Easy Sautéed Collard Greens

Before my husband plowed up this year’s garden, he found a little patch of volunteer collard greens from last year. I was pretty excited to see fresh greens after the long winter!

I usually cook my greens like this recipe I’m about to share. My mother and I discovered this way of cooking greens several years ago– I even forget where we found it. It’s really easy and will turn a greens hater into a greens lover. (My testimony!)

Take your pile of greens, and wash them well.

Put them on the cutting board and slice them about half an inch thick, stem and all. Chop them horizontally, so the pieces are still kind of longish. I never chop them up very fine.

Heat an iron skillet with some bacon grease or lard.

Bonus for tiny pieces of chopped bacon or fatback.

Once the oil is heated, throw in the chopped greens.

Season with salt and pepper. Sometimes I’ll add some garlic powder.

Cook them for about 20 minutes. They will wilt down considerably.

Keep them stirred every few minutes so they don’t burn.

Easy peasy! And so yummy. Even little boys will eat these! My husband doesn’t even use vinegar on them when I cook them this way. The difference between these and the canned variety…fresh sautéed greens have a tiny bit of crunch. Not in a bad way. But they are not mushy. I like this way better than when they are boiled.