Southern Style Greens And The Cooking Gene

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I don’t know why it has taken me forever to get this recipe for Southern Style Greens out although I’ve been enjoying them on trail since my Timberline Trail trek in 2021. I almost want to cry in joy that I finally have. Thank you to Shawn Blaesing in our Facebook group who asked about the recipe and spurred me to get off my butt (or on it?) and finish this up!

My inspiration for greens on the trail started in the summer of 2021 when I was listening to Michael W. Twitty’s book, The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History In The Old South on Audible. Not only a fascinating and delicious story about searching for his own genetic and cultural history through southern cooking and time, it was an eye opening look at the history of “American” food in general .

From Goodreads:

Southern food is integral to the American culinary tradition, yet the question of who “owns” it is one of the most provocative touchpoints in our ongoing struggles over race. In this unique memoir, culinary historian Michael W. Twitty takes listeners to the white-hot center of this fight, tracing the roots of his own family and the charged politics surrounding the origins of soul food, barbecue, and all Southern cuisine. Twitty travels from the tobacco and rice farms of colonial times to plantation kitchens and backbreaking cotton fields to tell of the struggles his family faced and how food enabled his ancestors’ survival across three centuries. He sifts through stories, recipes, genetic tests, and historical documents, and visits Civil War battlefields in Virginia, synagogues in Alabama, and black-owned organic farms in Georgia. As he takes us through his ancestral culinary history, Twitty suggests that healing may come from embracing the discomfort of the South’s past. Along the way, he reveals a truth that is more than skin deep-the power of food to bring the kin of the enslaved and their former slaveholders to the table, where they can discover the real America together.

Michael W Twitty’s non-fiction story telling was more circular than linear with many players but I loved hearing about how seeds and recipes traveled from across the ocean to the Americas to become a part of the history of the foods we know today. And I sat with the uncomfortable knowledge of the part my family would have played having owned a plantation in Kentucky and how my grandfather’s love for grits would have been interwoven with that history.

It is not enough to be white at the table, it is not enough to be black at the table, it is not enough to be just human at the table. Complexity must come with us, in fact, it will invite itself to the feast whether we like it or not.”
― Michael W. Twitty, The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South

I had many takeaways from the book and as I am always on the lookout for ways to include more vegetables on the trail, I was immediately drawn to the idea of how to make a version of southern style greens that were mentioned in the book that would dehydrate and taste as close to the real thing as possible. I am no stranger to eating stewed greens whether out at a restaurant or when family or friends make them. But I have to admit I have only made them for myself a handful of times despite the nutrition they have to offer.

As Marwin shares on Food Fidelity, collard greens are a nutritional powerhouse:

As far as healthy greens go, collards are one of the healthiest vegetables out there. Unfortunately soul food negative stereotypes have contributed greatly to this notion that collards have a lower health quotient relative to other vegetables. For example, kale and spinach get all kind of love, but collards get no mention.

The reality is something altogether different. Collards are naturally possessed with all kinds of goodness. They provide nutritional benefits such as vitamins A, C, and K, magnesium, iron, and calcium. For a more detailed breakdown see this article on the health benefits of collard greens.

Marwin does a really good job of showing you how to choose, clean and cut your collards, in addition to his recipe. If you are looking for a greens side dish for home I highly recommend it!

As you can imagine, there are many ways that people have cooked greens over time and just as many versions of the recipe on the internet. Marwin’s and Monique over at Divas Can Cook are two of my favorites.

The only real challenge to modifying collard greens for the trail is that traditionally, they are stewed with a smoked meat like ham hock or bacon. If you want your dehydrated greens to last long without refrigeration you need to leave those out of the cooking process and add them after the fact because of the fat.

I do use a prepared chicken broth because again, no fat. A veggie or mushroom broth would work, too. I upped the flavor with onion, bay leaf, horseradish, garlic and smoked sea salt. If you are into nightshades, a little hot sauce don’t hurt either! You could also toss the Lucky Fish in at the beginning of the stewing for a little extra iron.

