How Do I Cook Greens?

Question

Would rather cook the ones that arent frozen but frozen greens would be cool too, any suggestions? How long do I let them cook for, how high do I turn the stove on?

Answer 1

If you are cooking fresh greens cooking time depends on the type of greens...

For instance collards are tougher and take longer to cook

Kale cooks quickly

Wash the greens and remove stems and veins...[unless you like them]

Bring to water to boil with a small piece of ham hock or ham or a couple strips of bacon or smoked turkey wings....simmer for awhile [15 min or so]

Add greens and cook on medium heat until tender - hard to tell you how long because it really depends on whether you like them Southern Style or Al Dente .... cooking greens and how long is a matter of personal taste so I'd check them every few minutes to see what your preferred taste is.

Frozen greens are not as tasty

Answer 2

Greens are to me a southern dish but maybe because I am from the south and I cook southern. Fresh mustard greens or turnip greens should be washed carefully more than once. Put then in kitchen sink and put about 1/2 c. salt. this will help to remove dirt, grim and any little bugs. I wash mine 3 times. In large pot, put a little smoked pork jowl or bacon will do, amount depends on how greasy, let this be boiling while cleaning greens. After 3 times, start adding greens to boiling water and after all greens are in the pot, cook about 60 minutes or until they get to the consistency you like. add a little sugar, not much about 2 T. if the greens are a little bitter. Make a big pone of cornbread and cook some dried white beans and you have a meal!!!!!!!I like my green with a little vinegar....so very....very....good! Frozen greens do not take as long to cook but are not as tasty as the fresh ones. Hope this helps...Pat

Answer 3

Now I'm from the South so I cook my greens the old-timey way. I use fresh ones and run them through three cold water baths to get all the sand and impurities out. I put them in a soup pot with water, a piece of jowl bacon, bits of country ham or fat back, some diced onion, minced garlic, a few chicken bouillon cubes, a teaspoonful of sugar and some Creole seasoning. Bring them to a boil and cut the heat to simmer. Cover and cook till they are as done as you like them. I like my greens well done. I always make a big pot full and they cook an hour or so. Adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. I like to mix turnip greens, collards, and some kale. That's such a good blend. I serve with warm crusty cornbread and keep the apple cider vinegar cruet on hand for those who like that added to theirs. I also serve with tabasco peppers on the side and some pickled green tomatoes..

Answer 4

Fresh greens like spinach and collard greens need to br rinsed thoroughly to get rid of the sand, pat dry then melt some butter in a pan over medium high heat, add garlic (minced) cook to aroma which means when you can smell it, add the greens and let wilt. Stir them a bit to distribute butter and garlic. They will get darker and floppier and if you pile your pan to overflow, thats okay, because if you are feeding 2 people, lets say, you will need like 5 cups of uncooked greens, they shrink up. You can add sausage to the pan too if you like but if its for a side dish, after its wilted and looks like defrosted frozen spinach in the pan, add some parmesan cheese, mmmmm tasty!

Answer 5

If you buy fresh greens, clean them real good, then pot them in a pot, add water, cover the greens with water almost to the top, add sal t and pepper, and put a hamhock in there, that adds great flavor, and onion if you like onions. Boil them till they are nice and soft. Hope that helped!!!

Answer 6

Depends on what kind. In any case, you should clean them really good (sand and worms). Go to the food network site: http://web.foodnetwork.com/food/web/encyclopedia/termSearchResult - for the quickest result. You can do a search on a particular recipe - Syliva's in New York or B.Smith's. My best advice is to ask someone (preferrably Southern) to get that down home recipe.

Answer 7

steam them for about 4-5mins