5 Ingredients or Fewer

Pot-Roasted Collard Greens

December 29, 2013
5
3 Ratings
Photo by Tom Hirschfeld/ Bona Fide Farm Food
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

This recipe is totally based on Thomas Keller's recipe from his book Ad Hoc at Home. If you have never roasted collards or any other green, I highly recommend it. Pot-roasting them add a dimension not possible by simmering with water. The flavor becomes deep and resonant. —thirschfeld

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 8 cups collard greens, stems removed and leaves chopped into 1-inch squares, then rinsed twice and dried
  • 1/2 cup bacon lardons
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
  1. Heat the oven to 300? F.
  2. Place a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (with a tight-fitting lid) over medium heat. Add the bacon and let it start to render, then add the butter.
  3. Once the butter has melted, add half of the greens. Season them with a heavy pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir and turn under the greens so they are coated with fat. Add the rest of the greens and repeat the seasoning and turning.
  4. Cover the pot with the tight fitting lid and slide it into the oven. Roast for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, remove the lid, and stir. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Put the lid back on and let the collards set until ready to serve.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Fairmount_market
    Fairmount_market
  • AntoniaJames
    AntoniaJames
  • Kinhaven
    Kinhaven
  • Barb Mechura
    Barb Mechura
  • thirschfeld
    thirschfeld

18 Reviews

Patty December 2, 2023
Outstanding delicious and easy recipe. I used the pre-washed sliced collard greens from Lidl (10 oz) but stuck to the recipe otherwise. I am a Southern girl (66 yrs young) born & raised and these are THE BEST I have ever tasted. Thanks for such a great recipe!
 
Pam January 3, 2019
I found this to be outstanding. Such an earthy flavor - like the essence of the collards. Another reviewer mentioned the absence of "likker" and I too was surprised by the lack of liquid - but I tell myself that this method allows the nutrients to be retained by the leaves. And I also loved that the method didn't make the house smell like collards, and was relatively easy. Thanks!
 
Juliebell September 24, 2017
Fall is coming and I'm ready to bring this recipe out again. Delicious with roast pork, ham or roast chicken. Thanks again for posting this.
 
george May 4, 2017
What would be the likker for this? I've bee making collards, mainly for the likker; for years. This is outstanding: the way they should be made. But, I want a likker. Delicious AF recipe.
 
Fairmount_market September 5, 2015
I made these with chorizo in place of bacon and they were spectacular on tacos with pinto beans.
 
Ascender December 25, 2014
I was disappointed with this -- but I had to use kale. My store didn't have any collards. I stuffed about half of it into trout then baked them. Lemon juice helped a bit. Will try again next time I find collards.
 
AntoniaJames November 22, 2014
Incredible. One of the best new dishes I've tried in a good long while. On the menu for our Jeffersonian Yuletide celebration. And buying two bunches of collards tomorrow, to make this again! ;o)
 
thirschfeld November 22, 2014
Thanks Antonia! I, still, make this recipe at least once a week. I am so happy you enjoyed it.
 
Juliebell January 19, 2014
My first comment seems to have disappeared. This recipe is excellent. Very easy prep and wonderful flavor.
 
Linda January 15, 2014
What exactly is a collard green? I'm Australian and I've never seen them. Would English spinach or silverbeet be a substitute? I think Americans call silverbeet chard.
 
Woodekf January 15, 2014
Turnip greens and chard could probably be substituted, but both are fairly bitter. If I have to substitute, I go with kale, which is firmer, yet mild like the collard green. Excellent with keilbasa. And sometimes go Asian and use bok choy or Chinese broccoli. Man! Now I have to get something green and leafy to eat!
 
Linda January 16, 2014
Turnip greens? I don't think we have that either :) Bok choy and chinese broccoli are kitchen staples here. Many thanks for the clarification - reading foreign food blogs is always an education!
 
Ashley B. November 10, 2014
The English refer to them as spring greens; perhaps you, too, know them by this name?
 
ATG117 January 7, 2014
Never read about this technique. I may try it with a veg friendly fat as opposed to the bacon.
 
Kinhaven January 3, 2014
I use 3oz of packaged pancetta and it comes out great.
 
Woodekf January 1, 2014
Please! Tell me this is good for you!
 
Barb M. December 31, 2013
what are bacon lardons??
 
What W. January 1, 2014
Lardons are just bacon cut into thin strips, usually about 1" by 1/4".