The best turnip greens, and the only recipe you will need to make your family happy. Make this recipe in the crockpot for an easy turnip green side dish.
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Growing Turnip Greens
Fall is the season for greens. We definitely planted more than we can eat this year, so I’ve been looking for new ways to use them up. My brother-in-law shared this recipe with me, and I adapted it to our taste. It’s slightly sweet and tangy with salty bacon. I served these at thanksgiving with warm, buttery cornbread, and it was absolutely divine! Pre-packaged greens would also be great in this recipe. Just make sure the leaves are bright.
Preparing the Turnip Greens
Start with two bunches of turnip greens (about 20 ounces). I prefer to remove the stem just below the leaf, but that is up to you. Roll the leaves like a cinnamon roll, and thinly cut them. To me, this is the most important part of getting a tender green. If the pieces are too thick, they will not cook evenly. I also chop the turnips to be cooked with the greens. Again, this is a personal preference.
After cutting, place the leaves into a bowl of water to soak for around ten minutes. Rinse the greens several times to remove all the dirt. Make sure the leaves are completely clean before cooking them. You could also rinse them in a clean sink. After rinsing, place them on a paper towel to soak up the excess fluid.
Turnip Green Recipe
Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan heat 3 teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion, and sauté until they’re golden. Next add 3 cloves of garlic and stir until slightly brown. After the vegetables are brown, you’ll want to add the cup of chicken or beef broth to deglaze the pan. Be careful not to leave any of those delicious brown bits behind! Add in 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, and 1/2 cup of good apple cider vinegar. Boil until the sugar is dissolved.
Add the chopped turnips and greens to a large crock pot with 3 slices of uncooked bacon and 1 ham-hock. Pour the sugar mixture over the top of the greens and stir. Cook in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours or until the greens are tender. I don’t add salt to my greens as the bacon and ham add enough flavor, but you may consider adding salt to taste. Serve with warm cornbread!
Additional note: These greens are also perfect in the instant-pot. Press the sauté button on the pot to combine the liquids as I stated above. Make sure the pot isn’t over ¾ full of the greens. Pressure cook the greens for 6 minutes. Passive release the pressure valve once the greens are finished.
FAQs
What is the difference in collard greens and turnip greens?
Collard greens have more of a cabbage leaf texture and can be a little tough if they’re not prepared properly. Turnip greens have more of a delicate leaf, and a sweeter flavor.
More From The Farm
Southern Sweet Potato Biscuits
Easy Turnip Green, Sausage and Potato Soup
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The Best Turnip Greens
Equipment
- Crockpot
Ingredients
- 20 ounces Turnip Greens (Collard greens are great too)
- 3 tsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 ham hock (4 ounces of ham would be great too)
- 3 slices uncooked bacon
- 3 tbps packed brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Remove the stems of the turnips below the bottom of the leaf.
- Roll the turnips and thinly slice into strips.
- Cut the turnip root into small chunks. This is optional to taste.
- Place the cut pieces into a large bowl of water to soak for around 10 minutes. A clean sink would also work. Rinse the greens several times to ensure they are clean.
- While the turnips soak, finely chop the yellow onion.
- Mince the 3 garlic cloves.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion and sauté for around 3 minutes or until golden.
- Add the garlic and sauté for around 1 minute, or until brown. (do not burn the garlic)
- Slowly add the chicken broth to the cooked vegetables. Be sure to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Next, add the apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and optional cayenne pepper. Simmer on low for around 3 minutes, or until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Add the turnip greens, uncooked bacon, and ham hock to the crockpot.
- Pour the liquid over the turnip greens and lightly stir. You want to make sure the liquid coats the greens.
- Cook on low heat for 4-6 hours or until the turnip greens are tender. You don't want the greens to be mushy.
- Serve turnip greens warm with buttery cornbread.
- Cook the turnip greens a day ahead and reheat prior to serving. They will keep well in the fridge for around 6 days.
[…] for getting quick meals on the table, and an air fryer for fast and healthy dishes. I love to cook collards, turnip greens, and rice in the instant pot. It cooks them so fast, and perfectly every […]