Ingredients
- 2 bunches collard greens, washed and de-stemmed
- 4 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch (2 cm) squares
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 3 quarts (3 L) water
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ham hock, smoked
How to Make It
- Wash collard greens thoroughly. Remove the stems.
- Once all leaves are removed and stems discarded take 6–8 leaves at a time and roll them up. Using a chef ’s knife, cut the rolls every inch or so. Once cut, put all the cuttings into a large bowl and set aside for later.
- In a large stock pot, cook bacon until dark and crispy. Remove bacon and retain the drippings in the pot. Set bacon aside for garnishing later.
- Sauté garlic and onion in drippings until onions are translucent. Now drop in the collards a handful at a time. Toss them with a long spoon until they have wilted to ½ their original size.
- Add water, black pepper, and ham hock. Stir well and bring to a slight boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 30–40 minutes or until tender.
- Chop bacon into small bits. Remove the collards from pot and place in large serving bowl. Garnish with chopped bacon bits.
