A Proper Pot of Greens

• total time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

6 center-cut bacon slices, chopped (about 2/3 cup)

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 2 1/2 cups)

2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic (about 4 large garlic cloves)

3 fresh bay leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons hot sauce (such as Crystal)

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 pounds fresh collard greens, thick stems removed, coarsely chopped (about 16 cups)

4 cups unsalted chicken stock

Directions

Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium, stirring often, until fat is mostly rendered and bacon is almost crisp, about 10 minutes. Add onion, garlic, bay leaves, Creole seasoning, salt, and black pepper; cook over medium, stirring often, until onion slightly softens, about 4 minutes. Add vinegar, hot sauce, and brown sugar; cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves and mixture is syrupy, about 30 seconds.

Add greens in 3 batches, stirring constantly and letting leaves wilt slightly before adding each addition. Stir in stock, and bring to a boil over medium-high. Cover and reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Season with salt to taste.

Nutrition

• Calories: 1805 kcal
• Total Fat: 45 g
• Saturated Fat: 9 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 107 mg
• Sodium: 4551 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 276 g
• Dietary Fiber: 131 g
• Total Sugars: 74 g
• Protein: 130 g