Originally, I was going to call this Rescue Veggie Southern Style Greens because my first batch used a whole mess of greens I had in the fridge to use up: chard, bok choy, radish, kale. So don’t be afraid to mix it up with what you’ve got on hand or in the garden!

Because I try to keep added sugar to a minimum, my recipe does not contain any. But if you are not worried about it, a tablespoon or two of molasses or coconut aminos will enhance the flavor.

You want your stock pot to be large enough to hold all your greens. Like most leafy vegetables, you know they are going to shrink down to a fraction of the volume but you need the space when you start out.

You will sauté the onions in water, then add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for an hour and a half. Don’t skimp on this part, the long cooking time helps meld the flavors and create a rich broth.

You should end up with about 4 cups of greens at the end of the cook time, about four servings. Divide the greens into four portions and spread each one out as thin as possible on lined, lipped trays in your dehydrator.

It takes about 24 hours to full dry. About half way through, check to see if the top is dry. When it is and you can peel up the edges, flip the greens over.

As they continue to dry, break them into smaller pieces. The greens are done when there are no wet sections and pieces snap when you break them.

I store mine in an air tight jar in the fridge until needed because I have added the bacon but if dried properly the greens alone will store well in containers kept in a dark and cool location.

When ready to hit the trail, add your cooked bacon, I usually use about 1/4 cup. Of course, you can add any protein of your choice but bacon is more traditional and it adds that salty, smoky flavor that tastes great on trail. Jerky is another option, too, or an Epic bar. I will sometimes also add a coconut oil packet for extra calories.

If not carried in a package that withstands heat, pour your greens into a bowl or mug. Cover with boiling water and let sit for about 10 minutes until they are soft. Add any oil if you brought it. The package I use is from RussBe and I can add hot water directly into it, I talk more about it here.

The great thing about this meal is that you don’t have to worry if you add too much water (and you almost want to). The broth from the greens rehydrates and you can drink it after you are done with the veggies!

I read The Cooking Gene as part of a book club with the Joy Trip Project and had an opportunity to join a Zoom with the author. If you are interested, you can find it on Youtube.

There is no armchair in this work. In cooking, your informed imagination fills in the blanks. The dead and the living cook with me, and things once forgotten come to life. George Washington Carver once said, “If you love something enough it will give up its secrets to you.”
― Michael W. Twitty, The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South

I hope you enjoy this recipe and happy hiking!

Southern Style Greens

Add the nutrition of greens to your next backpacking meal!

Prep Time
20 minutes

Cook Time
1 hour, 30 minutes

Dehydrating
1 day

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: AIP, Autoimmmune Protocol, Gluten Free, Nightshade Free, Nut free, Paleo, Whole Food

Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 bunches collard greens
1 bunch mustard greens
32 ounces chicken broth
1 cup diced onion
1 tablespoon horseradish
4 bay leaves
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons smoked sea salt
bacon pieces
coconut oil packet

Instructions

Cooking

Wash, de-stem and chop your greens. Dice your onions and mince your garlic.
In a large stockpot, sauté your onions on medium with a quarter cup of water.
Add your greens, broth, garlic, horseradish, vinegar, bay leaves and sea salt. Gently mix.
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer your greens on medium low for 1.5 hours until greatly reduced, making about 4 cups of greens.

Dehydrating

Divide your stewed greens equally onto four trays, including the broth.
Spread the greens out as thin as you can. This is when you should be able to spot your bay leaves and pull them out.
On the vegetable setting (135 degrees), dry for roughly 24 hours, flipping when the top it dry to the touch.
Break the pieces up as you go until the insides are dry and all the broth is absorbed. The pieces should snap or be crispy when you break them.

Prepare For Trail

Each tray should be enough for one meal. Add bacon or protein of choice and an oil packet, if desired, and store in individual baggies. You can also store the dried greens in an air tight container until needed.

Preparing On Trail