Southern Mustard Greens Recipe – Immaculate Bites

Southern Mustard Greens Recipe, slowly braised with bacon and smoked turkey, delivers a spicy, peppery side dish guaranteed to impress. This wonderful brassica provides a tender bite, heat, sweetness, and a pleasant bitterness for a soul food superfood.

While mustard greens aren’t typical in my beloved Cameroon, dark leafy greens generally are cooking staples. So, when I learned about Southern mustard greens, cooking them up just seemed natural. Simmering them slowly calms down the intensity. And getting them young and fresh in late spring or early summer provides an impressively delicious and nutritious meal.

If you thought mustard plants were only good for the seeds, think again. So, if you love mustard, you’ll fall in love with the greens because they have a similar spice level.

Mustard Greens: A Classic Soul Food

Anyone who grew up on soul food and Southern cooking knows all about mustard greens. This classic vegetable is a must-have side for holidays and Sunday dinners. Plus, people in Africa, India, Asia, and Italy have enjoyed these spicy leafy greens for centuries.

How to Clean Mustard Greens

You can usually find fresh mustard leaves in grocery stores or farmer’s markets. Just give them a good shake and remove the stems like you would for kale. Soak them in cold water for about 10 minutes, and rinse them. You might want to rinse them again in cold water before cooking them.

Recipe Ingredients

1. Mustard greens are peppery, delicious, and nutritious. Collard greens and kale are easier to find and make the perfect substitutes.
2. Bacon – The saltiness balances the greens’ pleasant bitterness, and the drippings are perfect for sauteing the greens. You may need a little olive oil if your bacon is lean.
3. Seasonings – Onions and garlic add sweetness and aroma. Smoked turkey provides smokey goodness, but you could use ham instead. Then Creole seasoning and red pepper flakes kick it up a notch.
4. Chicken broth adds substance and keeps your greens from burning. But vegetable and beef broth both work fine if that’s what you have.

How to Cook Mustard Greens

• Prep Mustard Greens – Remove the stems, and then wash, rinse, and chop the leaves into large chunks. Discard the stems (or use them for vegetable broth).
• Bacon – Heat a medium or large Dutch oven. Then add chopped bacon and cook for 5-6 minutes or until brown. (Photo 1)
• Season – Add about a tablespoon of oil – there should be 2-3 tablespoons of grease in the pot. Add the onions, garlic, and chopped smoked turkey, and sauté for 3-5 minutes. (Photos 2-4)
• Wilt Greens – Gently stir in the mustard greens (a little at a time, until wilted), followed by salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning to taste. (Photos 5-6).
• Simmer – Add a smoked turkey bone (if you have one) to the pot with chicken broth or water. Add pepper flakes if desired. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes or until it reaches the desired tenderness. (Photo 7)
• Serve – Return bacon to the pot and stir. Remove from the stove and discard bone. Serve warm with biscuits, hot sauce, and ham (optional). Enjoy. (Photo 8) 

Recipe Variations

1. Chinese version. Clean your mustard greens, remove the stems, and finely chop. Blanch them for 10-20 seconds, then plunge them into cold water to stop the cooking process. Saute grated ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes in peanut oil until aromatic, then add the blanched mustard leaves. Saute until tender, drizzle it with a little toasted sesame oil, and serve.
2. Other superfood greens. Use collards, kale, or callaloo for an equally delicious side dish.
3. African-style mustard greens. Saute onions, garlic, a little ginger, ground cardamom, cumin, and red pepper flakes in Ethiopian spiced butter. Add the mustard greens and a squeeze of lemon juice and saute until tender. You may want to add a splash of chicken broth if it gets too dry.
4. Slow cooker. Prep all your ingredients and cook them low and slow in your crockpot for 6-8 hours.

Tips and Tricks

1. Get rid of some bitterness with a dash of red wine vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice.
2. When buying mustard greens, make sure they’re not blooming. The leaves on plants old enough to bloom are hot enough to scorch your tongue.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Making mustard greens ahead is a great time-saver. I love doubling the recipe and freezing half of it in a freezer ziplock bag. It lasts easily for up to 6 months. But cook them before freezing, or they’ll turn to mush.

Serving and Storage Instructions

You can refrigerate greens covered for 3-4 days or freeze them for up to 6 months. Add a tad of water or oil to the pan and heat on low to reheat. I make extra because I love them even more the next day.

What Goes With Mustard Greens

These greens steal the show with cornbread, pork chops, and Hoppin’ John. Mac and cheese or fried chicken are also good options for an incredible soul food feast.

More Delicious Mustard and Collard Greens Recipes

1. Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens
2. Southern-Style Collard Greens
3. Ethiopian Collard Greens
4. Stewed Greens
5. Collard Greens Soup

This blog post was originally published in March 2020 and has been updated with additional tips