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Collard Greens with Pork Belly

Source of Recipe

From "Pig: King of the Southern Table" by James Villas


Recipe Introduction

"Stronger in taste than turnip greens but milder than mustard greens and kale, collard greens are cooked in the South with every type of pork side meat imaginable and are believed by many to produce the most flavorful cooking liquid (pot likker) for dunking cornbread. The peak season for collards is January through April, when the leaves are bright and crisp with little evidence of yellowing, wilting, or insect damage. Like all tough Southern greens, collards must be cooked slowly for at least an hour to attain perfect tenderness and to absorb the flavor of the pork. If you want something really special, toss the greens with about a cup of chopped pecans that have been slightly browned in butter."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 3 pounds fresh collard greens
â—¦ ¼ pound lean pork belly
â—¦ 8 cups water
â—¦ ¼ cup cider vinegar
â—¦ 1 tablespoon salt
â—¦ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ Tabasco sauce to taste


Recipe

Remove and discard the ribs of the collards, tear the leaves into bite-size pieces, and place in a large stainless-steel or enameled pot. Add the pork belly, water, vinegar, salt, and pepper, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer till the collards are very tender, 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Remove the pork belly, cut off and discard any rind, cut the meat into small pieces, and return the pieces to the pot. Add the Tabasco, reheat till the collards and pork are piping hot, and serve in small bowls with pot likker spooned over the top.

Makes 6 servings