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These Southern collard greens with bacon cook low and slow until the leaves are tender and the pot liquor is smoky, savory, and lightly sweet. The bacon flavors every bite, while a splash of vinegar keeps the rich cooking liquid from feeling too heavy.
Serve them for Sunday dinner, a holiday meal, or a Southern barbecue plate. They’re especially good with baked macaroni and cheese, homemade cornbread, and Southern candied sweet potatoes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy-to-find smoked meat: Bacon gives the greens plenty of smoky flavor without needing ham hocks or smoked turkey.
- Tender and flavorful: The greens slowly simmer in a seasoned broth until soft without completely falling apart.
- Balanced, not overly sweet: Brown sugar rounds out the earthy flavor of the greens, while vinegar adds a little tang.
- Simple stovetop method: Most of the cooking time is hands-off once everything is in the pot.
- Easy to adjust: Taste the pot liquor at the end and add more vinegar, sweetness, heat, or salt as needed.
Ingredients Needed
- Fresh collard greens: I use chopped greens with the thick stems removed. Prewashed, bagged collard greens save time, but check them for any large stem pieces before cooking.
- Thick-cut bacon: Cut it into strips or small pieces so the flavor is spread throughout the pot.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted butter works. Keep the salt level of your bacon and broth in mind.
- Yellow onion: Dice or thinly slice it.
- Garlic cloves: Fresh minced garlic gives the best flavor, but jarred garlic also works.
- Chicken broth: Low-sodium broth makes it easier to season the greens at the end.
- Apple cider vinegar: This adds tang and balances the rich bacon and butter.
- Brown sugar: A small amount rounds out the greens without making them taste sugary.
- Red pepper flakes: Add these for a little heat or leave them out.
- All-purpose herb seasoning: I use a savory blend with herbs, black pepper, garlic, and lemon.
- Chicken broth paste: Concentrated broth or bouillon paste adds more flavor to the cooking liquid.
- Sea salt: Add this last since the bacon, broth, and broth paste already contain salt.
How to Cook Collard Greens With Bacon
- Brown the bacon and soften the onions. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and onion. Cook until the onions are soft and the bacon is browned around the edges.
- Add the garlic. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant. Keep it moving so it does not burn.
- Wilt the collard greens. Add the chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, and collard greens. The pot will look very full at first. Turn the greens through the liquid as they wilt and settle into the pot.
- Cook until tender. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Simmer for about 75 minutes, stirring occasionally. The greens should become tender, with some flavorful cooking liquid remaining at the bottom.
- Season to taste. Stir in the brown sugar, red pepper flakes, herb seasoning, and broth paste. Taste the greens and pot liquor before adding salt.
The collard greens are ready when the leaves are soft, the remaining stems are no longer chewy, and the cooking liquid tastes smoky, savory, tangy, and just a little sweet.
Cooking Notes
Check bagged greens before adding them
Prewashed collard greens make this recipe much easier, but they can still include thick stem pieces. Pick those out so the finished greens have a softer, more even texture.
Keep some pot liquor in the pot
The seasoned cooking liquid left behind is often called pot liquor. The greens should simmer in it rather than cook dry. Add a small splash of broth if the liquid evaporates before the greens are tender.
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Add the final seasonings near the end
The bacon, broth, and broth paste become saltier and more concentrated as the greens cook. Waiting to finish the seasoning gives you more control over the flavor.
Use the brown sugar to balance, not sweeten
Start with the amount in the recipe, then taste. The greens should not taste like a sweet side dish. The sugar is there to soften the sharp, earthy flavor.
Reserve some bacon for a crisp topping
The bacon that simmers with the greens will soften. For a little texture, set aside a few browned pieces and add them just before serving.
Storage and Reheating
- Store: Refrigerate the collard greens with their pot liquor in an airtight container for up to five days.
- Reheat: Warm them in a covered saucepan over low heat or microwave them until hot. Add a splash of broth if needed.
- Freeze: Freeze cooled collard greens and their cooking liquid for up to three months. Thaw them in the refrigerator before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Remove the thick stems and cook the greens slowly until tender. Apple cider vinegar balances their earthy flavor, while the bacon, broth, and small amount of brown sugar round it out.
Vinegar adds acidity and keeps the bacon-rich cooking liquid from tasting too heavy. It also helps balance the naturally bitter flavor of the greens.
Yes, although collard greens are forgiving. They become softer the longer they cook, but eventually they can turn mushy. Begin checking them near the end of the cooking time and stop once the leaves and remaining stems are tender.
Yes. Bacon gives the greens smoky flavor, richness, and seasoned drippings. It is also easier to find and cooks much faster than ham hocks.
Yes. For collard greens made with smoked turkey, try my pressure cooker collard greens. My Crockpot collard greens use ham hocks and cook low and slow until tender.
What to Serve With Southern Collard Greens
For a Southern comfort-food plate, serve these greens with other sides like baked macaroni and cheese, homemade cornbread, and Southern candied yams. For the main dish, add slow cooker ribs, baked turkey wings, or pressure cooker turkey breast.
More Collard Greens Recipes
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Collard Greens with Bacon
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Ingredients
- 1 lb Collard Greens, chopped, about 12 cups, end stems removed. I buy these packaged to save time
- 1/4 cup Butter, salted, but use unsalted to salt to taste
- 1 cup Yellow Onion, diced
- 1 lb Bacon, thick cut, about 6-8 slices
- 2 tbsp Garlic, minced
- 1.5 cup Chicken Broth, low sodium
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar, or more to taste
- 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/2 tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt
- 1 tsp 24 Herbs Sprinkle Seasoning (Salt-free)
- 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 2 tsp Chicken Better than Bouillon
Instructions
- Melt butter in a pot or dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add onions and bacon. Cook until the onions are translucent & the bacon is browned.
- Add garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant (about 1 minute).
- Add the broth, vinegar, and collard greens. Stir. Cook on medium until the leaves begin to wilt (about 10 minutes).
- Turn the heat to low. Cover the greens in the pot and allow them to cook for 75 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients, stir and serve.
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Recipe Notes
- Prepare the greens: Prewashed bagged collard greens save time, but check for and remove any thick stem pieces.
- Season at the end: Bacon, broth, and broth paste all contain salt, so taste the greens before adding more.
- Keep the pot liquor: Add a splash of broth if the cooking liquid starts to dry out before the greens are tender.
- Balance the flavor: The brown sugar should soften the earthy flavor of the greens without making them taste sweet.
- Storage: Refrigerate the greens with their cooking liquid for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Details
The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used.
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