Cooking Greens? Anyhelp is needed?

Question

I need help, please don't laugh but how do you cook greens. I knwo about cleaning them and cutting and such. but cooking them. How do you know when to pour the water off the greens and what do u do after that. please help, i am cooking greens on tuesday, so i can get it down to a science by thanksgiving. Thanks

greens such as mustard, turnips and collards

Answer 1

It depends on which greens you are using. Collard greens take a while to cook. Kale not quite as long. Make sure to strip them off of the bitter stems.

Greens benefit from being cooked with smoked meat, such as porck hock or smoked turkey legs or necks. It really adds to the flavor.

The water in which you cook the greens is called pot liquor. You don't want to pour it off, instead use a slotted spoon to take out the finished greens. Use the pot liquor for soup; many people just like to drink the broth at the meal.

The thing about greens is that you have to cook them long enough. Though most vegetables benefit from being cooked "al dente", greens don't. How long you cook them depends on the greens, like I said, but also on the age of the greens. Young ones will need less cooking time than old ones.

For collard greens I'd say at least 45 minutes. You can tell if they are tender or tough and adjust the cooking time accordingly. Good luck!!

Answer 2

There are four main types of greens: kale, collard, mustard and turnip.

The strong greens (kale, collards, mustard greens, turnip greens and beet greens, to name a few) have rather a bad reputation as bitter and slimy. Cooked to somewhat less than the point of death, though, greens can be a wonderful, potent wake-up call for the mouth.
•Kale has a mild cabbage flavor. It can be steamed, blanched, sauteed and added to soups or salads.
•Collard greens are also cabbage-like in flavor. They are traditionally cooked for several hours so that the leaves are tender. They can also be simmered in broth for 20 to 30 minutes. Collards can be seasoned with garlic, chili peppers, ginger or curry. Plain collards can be topped off with a favorite cheese or even curry.
•Mustard greens are usually slow cooked or blanched and added to soups, purees or sautes. The smaller raw leaves can be added to salads.
•Turnips have a harsh flavor when raw, so they are usually cooked in a broth, with a piece of salt pork or ham hock added for seasoning, for about an hour. Turnip leaves should be crisp and fresh when purchased.
•Do not cook turnip leaves in an aluminum pan because it will darken the leaves and give them a metallic flavor.
Instructions:

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STEP 1: Wash greens well to remove any dirt or sand.
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STEP 2: Remove the stems if they're thick. Don't toss them; chop them into bite-sized pieces. You can cook them later or eat them with the greens. (They'll take a little longer to cook, so start them first.)
* STEP 3: Boil the greens for 3 to 5 minutes in salted water, or until just tender. (Add the stems a few minutes before the leaves.)
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STEP 4: Steam the greens for 2 to 3 minutes.
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STEP 5: Braise greens by heating a little olive oil over medium heat. Add some minced garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for 30 seconds, then add the greens, along with the water that clings to their leaves from washing. Sauté the greens until they're slightly wilted, then cover and braise until tender (just a few minutes). Season with salt and pepper.
* STEP 6: Pair greens with beans such as chick peas (garbanzo beans) or white beans. The beans make for a hearty dish and mellow out the taste of the greens.
* STEP 7: Spruce up greens with diced tomato and a dash of lemon juice or hot pepper sauce.
* STEP 8: For traditional Southern greens, boil with pork shoulder for an extended period - up to an hour.

Southern Mustard Greens
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. bacon
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 lb. mustard greens, cleaned and sliced
2 Tbs. vinegar
1/2 tsp. pepper
Preparation:
Fry the bacon in a deep pan, then remove from the pan, leaving the bacon grease in the pan. Add the onion and brown. Add mustard greens and lower the heat to medium.
After the greens start to wilt, add the cooked bacon back to the pan and cover. Cook for about an hour. If they start to dry out, add water. When finished cooking, season with the vinegar and pepper.

Answer 3

Put your onion and whatever other kind of seasoning you will use in the pot along with your seasoning meat (Salted smoked turkey or hamhocks) Let them cook until juicy. Add a little bit of chicken broth to the pot and then add your greens and season with salt pepper to taste. Put the lid on and open RARELY to stir. Dont try to cook them too fast or they will stick. It should steam nicely. Add more broth if needed.

Answer 4

My husband makes wonderful greens.
Start with some water (1/2 - 3/4 cup), some type of fat (bacon fat is wonderful).
Add greens and they will start wilting quickly. Stir and cook over low/med heat for about 45 minutes.
Add bacon bits, salt & pepper.

Yummy.

Answer 5

OK you wash those suckers really good cut them up...And put into pot....Cover just barley over the top with water....Salt good pour about 6 tablespoons of cooking oil in them and session with fat back.....Cook until tender meaning you will keep adding some water to them as the cook down.....When they have cooked to tenderness and are done I always sprinkle about 3 heaping tablespoons of sugar to them to take out the bitterness....Stir and let cook for about 10 minutes to allow sugar to cook in....Good luck You can session them with most any thing you want to use....Ham joules...Chicken wings are good to...cooking bacon and using the bacon grease.......God bless you ....The grease is what tenders them and the meat you choose sessions them...The most important thing is to dee stalk them and dee vain them ...Because that is what makes them bitter...

Answer 6

y dont have to pour your water off season your green with salt redpepper bacon grease let them cook about 1 hr. taste them should be soft and good p.s leave about a half of cup of juice in your pot.the broth is great to drink.

Answer 7

if your talkin about "southern" greens...than you need some fat-back, a lot of salt, pepper, and an onion. Then just let them simmer for a couple of hours until they are good and saturated with the fat-back. Serve them with pepper vinegar.

Answer 8

Add some kind of meat "jowl bacon or hamhocks" garlic salt crushed red pepper its all in the seasoning

Answer 9

Ask the experts. Whatever you are cooking type that key word in the recipe search at Foodtv.com. Bon Apetit! :)

Answer 10

i usually steam my veges in a steamer. and depending what it is i give it 15-20 minutes then test if its cook with a fork,knife skewer etc. then put a dolop of butter on top salt and pepper