Sam Sifton's Braised Collard Greens

By
Kate Williams
Kate Itrich-Williams is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kate Williams
Kate Itrich-Williams is a food writer, editor, and recipe developer who wrote the "Cook the Book" column for Serious Eats.
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Updated Apr. 04, 2019
Kate Williams

Despite my Southern heritage, I have never once eaten collards on Thanksgiving (I blame all those over-seasoned and over-cooked bowls of sludgy greens served at family reunions). After cooking up Sam Sifton's Braised Collard Greens, however, I may reconsider.

The greens are shredded then steamed briefly in a potent elixir of bacon fat, butter, and a bottle of beer. Once tender, they cook for only a few minutes to evaporate most of the beer from the pot, and are then tossed with a brightening dash of red wine vinegar. I knew going into the recipe that the bacon and butter would taste great with the greens, but the beer was a total surprise. Its beer-ness dissipates during cooking, leaving only malty sweetness and just a hint of fermented grain to the greens. It was this extra level of complexity that made these greens my favorite side of the season.

Why I picked this recipe: Curious about what beer could bring to the table, I couldn't pass up on this quick and easy green side.

What worked: Bacon, butter, and beer should always grace greens, collards or otherwise.

What didn't: I needed a couple extra minutes to cook off the beer once the greens were steamed, but the collards didn't suffer one bit.

Suggested tweaks: You could absolutely substitute kale or mustard greens here, but I'd steer clear of more tender greens like chard or spinach.

Reproduced by permission of Sam Sifton, author of Thanksgiving: How to Cook it Well. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the author or publisher, Random House.

Recipe Facts

4

(1)

Active: 25 mins
Total: 25 mins
Serves: 4 servings

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Ingredients

  • 1 large bunch collard greens, stemmed, the leaves rolled together and chopped into ribbons

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 3 thick slices bacon, cut into lardons

  • 1 bottle beer, amber or dark

  • Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes to taste

  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Directions

  1. Heat butter in a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat until it foams. Add bacon and sauté until it starts to brown.

  2. Add collards to the pan, turn the heat to high, and add the beer. Use a spoon to toss the greens in the fat and beer, then cover and cook for approximately 7 to 10 minutes, until greens are soft and wilted. Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until all the liquid has evaporated, another 3 to 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and peppers, add vinegar and toss to combine.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
265 Calories
16g Fat
13g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 265
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 21%
Saturated Fat 7g 34%
Cholesterol 31mg 10%
Sodium 467mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 23mg 116%
Calcium 190mg 15%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 246mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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