Slow Cooker Turnip Greens Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What takes the bitterness out of turnip greens? ›

Braise them. For sturdy greens with a bite, like rapini, collards, kale, and turnip greens, consider braising. Not only will this slow-cooking cut the bitterness, but it will also soften the otherwise tough leaves.

Tender vegetables

Vegetables such as peas, asparagus and peppers can become a flavorless, mushy mess in a slow cooker.

Wash greens and roots well. Some suggest soaking the greens in a little salty water. One turnip website from the United Kingdom notes that if you boil them, add a little sugar to tame the scent and add baking soda to reduce bitterness.

How do you get the bitterness out of turnips? Smaller turnips tend to be sweeter and less bitter, so start by selecting fresh, small, tender turnips and peeling them. Adding a little sugar to your turnips after cooking can also help to counteract any bitterness.

If you want to try a different cooking method, I tend to like turnip boiled and mashed. If the turnip is old (and likely bitter) you can add an apple. I've also read that you can stir in baking soda after the turnips have boiled to remove the bitterness. You would then need to rinse thoroughly.

Reduce liquid when using a slow cooker

It should just cover the meat and vegetables. Don't overfill your slow cooker, or it may start leaking out the top, and the food won't cook so well.

Slow cooker recipes have (obviously) long cook times, and it's the meat—not the carrots—that benefit from it. By placing the protein at the bottom (closest to the heating element), and vegetables at the top, you can keep your plant parts a little more toothsome, while ensuring your meat is fall-apart tender.

1. Adding Delicate Vegetables Too Early. Due to the slow cooker's lengthy cooking time, most vegetables will become overcooked and mushy if they're added too soon, says Stephen Chavez, chef instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in Los Angeles.

Turnip greens are healthy and rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Turnip greens can be eaten raw and added to salads, but since the fiber content is high, it is better to eat them cooked. Turnip greens have a spicy flavor similar to mustard seeds.

Some people (especially food service establishments relying upon your satisfaction) add an alkaline ingredient, such as baking soda, to the cooking water to help retain the color of green vegetables. This is a bad practice, however, and you should avoid adding baking soda when boiling any type of vegetable.

How do you cut and cook turnip greens? ›

No, you don't need to soak turnip greens before cooking, but if your greens have a lot of dirt or grit on them, it's a good idea. Place them in a large bowl or pot of very cold water, swish them around, let the grit sink to the bottom for about 15 minutes. Remove the greens, rinse them, and proceed with the recipe.

To freeze turnips and greens:

Blanch 2 minutes, cool and mix with turnip greens for packaging, or mix with greens to blanch. Barely cover with ice water. Leave 1/2 inch head space, remove air and seal. Three pounds of greens will yield about 2 pints of frozen greens.

Seasonings help reduce the greens' bitter taste. Some enjoy the bitterness but feel free to adjust the seasoning to suit your palate. About a half teaspoon of baking soda added to the broth 20 minutes before the cooking time also helps.

Sweetness: From sugar, honey, fruits or otherwise, sweetness will counteract bitter and sour flavours. It can also be used to cut down the heat of a particularly spicy meal. Saltiness: Salt plays two very important roles in flavouring a dish.

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