Southern-Style Turnip Greens With Salt Pork

Gather the ingredients. The Spruce / Ali Redmond Wash the greens thoroughly in the sink or large bowl; drain and wash again. Repeat the cleaning until you can't feel any grit on the greens or the bottom of the sink or container. The Spruce / Ali Redmond Cut off and discard tough stems and discolored leaves from greens. For large leaves with big, tough stems, fold the leaf in half and cut or tear the stem out. Stack several leaves and slice them crosswise into 1-inch-thick pieces. The Spruce / Ali Redmond Scrape the salt off of the salt pork or rinse it under cold running water to remove the excess salt. The salt pork has a tough skin that needs to be removed. Carefully run a sharp knife between the tough skin and the softer fat. Discard the tough skin and dice the fat. The Spruce / Ali Redmond In a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat, cook the salt pork until it is crisp and browned. Add the chopped onion and cook for 2 minutes longer. The Spruce / Ali Redmond To the salt pork and onion, add the water, cleaned turnip greens, black pepper, salt, and the sugar and crushed red pepper flakes if using. You may need to add the greens in batches until they wilt down a bit, similarly to how spinach wilts down. The Spruce / Ali Redmond Bring the greens to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer the greens for 40 to 50 minutes, or until they are tender. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. The Spruce / Ali Redmond When the greens are ready, transfer them to a serving bowl. The Spruce / Ali Redmond Enjoy. The Spruce / Ali Redmond