottle on the table in case your dinner guest want to splash on some more!

Tangy Collard Greens

Yield: 8 servings

Based on a recipe by Chef Ted Lahey of Table and Main, a Southern Tavern in Roswell. Georgia from Local Palate magazine

Ingredients:

1/2 pound turkey bacon
1/4 pound yellow onion, chopped
1/2 ounce garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 tablespoon salt
3 pounds collard greens, chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons NAKANO Red Pepper Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1 cup ham broth*

Directions

Cook bacon until frothy. Add onion and garlic and cook until translucent.
Add spices, collards, stevia, and liquid. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook covered until tender (about one hour).

*To make ham broth, simmer water with a ham bone for two to three hours, then refrigerate and skim off fat.

My ham broth method: I used the leftover bones and skin from the pig we grilled for our open house party that I had frozen. I put a gallon freezer bag’s worth in a stock pot, covered it with water, and brought it to a boil over high heat. After reducing the heat, I simmered the pig leftovers for a couple of hours and then let the broth cool. Finally, I ran the broth through a fine mesh colander and froze any ham broth I didn’t need for this recipe for my next batch of collard greens!

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Disclosure: Mizkan, the parent company of NAKANO, provided compensation for this post. All opinions and experiences are my own.

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