How do you take the stem off of collard greens?

1. Rinse the collard greens. Soak the collard greens in a sink or large bowl of cold water. Swish the collards around in the water to remove any dirt or grit. Lift the collard greens out of the water and drain.

*Note:* If the greens are very dirty, you may need to rinse them twice.

2. Remove the tough stems from the leaves. To remove the stem, hold a collard green leaf in one hand and use the other hand to pinch the stem at the base of the leaf. Pull down on the stem to remove it from the leaf. Discard the stems.

3. Repeat with the remaining collard greens. Continue to remove the stems from the collard greens until all of the stems have been removed.

Tips:

* To make it easier to remove the stems, you can use a sharp knife to trim them off.

- *If the collard greens are very curly, you may need to use your fingers to loosen them up before removing the stems.*

*Remove any yellowed leaves from the bunch before cooking.

- Collards can be served fresh or cooked.

If you plan to cook the greens, wash and trim them according to the instructions above, then follow the recipe directions for cooking. Collard greens can be boiled, steamed, sautéed, or added to soups and stews.