How to Store Collard Greens

Collard greens are a nutritious green, leafy vegetable that are related to cabbage, broccoli, and kale. Although most popular in the American South, collard greens can be found in many grocery stores across North America and beyond. Once you bring your collard greens home, you will need to store them properly, in order to guarantee that they remain fresh and delicious. This can be done in several ways, depending on when you plan on using them.

Do not wash the collard greens. If you plan on using your collard greens within the next week, don't wash them before refrigeration. Introducing water to the greens can promote decay, cutting the length of their freshness down dramatically.

·         If you are concerned that your greens are too dirty to store in your refrigerator, know that they will be stored in an air-tight bag. Any dirt and grit will not get onto the surfaces in your fridge.

Place the collard greens in an air-tight plastic bag. Most greens should be stored in plastic bags and collard greens are no exception. Put the greens in a big plastic bag, as the greens themselves are very large. Be sure to push out as much air as you can before sealing.

·         Collard greens that are not put into a plastic bag, but are put into the refrigerator, will become wilted very quickly. Like other vegetables, uncovered collard greens get dehydrated. This causes them to go limp.

·         If you don't have a plastic bag that seals closed, wrap the greens in a damp paper towel. Then place the greens in an unsealed plastic bag. This should keep the greens crisp for several days.

Refrigerate the collard greens. Put the bag of collard greens in the crisper of your refrigerator. Keep them there until you are ready to use them. They should be used within 5 to 7 days of storage.

·         The amount of time your collard greens stay fresh will vary. It depends on the freshness of the collard greens to begin with and the quality of your refrigerator's chilling. Check on the collard greens daily to make sure that they are still suitable for eating.

·         Spoiled collard greens will get soft, wilt, become slimy, or get discolored. They may also start to smell bad.

Wash before preparing. Once you have decided to use your greens, take them out of the fridge and wash them thoroughly. Collard greens are known to be relatively dirty and gritty. Take the time to soak the greens in fresh water and make sure that each leaf is clean.

·         If you don't have a bowl or kitchen sink that can be used for cleaning the greens, wash each leaf under running water.