If you have ever wondered what canned collard greens taste like, I will only say, you need to first find out how to cook canned collard greens, because if you season these collard greens right, you’ll be saying, “Those are the BEST collard greens I’ve ever eat!”.
I never thought I would fix collard greens any other way than by washing them and then, oh yea, washing them again. How about we wash those greens just one more time? You can see the whole process right HERE.
And of course, home grown and cooked collard greens are DELICIOUS! But who has time to do all that washing of the greens every single time? Not me. But I still LOVE the taste!
So, let’s be all about how to fix canned collard greens so that they taste good!
HERE'S A VIDEO OF WENDI FIXING SOME CANNED COLLARDS TO SHOW YOU HOW...
HOW TO SEASON CANNED COLLARD GREENS
You have some choices when seasoning your canned collard greens, and it just depends on your tastes! You can choose…
- Smoked Turkey
- Bacon
- Fat Back
- Onions
- Garlic
- Cayenne Pepper
- Hot Sauce
- Vinegar
- Hot Vinegar
- Lemon
- sugar
Try to pick at least one seasoning that adds some FAT (the meats) and then one seasoning that adds FLAVOR (Onion or garlic - or both) and then one flavoring that adds some HEAT ( Hot sauce, cayenne) . Then, just for good measure, add a splash of some acidic something (Vinegar or lemon).
See? Those canned collard greens are tasting better already!
HOW LONG WILL CANNED COLLARD GREENS LAST?
Your canned collard greens will be good for several days if you follow my recipe below. I would throw them out after they have been in the refrigerator for 5 days though.
Simply allow them to come to room temperature after you cook them, then cover with some plastic wrap and put them in the fridge. They will probably be even better by tomorrow!
ARE CANNED COLLARD GREENS GOOD FOR ME?
ALL collard greens are good for you, including canned collard greens. Canned collards are an excellent source of fiber and calcium and even have a little protein. Canned Collard Greens are low in calories! Just be careful, like all canned foods, they already contain salt.
CAN YOU FREEZE CANNED COLLARD GREENS?
If you have cooked up a can of collard greens but just can’t eat the rest, then yes, you can freeze them just fine. When they thaw back out, simply heat them up. You will note that when they thaw back out, they are a little mushier than they were to start with.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR CANNED COLLARD GREENS
- You will want to drain the canned collards very well before you start to cook with them.
- Most canned collards are cut up much smaller than what you would do at home if you were making them from scratch.
- Typically, you will want to add the flavors that I have listed above when you are jazzing up your canned collard greens.
IF YOU ENJOYED THIS POST ABOUT HOW TO COOK CANNED COLLARDS, YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY THE REST OF THE RECIPES IN THIS SERIES....
HOW TO COOK CANNED...
Black Eyed Peas
YA’LL HELP ME OUT, OK?
Please leave me a comment and 5 STAR ( 🌟 🌟🌟🌟 🌟 ) review, I ALWAYS love to hear from you and your comments MAKE MY DAY! (Plus, it helps me out by letting everyone know that this is the place to find good recipes!)
THE RECIPE FOR HOW TO COOK CANNED COLLARD GREENS
HOW TO COOK CANNED COLLARD GREENS
Ingredients
- 2 slices of bacon cut into 5-6 pieces each
- 2 slices onion chopped
- 1 clove of garlic chopped
- 1 28 oz can of collard greens drained well
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon hot sauce like Franks or Texas Pete
- 2 teaspoon white vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium sized sauce pot over medium heat, add the cut up slices of bacon and allow those to cook till crispy. Do not pour off the bacon grease.
- Add the onion and garlic and allow to cook till fragrant and softening (about 3 minutes).
- Pour in the drained can of collard greens, water, sugar, hot sauce and vinegar and stir well.
- Stir frequently and continue to heat over medium heat until heated through.
- When heated through, the greens are ready to serve, taste first and add salt and pepper until you are satisfied with the taste. If they taste bitter at all, add more salt. Add more hot sauce, per your tastes.
Notes
- You will want to drain the canned collards very well before you start to cook with them.
- Most canned collards are cut up much smaller than what you would do at home if you were making them from scratch.
- Typically, you will want to add the flavors that I have listed above when you are jazzing up your canned collard greens.
Nutrition
Kap says
This is the first time I have made collard greens from a can so I can't really tell how much of a difference your suggestions made, but I do know your suggestions made a very good can of collard greens. I know that as I was tasting them I kept going back for little taste test over and over. I do make them from scratch but it makes a ton and takes a long time, this was pretty good for popping open a can and within no time at all, I'm eating pretty decent greens. I will have to try some of your other receipe's soon.
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Kap, Thanks for leaving a comment. Like you, I prefer homemade collard greens but for the reasons you state, I don't often make them. (I'm the only one around here who eats them and making up a bunch makes WAY more than I can eat in just a few days). A can of collards is just right for 1-2 people and works out pretty good. Glad you enjoyed them!
Christine says
Fixing to can mixed greens. I tasted greens. So bitter. Will it help less bitterness if I put sugar and salt in jars.
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Christine, Greens are often bitter and get more bitter as they are at the end of their growing experience. Just before they start to go to seed (bolt), they become very bitter (in my personal experience, I haven't studied this or seen it anywhere else, it has just been my experience). There is a little that you can do to combat bitterness, but depending on how overpowering the bitterness is, it may not be possible to overcome the bitterness. Speaking in very general terms, salt and or vinegar will cover bitterness. That said, I do not know how much the canning will decrease or increase the bitterness as I don't know how bitter your greens are. Good luck.
