These easy honey cider collard greens are a little sweet and a lot savory. Made with apple cider vinegar, honey, and garlic, these collards are perfect for New Year’s Day and all year!
This honey cider collard greens recipe was originally published in 2013 updated on December 26, 2018 with new photos!
Growing up in the Carolinas, I always knew what would be on the dinner table come New Year’s Day. Without fail, my Grandma would make collard greens, Hoppin’ John (field peas and rice), cornbread, and meat (usually ham).
With a handful of other superstitions, this traditional Southern meal was eaten for luck and good fortune in the New Year. In fact, eating greens on New Year’s Day is a common tradition around the world with cabbage, kale, and chard leading the bunch.
For health, wealth or taste alone, starting the year with greens and peas is a delicious way to good health and fortune in the New Year. At a young age, I learned that the greens symbolized money or economic fortune, and the peas were for luck. I’ve since grown to appreciate the wealth of nutrients in these foods. Collard greens are chock full of fiber, calcium, folate and vitamin A, which gives them a cancer-fighting quality. Like other dark leafy greens, collard greens are also a great source of lutein which supports eye health.
Choosing the best collard greens
In my opinion, the best flavor comes from young collard greens that you clean, cut and cook yourself. If the thought of preparing a big bunch of fresh collard greens is overwhelming, try the pre-washed and cut ones. (Use the bagged greens as soon as you can. I find that they tend to dry out quickly.) You can also experiment with turnip greens which are much easier to manage, but still nutritious and full of flavor.
Over the years, I’ve learned to create my own New Year’s Day meals minus the traditional salt pork and ham hocks used for seasoning. I use a drizzle of olive oil to tenderize the greens, and red pepper flakes or hot sauce for a little bit of spicy heat. My great-grandmother pickled hot peppers that we would enjoy on greens all winter long. Though I don’t have her recipe, I mimic that tangy flavor at the table with a healthy dash of apple cider vinegar.
Tips for Success
Choose a flavorful broth
I used a reduced sodium chicken broth for this recipe. Remember that your broth will add saltiness and flavor. Add salt to taste after the greens are done. Better yet, if you have ham broth, use that!
Note your “bunch” of collard greens
For this recipe, I used a small bunch of collard greens. When cleaned and cut, it was about 8 cups raw. If you have a huge bunch of greens, you’ll need more broth and more oil. Adjust as needed.
Cook the bacon until crisp
Cook the bacon slowly to avoid burning it. You can absolutely use the rendered bacon fat instead of olive oil. You can also use fatback in place of the bacon. I do think the bacon adds more smoky flavor though.
Cut the greens into about the same size (uniformly). This ensures even cooking. I cut my greens really small. It’s a family thing. Not everyone does this. But it’s the way we do it and it helps the greens cook faster.
Here’s my favorite way to eat traditional greens at the moment. Make them vegetarian by skipping the bacon or swapping in tempeh for some extra flavor. I swapped the bacon fat in the original recipe with a healthier oil and use cooked bacon to add a little smoky flavor.
Enjoy these collard greens with my Vegan Black-Eyed Peas!
Here’s the original photo 🙂
Honey Cider Collard Greens
Ingredients
- 1 1 small bunch fresh collard greens
- 2-4 slices thick sliced, center cut bacon
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small sweet onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1- 1½ cup broth (or more)
- dash hot sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Thoroughly clean the greens and remove the tough stems. Roll several collard leaves together into a tight bundle and slice into uniform strips. Uniformity is essential for even cooking.
- In a medium saucepan or pot with a lid, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the slices and any excess rendered bacon fat from the pan. Chop the bacon and set aside.
- In the same pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion. Saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute just until fragrant.
- Add the greens, apple cider vinegar, honey, half the broth, and hot sauce. Cover and simmer until the greens are tender, at least 45 minutes or longer depending on how thick you sliced the collard greens.
- Check the greens periodically. Stir and add more broth as necessary to the desired level of pot liquor. When the greens reach the desired tenderness (just taste some to see if they are tender), add the bacon back to the pot. Now, add your salt or pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
Tips for Success:
Choose a flavorful brothI used a reduced sodium chicken broth for this recipe. Remember that your broth will add saltiness and flavor. Add salt to taste after the greens are done. Better yet, if you have ham broth, use that! What’s a "bunch" of collard greens?
For this recipe, I used a small bunch of collard greens. When cleaned and cut, it was about 8 cups raw.
If you have a huge bunch of greens, you’ll need more broth and more oil. Adjust as needed. Cooking the bacon:
Cook the bacon slowly to avoid burning it. You can absolutely use the rendered bacon fat instead of olive oil. You can also use fatback in place of the bacon. I do think the bacon adds more smoky flavor though.
This recipe was inspired by the honey cider greens at my favorite southwestern eatery, Agave Restaurant, here in Atlanta.
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