Smoky beef sausage and tender, tangy collard greens pair perfectly. Cook collards ahead for a quick weeknight meal.
I’m a big fan of greens in any form. Greens like collards that hold up to slow cooking are perfect to make ahead or use in leftovers. I cooked some on a weekend for dinner and saved some to use with my beef sausage.
Classic collard greens with a sweet and sour flavor blend perfectly with smoky meats like bacon, ham and sausage.
Collards, chard and other hearty greens sometimes get a bad rap for being tough or stringy. Remember to remove the ribs and tough ends for best results.
Smoked Sausage and Collard Greens
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped collard greens, ribs removed
- 1 cup sliced onions
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 2 slices thick bacon, chopped
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup broth, chicken or vegetable
- 1/2 pound smoked sausage, sliced (beef, pork or turkey)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Fry bacon with oil in a dutch oven over medium heat for about 4 minutes to render fat. Remove bacon pieces, set aside. Add onions and garlic, sauté for about 1 minute over medium high heat. Add collards and sauté for about 2 minutes to wilt greens.
- Dissolve sugar into vinegar and broth. Add mixture and reserved bacon pieces to greens. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes until collards are tender. Stir in red pepper flakes. Remove collards and keep warm.
- Fry sausage pieces over medium heat in the same dutch oven, just until meat sweats and starts to brown, about 2 minutes. Return greens mixture, stir and heat thoroughly.