Rhonda says
My fiancee doesn't like things that are spicy. Does the hot sauce make it very spicy?
Wendi Spraker says
You can simply leave the hot sauce off, no problem. It doesn't make it very spicy. You could also serve it on the side.
Gary says
Hi Wendi,
Would you still make these adjustments if using already prepared greens - I have some Glory Southern Style collard greens and they seem to get pretty good reviews on their own. Thank you!
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Gary, Actually with those Glory Southern Style collards that say that they are "seasoned", just add some vegetable oil or some ham/bacon/fat back or a hamhock and it will be perfect. Taste before you add any salt.
Michelle Kuhns says
Ho!! I was wondering how long can they sit out after I'm done making them. And how long can they sit in the fridge? Thank you in advance
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Michelle, I'm glad you found what you needed even before you had to ask! Happy New Year!
Christina says
@Wendi Spraker, can these stay out on the stove on low?
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Christina, Thanks for asking. Yes, they can stay on the stove on low, but may become overcooked. You'll have to keep a close eye on them.
Lisa says
I just made these for dinner and it is my first time cooking collard greens. I added some creole seasoning to the mix and they taste so good. My husband who grew up eating collard greens said they were perfect and I didn’t need to add anything else to make them good. Thanks for the recipe!
Wendi Spraker says
Lisa, I'm glad you loved them.
Chelsea says
I am allergic to pork, is there anything that's non mammal that could give a similar effect?
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Chelsea, I understand being allergic. So let's try one of the following... you can skip the pork and use a meat replacement product such as TVP to give a mouth feel of something meaty or one of the many available meat substitutes like chopped up morning star farms or Quorn or impossible foods. In addition, you'll need to add some oil (like 2-3 Tbs of vegetable oil or any other flavorless oil), a little extra garlic powder (1/2 tsp or so) and a bit of liquid smoke (1/4 tsp per one can of collard greens - it's strong stuff) should do it. Hope this helps. If you don't care one way or another about the meat texture, then just skip the meat replacement product and use the oil, garlic powder and liquid smoke.
Aly says
Best dang canned collard greens ever my family loves them
Wendi Spraker says
I'm tickled to death that ya'll love them so much. thanks for coming back and leaving a rating and comment! Remember to eat them for New Years!
NotParticularlyAVeggieLover says
I have SO MANY huge cans of both mustard and mixed collard greens sitting in my pantry. I don’t typically care for them myself, but I know my new hubby loves them! My grandmother used to make (what everyone else thought🙂!) were amazing greens, so I text my Aunt and she gave me ingredients but couldn’t give me amounts. Your recipe up There looks spot on to hers! Excited to try cooking a “new” veggie, and I know the hubs will be excited to have something different! (I only Know how to cook about three different veggies 😬🙂) Thank you!
Wendi Spraker says
I'm so tickled to help! By the way, I have a LOT of recipes here for canned veggies. I have found over the years that people just don't know how to "doctor up" canned veggies the way that I grew up eating them. So, here are the recipes. 🙂 Enjoy.
Jenna says
These taste JUST like grandma Alma’s East Texas home style recipe. They are the best I have ever had. Thank you for making it so easy.
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Jenna! Thanks so much for your sweet comment! I'm glad they remind you of your grandma, that warms my heart!
Donna says
Some ideas! Thank you so much!
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Donna, you are welcome!
Jennifer says
First time making collard greens and this was so good that I think this is now my new fav veggie and way to cook it! Even my fam liked it and they are hard to please! Next time I'd like to try fresh.
Wendi Spraker says
Wow! Jennifer! That's great! I've got a recipe on here for the fresh ones and it is SOOO good. I review how to wash the leaves (if you get the garden fresh leaves) and the store also offers them in prewashed and cut (I recommend that, because washing them is a pain. lol). Thanks for leaving me a comment! I appreciate it so much!
Anthony Rice sr says
Can I do this recipe by using a crockpot
Wendi Spraker says
Yes, use all of the ingredients and put in the crockpot on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4
Randy says
i can
t wait to do this with a couple canns of this funy veggie. Since I moved to the South, i figured i needed to sample some Southern foods and Collard Greens is certainly one!
thanks much for the ideas. Now I have to go buy bacon. Baon where I am iw $8/lb. Isn't that stupid?
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Randy! Yes, I agree, the price of bacon is CRAZY! But hey, look around at the grocery and even ask someone, it's worth the time. Often our groceries here in the south have "Bacon ends and pieces" that come packaged together. These are PERFECT for seasoning vegetables with! They are simply the imperfectly cut bacon strips. Personally, I don't care if the bacon I'm putting in my veggies is pretty or not, especially if I can save about 1/2! Take care Randy!
Sica B says
@Randy,
I know this comment is very late--also, know that precooked bacon and real bacon bits are often actually cheaper. I use bacon bits in place of bacon pieces most of the time, and things turn out fine. Easier too
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Sica, I do this occasionally too. For those who don't do this a lot, you'll want to notice whether you have "real" bacon pieces or the imitation bacon bits. The imitation bits are not good for this application.
Angie says
Loved it!
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Angie! I'm so tickled that you loved it! Thanks for letting me know!
anonymous says
I swear! You can doctor up anything and make it taste good!
Wendi Spraker says
Awww you are sweet!