Wash greens in a large bowl of cold water, swish, drain, and repeat until water runs clear. Dry well. Remove tough stalks and center ribs; discard bruised or yellowed leaves. Stack leaves, roll into a cigar shape, and slice into 1-inch ribbons or coarsely chop. If keeping stems (e.g. collards), chop them separately — they need more cooking time than the leaves. Mince or thinly slice garlic. Measure out your braising liquid (water, stock, or broth) and have it ready before the pot gets hot.

Heat a heavy pot over medium heat, then add 1–2 tbsp fat (olive oil, butter, or bacon fat). If using bacon, cook until crisp and fat renders, about 4 minutes, then remove and set aside. Add garlic and/or onion; garlic alone takes 30–60 seconds, onion with garlic about 5 minutes. Stir in any spices and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add greens — they'll be voluminous but wilt down fast. Turn with tongs to get leaves in contact with the heat. Pour in ⅓–½ cup water or stock, add vinegar if using, season with salt and pepper, stir, and partially cover. Reduce to low or medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally. Tender greens like mustard greens: 5–6 minutes. Heartier greens like collards: 10 minutes minimum, up to 1 hour for deep tenderness. Check liquid every 10 minutes and add more broth or water if the pot looks dry. Greens should stay moist but not soupy. Light browning on leaf edges is fine; sticking or burning means the heat is too high or the pot needs more liquid.

绿菜完成时叶子充分变软，没有坚硬或串状的阻力。品尝一块——它应该柔软和屈服。颜色会加深，体积会大幅减少。如果硬绿菜如甘蓝仍然感觉坚硬，添加一点液体并烹饪5–10分钟。 离热，搅拌1汤匙无盐黄油以获得丰富。如果使用，添加保留的培根。品尝锅液并用盐、黑胡椒或一点醋调整。直接从锅中服务。在整个过程中保持锅中少量液体——干燥导致焦糊，不是炖制。