Granddaddy Champ’s Mustard Greens
My Uncle Roger & Aunt Mickey lived across the field from us growing up. Each Fall my Uncle Roger planted a big garden of greens. If I close my eyes I can see row after row of collard greens, mustard greens, and turnip greens. In the background were tall white gourd bird houses that held Purple Martins during the warmer months.
I can also see him, bending, cutting greens, in dark blue Liberty brand overalls, whistling “Oh, How I Love Jesus”. After the greens and anything else planted were harvested, my Aunt Mickey would come across the field to our back door with an armful to share. Sometimes, if they’d grown cabbage, she would bring down a couple jars of homemade Chow Chow. (My Daddy was always happy to eat her Chow Chow.)
If you’ve never had mustard greens, they are similar to collard greens but more peppery than bitter. They also are more tender and have a shorter cook time.
Every time I make this mustard green recipe (or any green recipe), my mind goes right back to my Aunt Mickey & Uncle Roger.
I think that is what I love most about food, the memories that it brings and the opportunity to share with family and others. So please enjoy!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 lb thick cut bacon
4 bunches Mustard Greens
2 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 small onion chopped
Texas Pete Pepper Sauce
Instructions:
Clean and trim greens, removing stems.
Chop bacon into one inch pieces.
In a large pot, saute bacon over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Add chopped onion to pot and saute with bacon for an additional 5 minutes over medium heat.
Add Mustard Greens to the pot.
Once greens have wilted, pour in chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, cover the pot with a lid, reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes.
Serve warm with a few splashes of Texas Pete Pepper sauce and MawMaw’s Cornbread.
