Southern Style Pressure Cooker Collard Greens Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long do you pressure can collard greens? ›

Process jars in a weighted gauge pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure at altitudes of 0 to 1,000 ft (or at 15 pounds pressure at altitudes above 1,000 ft). Process pints for 70 minutes and quarts for 90 minutes.

This might seem like an unusual addition if you're new to making collard greens, but the vinegar adds a welcome tangy note that brightens the dish and balances out the salty, savory flavors. A tablespoon of sugar also helps balance out the greens' potential bitterness.

Nitrogen is essential for collards to produce high-quality leaves. Side dress the plants with 5 pounds of calcium nitrate (15.5-0-0) per 1000 square feet or 300 feet of row three to four weeks after planting. For smaller gardens, use ½ pound of calcium nitrate fertilizer per 100 square feet or 30 feet of row.

In the case of collard greens, baking soda's utility is threefold, serving as a flavor enhancer, a tenderizer, and a color protector. Baking soda is an alkali salt possessing the tenderizing and flavor-enhancing properties of regular salt.

Unfortunately, once you overcook a piece of meat in the pressure cooker, there's no going back. You'll be left with a pile of dry, crunchy, tasteless fibers and no amount of additional pressure cooking is going to put that moisture back into the meat. Earlier, I explained how ingredient size affects the cooking time.

Pour liquid into the pot and bring to a boil. Add prepared greens (greens should have stems removed, washed, and torn into pieces). Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour or until greens are tender.

Add Vinaigrette, Emphasis on "Vinegar"

Acidity can really bring a pleasant flavor out of bitter greens. If they're being used for a salad, it's good to add a vinaigrette with plenty of acidity to brighten it up. If you are sauteing, add some vinegar or citrus to the greens to finish them off.

If you have added too much vinegar to a recipe, you can try adding a bit of sugar or honey to help balance the acidity. You could also try diluting the vinegar by adding more of the other ingredients in the recipe.

Plant in fertile soil because collards should grow fast to produce tender leaves. They need fertile, well-drained soil with a soil pH of 6.5 to 6.8 to discourage clubroot disease. To check your soil pH, test the soil with a do-it-yourself kit or one you can get from your regional Cooperative Extension office.

Are coffee grounds good for collard greens? ›

According to a study from North Carolina State University, the ratio of fertilizer in used coffee grounds is: 3.1 - 0.3 - 0.3. This means it is pretty Nitrogen heavy. It's a great fertilizer to use around your leafy vegetables (like collards, kale, spinach, lettuce, and chard).

Collards do enjoy some good fertilizer in the soil to help them grow big leaves that are sweet and juicy. To fertilize my collard greens I use natural fertilizers like fish emulsions, Epsom salts, and compost tea.

All you need to do is add a teaspoon of baking soda to your boiling water or stock to ensure that your collard greens are flavorful, tender, and vibrant.

It is important to not overcook collard greens or kale, as they tend to give off a sulfur smell and taste bitter. Cut the leaves into one-half inch strips and steam for 5 minutes on the stove. Collard greens make a great addition to eggs and bean soup or can be served alone as a steamed vegetable with a dressing.

The preferred method of preserving hearty greens is freezing because it provides a higher quality product than canning or drying. Heartier greens such as spinach, mustard greens, beet tops, collards, kale, and Swiss chard can be frozen. As a low acid food, greens can only be pressure canned.

A little bit of table or seasoned salt, some pepper, a pinch of sugar, a drop of vinegar, and something spicy like cayenne or red pepper flakes will help level up the flavor of your canned greens.

It is important to not overcook collard greens or kale, as they tend to give off a sulfur smell and taste bitter. Cut the leaves into one-half inch strips and steam for 5 minutes on the stove. Collard greens make a great addition to eggs and bean soup or can be served alone as a steamed vegetable with a dressing.

For soft, silky collards, cook them for about 2 hours.

If you prefer the greens to have more texture and a bit of chew, start checking them at the 45-minute mark.