How to make collard greens

These are the basic items that you will need to make delicious Southern-style collard greens

Wash each collard leaf individually, inspecting carefully for insects that still may be clinging on (sounds gross but it happens!). Set them aside for the moment.

Dice the onion.

Add oil to large pot or Dutch oven. I used garlic and herb oil.

Add onions and sauté until almost translucent.

Add garlic to onions and continue to cook until onions are caramelized. Add some salt and pepper to taste.

I also added in a handful of celery that I had on hand. Completely optional.

Add vinegar. Let the odor saturate your kitchen. Others will leave. Enjoy the temporary solitude (don't worry, they will be back!) :)

Add broth. I use vegetable because I don't eat meat but feel free to use chicken if you'd prefer.

Add a few dashes of hot sauce (the more the better around here). It doesn't make it spicy, it just adds depth to the flavor. If you eat meat, you can also add ham hocks or smoked turkey wings here.

Bring it all to a boil then cover and reduce heat to simmer. Let the broth cook while you chop the greens.

Lay each leaf on a cutting board. Using a sharp paring knife, remove the center stem.

The stem is tough and never really gets tender. That's why you didn't enjoy that last serving of canned collards that you had. They cut the bottoms but don't completely removed the stems.

Once you have de-stemmed a few leaves, make a neat stack on your cutting board. They are ready for chopping.

Roll the stack into a long cigar. Doesn't have to be perfect, it's just easier to chop this way.

Cut the cigar into half-inch slices.

Move the slices to a bowl. They are ready for cooking.

Add the cut leaves to your simmering liquor. You may need to make a few trips as your bowl fills.

It also gives the greens in the pot a chance to wither and reduce in size to make room for the next batch.

This is what your bowl of stems will look like. Simply compost or dispose of these.

As you add fresh greens, try to give them a turn to get the new leaves on the bottom. The olive green leaves above were on the bottom of the pot. Eventually, they all cook through and turn dark green.

Simmer on low for about 2 hours. Taste every once in a while. If they are too vinegary, you can offset it with a few teaspoons of sugar.

Serve as a side dish (top with hot sauce if you'd like). Traditionally we eat collard greens on New Year's Day to represent money in the new year. And black eyed peas are for good luck! Enjoy!!