Greens...long and low or medium and short?
#11
  Re: (...)
Ok so I'm at the grocery store and meet with this delightful woman. She's putting some ham hocks in her basket and I ask (looking for inspiration) what are you using those for? She tells me I'm cooking up some greens.

I ask her "So what kind of greens and how long do you cook them for?" Keep in mind there is another woman listening in.

She says "Cook your hocks till they're about falling off the bone. Add you greens, 1 tbl of sugar and cook for about 40 min max. I mix collard greens which I put in first and then about 10 min later I add my turnip greens."

The other woman pipes in "Oh no child! I've been cookin greens longer than you've you been sitting on your daddy's knees!! You cook those hocks about 2 hours and add your greens. Add all of em and cook for about 4 more hours."

One said cook them too long and they get tough on you. The other if you don't cook them low and slow they'll be tough.

This is the abridged version by the way. This conversation went on for 20 minutes. So...do any of you cook collard greens and or mustard greens on a regular basis and if so how long? I have 5 bunches of collard greens and 2 bunches of turnip greens in the fridge waiting for tomorrow
Reply
#12
  Re: Greens...long and low or medium and short? by DFen911 (Ok so I'm at the gro...)
Forget the collards--throw them away. Use the ham hocks for black eye peas. Render some salt pork strips--rinse mustard greens,strip off ribs--shake off water and throw the leaves in hot pork fat--toss about 1 minute--when limp remove,--use the pot liquor, put over cornbread, or anything else --don't overcook the greens--mustards, turnips, tendergreens with vinegar pepper sauce are wonderful--you can't make collards fit to eat! (No matter how long you cook them--people used to eat collards because they had to).Don't do that!!
Eventually they will be removed from the gene pool and no one will remember them.
"He who sups with the devil should have a. long spoon".
Reply
#13
  Re: Re: Greens...long and low or medium and short? by Old Bay (Forget the collards-...)
Oh POOH! Bill is so wrong on this one! If you have good collards, they will get tender. I agree with the first lady, but I don't use sugar. But that's a personal preference. I know lot of people who do. The time they take to cook depends on how many you cook at once. Just keep "turning" them until bright green and tender. Be sure to remove all of the tough rib. I don't cut mine until I take them out, but some cut them in ribbons before cooking. I just find that some of them get mushy before they are all tender when you do that.

As for turnip greens, I'd need Mom's help with that. I don't eat them, so I don't cook them. They were my brother's favorite. (When she made one, she had to make both, or one of us would be disappointed...LOL!) But if you choose to mix them, I will say that I again agree with your first lady. They cook quicker, so would need to be added later.

Good luck and let us know what you think!
Daphne
Keep your mind wide open.
Reply
#14
  Re: Re: Greens...long and low or medium and short? by Old Bay (Forget the collards-...)
How interesting, Denise. Maybe they are like cooking squid - either cook the suckers very fast or cook them an hour and they are tender again. Could be. Kinda like my overcooked green beans, I'm thinkin'
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
Reply
#15
  Re: Greens...long and low or medium and short? by DFen911 (Ok so I'm at the gro...)
Denise, you had me running to find our book "Bib Mama's Old Black Pot". For collards, they say cook until tender. For mustard greens, the recipe is very similar to the first lady's recipe. Brown the hocks, and water and greens, coveer and cook on low 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper and 1 Tbsp cane syrup. Cook another 10-15 minutes. He cooks mustard and turnip greens, but Ive never had collards.
Practice safe lunch. Use a condiment.
Reply
#16
  Re: Re: Greens...long and low or medium and short? by Lorraine (Denise, you had me r...)
[blockquote]Quote:

Kinda like my overcooked green beans, I'm thinkin'[blockquote]Quote:



That's exactly what it is, Jean. Just a personal preference. I know people who were raised on collards that would turn their nose up at mine, while I wouldn't touch them overcooked. (But I do like overcooked green beans, though! )
Daphne
Keep your mind wide open.
Reply
#17
  Re: Re: Greens...long and low or medium and short? by Gourmet_Mom ([blockquote]Quote:[h...)
This is interesting.... I've never made greens or had any that I thought were good, so maybe I'm with Bill.

I just checked in my Best Recipe book for greens and it has a very different method. That has you cook the coarsely chopped greens in salted water for about 7 minutes. Then drain in a colander. Rinse the kettle in cold water to cool then refill with cold water. Pour greens into cold water to stop the cooking process. Then gather handful of greens and squeeze out the liquid.

Heat 2 garlic cloves sliced, red pepper flakes and 3 T of EVOO in a large saute pan over medium heat until garlic starts to sizzle. Add greens and cook to coat with oil. Add 1/3 cup of chicken stock and cover. Cook over medium high heat, adding more stock if necessary until greens are tender and juicy and most the stock has been absorbed, about 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

They write that they found cooking the greens in lots of water diluted their flavor too much. Shallow blanching removes enough bitterness to make the assertive greens palatable.
Reply
#18
  Re: Re: Greens...long and low or medium and short? by HomeCulinarian (This is interesting....)
I enjoy my mustard greens or turnip greens sauteed in a lipid-(bacon grease, fatback) for just enough time to wilt and maybe a minute more--they are delicious that way--serve with vinegar pepper sauce. Collards take forever to cook--I like most vegis crisp tender. Otherwise they are like coming out of a can. This is where I depart from Southern style--I don't like anything cooked to death! My inlaws cook that way (South Carolina)--they also drink sweet tea- yuk!!
"He who sups with the devil should have a. long spoon".
Reply
#19
  Re: Re: Greens...long and low or medium and short? by Old Bay (I enjoy my mustard g...)
Lol so the debate continues. I've eaten collard greens and just love them. I have 4 ham hocks and the first woman said to put all the greens - I have 5 bunches of collard greens, 2 bunches on turnip greens and 1 bunch of dandelion greens - into a pot a cook for 30-40 minutes. Of course is after the 2 hours the hocks cooked.

Now the other lady said do the same thing to the hocks, add your collard greens, cook about 2 hours, then add the lighter greens and cook another 30-40 minutes.

Good lord I'm so confused now hahaha. Time do more research. I gotta get these things on soon haha.
Reply
#20
  Re: Re: Greens...long and low or medium and short? by DFen911 (Lol so the debate co...)
Denise, split them up and cook half each way...then your problem is solved.
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)