On this video I will show you how my mama and big mama use to fry their collard greens that I've been cooking for years. Plus to compliment those fried collards we need some old fashioned fried buttermilk cornbread patties with that golden brown crust! If you want that Southern cooked collards and cornbread patties from back in day then you are ready for a treat!
Fried Collard Greens
Ingredients:
Collard greens ( stems removed, collards washed, and chopped )
salted fatback ( wash salt from fatback )
bell pepper ( use half, sliced thin or use 1\3 of bell pepper )
1\4 cup vegetable oil
1\4 tsp. baking soda ( or 1\8 tsp. if only frying small amount of collards )
Remove the stems from the collards and discharge. Cut all your collard leaves and wash them at least twice, using fresh water after each wash. Once washed, make sure you transferred your collards to a large bowl and set aside.
Now make sure to wash the salt off your fatback, and go over them with a paper towel to get rid of the excess water. Set aside.
In a large pot add the oil with the heat on medium\high. Next, add your fatback to the pot and cook until brown on both sides. Once done, turn off the heat and remove the fatback from pot and set aside. At this point you can remove half of the oil or a small amount from the pot. ( If you have about 3 or more bunches of collards you can save the removed oil to add back into your collards if you feel as if you don't have enough in them ).
Next, you will turn your heat on medium and add the baking soda to the oil and begin to stir it around in the pot. Your oil should hot and immediately add a heaping full of collards to your hot oil and stir, not letting the collards burn. Once those collards have soften a little, using a spoon, move those collards to one side of the pot. Then add more collards on the opposite side of the pot. Now you would want to move your collards from one side to the next making sure you flip the greens so that the fresh collards have a chance to cook evenly. ( Please watch the video ).
After all the collards are in the pot, cover with a lid and let them cook for about 5 minutes. Stir the collards around fully in the pot and add your fatback and stir again.
Adjust your heat to low and let your collards cook for about 45 to 1 hour. ( I allowed my collards to cook for 1 hour. Plus make sure you turn your collards about every 15 to 20 minutes). If at any point that your collards have no more moisture in them you can add a small bit of water and a little more of the oil you did not use. We don't want the collards bathing in water. If you cook the collards low and slow you should not have a problem with them drying out.
Buttermilk Cornbread Patties
1 1/2 cups stone ground plain corn meal
1/3 cup self rising buttermilk corn meal
1\3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1\4 cups water
In a medium bowl add your dry ingredients ; both corn meals, flour, salt, and sugar and whisk together well. Next add your wet ingredients to your dry ingredients; buttermilk, oil and water. Mix together.
In a large skillet add some vegetable oil and turn head on high to get the skillet hot. Then you would want to adjust your heat to medium and pour your cornbread mix in the skillet and form your patties to the size you want. Cook on each side until golden brown.
Now you have your fried collard greens and your fried buttermilk cornbread patties ready to eat! Enjoy!