Basic Southern Collards

Ingredients

• 2 bunch(es) fresh collards (approx. 5 lbs)
• 6 strips bacon diced
• 1 large onion peeled and diced
• 1 teaspoon(s) dried red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper
• 1 ham bone

Preparation

1. Wash the collards, breaking up the bunches as you go. Remove any tough or woody stalks. Cut the leaves into half-inch-wide strips. You can roll them into cigars to speed this process up.


2. Put the bacon in a large pot on high heat to render its grease. Cook for three or four minutes. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, but not very brown, about 5 minutes more. Add the collards and cover with cool water. Also add the seasonings and the ham bone. Cook collards until tender, which may be up to 2 hours.


3. Even people who love collards complain about how they make the house smell while cooking. People have different cures for this, but none of them work. Just open the windows.