Blog

Salt Pork Collard Greens with Boiled Potatoes (Gluten-Free) --

Collard greens made with salt pork is a traditional "soul food" in the South.  It is hard to imagine holiday cooking without this scrumptious dish. This is a tribute to my grandmother's cooking-- where collards was a staple meal. Many consider this a side dish but during my childhood there were countless times that this was the main course. It is impossible to imagine collards without the potatoes and sometimes corn meal dumplings. By all means, do not forget the collard liquor, sometimes called pot likker. This is the liquid left behind after boiling the collards. This is a delicious part of the collards which we pour over the dumplings and potatoes. 

Let's make some collard greens and potatoes! 

 INGREDIENTS:

• 5 bunches collard greens
• 1 (12 oz.) package salt pork 
• 1 cup salt 
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt
• 2 tsp. black pepper
• 6 cups water

DIRECTIONS:

• Score salt pork.

• In a large pot, bring water to boil. Add salt pork, salt, and pepper. Continue to boil for 30 minutes to allow the pork to season the water.

•  Meanwhile, time to prepare the collards. Fill sink with cold water and about a cup of salt. One bunch at a time, wash collards in salt water. Sometimes the collards are very sandy and will need to be washed more than one time (this will also get any creepy-crawlies off the greens). 

• Remove the leaf from the stem that runs down the center of the green. Hold the leaf in one hand and with the other hand strip the leaf down.

• Place the collards in the pot of boiling water/pork.

• Repeat these steps with the other collards, one bunch at a time. Each bunch will fill the pot to the top, but by the time the next bunch is cleaned they will have cooked down.

• Cook on high for about an hour, until the greens are tender. 
• Add potatoes, make sure to cover them with liquid. Reduce heat and cook on medium for 20 minutes (or until the potato is tender when poked with a fork).

Viola!

We have salt pork collard greens and potatoes! Ladle collards and potatoes into bowls (don't forget to save some pot liquor). Serve with apple cider vinegar.