I’m hosting a BBQ tomorrow, with pulled pork, beef brisket and a bunch of down-home traditional sides like Mac & cheese, baked beans, Mexican street corn, and collard greens.
When I’ve cooked collard greens on the stovetop it seems to take forever before they’re tender enough to eat. So since I’m going to be busy, I thought I’d make it easy on myself and just zap them in my handy Instant Pot. I checked a couple IP collard green recipes online and one said to cook for 5 minutes, another 10, but both those times seem too short. I’d probably go 1/2 hour. Or is that too long— will 1/2 hour turn the greens to mush? Anybody else ever try cooking greens in an instant pot?
Thanks Beck, but just to be clear, you’re saying you never cooked greens in an instant pot, right? On first reading I thought you were saying never to do it, as if it was a bad idea.
One thing I’ve noticed about Instant Pot recipes, the times listed are for how long the pot is set for full pressure. If you add in the time it takes for the pot to come up to pressure, plus the time to release the pressure, a 5 or 10 minute cook time can easily turn into 1/2 hour or longer total cook time.
Thanks, I did know that— I use my Instant Pot pretty often. I’m mainly wondering how long the actual cook time should be for collard greens. I guess I could go 10 minutes to start, and if they aren’t done enough go more time until they’re good.
I’ve never done collards in an instant pot, but for stuff that conventionally simmers for quite a while on the stove, I use that cooking time divided by three as a general guideline. The last time I cooked those greens it was like 1.5-2 hours on the stove, so 30 minutes seems sane to me.
I haven’t done IP collard greens, but reviewed a few of the recipes online (just as you did) and most of them say 5 minutes for canned greens, which are already cooked.
I’d say the average for a lot of the ones I looked at was 15-20 minutes in the pressure cooker (plus the time to get to pressure), minus 5-10 if you sauteed the greens first to wilt them a bit (may fit better than way, and more flavors).
The shorter times seem to be if you’re doing a more collard-forward dish (especially if de-stemmed), and the longer ones tend to be ones with smoked meats involved where they want to render all the supplemental flavors out.
Given the carnivore main dishes, I can’t guess if you’re going for a vegetarian or traditional meat infused side, but that might help narrow down your searches. Collards (in other applications which I’ve done) are pretty tough, but I think 20 minutes should be plenty, especially with a natural release.
I otherwise will wait to hear how things turn out, or if anyone with actual direct experience chimes in.
I typically go “slow and low” with greens… I also mix my greens… about 1/2 mustard, a 1/4 collard and 1/8 each kale and mature spinach, not baby. Other ingredients may include hock, jowl or smoked turkey bones… a touch of onion and grease of course.
Thanks. I’ll probably go 20 minutes for starters, then see how tender they are. I can always hit them for another 10.
Or really, the more I think about it, maybe I will just simmer them on the stovetop the old-fashioned way. I guess I was thinking it might be a time-saver with all the other sides i’m making, but I already did a lot of side prep yesterday. This day is all about low and slow, so might as well have no surprises with the collards.
As Beck said, they are forgiving, and you can’t really go much wrong. It’s all a matter of what texture you prefer. I like mine quite soft, so I will tend to go longer, but with stovetop cooking, it’s easy enough to gauge as you go along, so it’s a great idea. And if you have a ham hock in there, you probably will want it in there for at least an hour and a half, more like two on the stove. Note that I do not have any Southern bonafides, and that I’ve only made them like 15 times in my life. I like a good vinegar kick in mine, and serve with vinegar and/or a vinegary hot sauce at the table.
Yeah, I decided on just a long stovetop simmer. No ham hock, but I fried up some double smoked double thick bacon which should give it good flavor. And yes to the vinegar kick.