Braised Collard Greens with Smoked Sausage

From the garden

• 2 bunchs collard greens, stems stripped, leaves sliced into wide ribbons
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

From the pantry

• 12 oz smoked sausage (andouille or kielbasa), sliced into rounds
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1½ tbsp apple cider vinegar — plus more to taste
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp brown sugar (optional)
• 1½ cups rice — cooked, for serving
• hot sauce (optional) — for the table
• salt — to taste
• black pepper

1. Brown the sausage rounds in the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, 4–5 minutes until crisped at the edges, then set aside, leaving the fat.
2. Cook the onion in the drippings 4–5 minutes until soft, then stir in the garlic and pepper flakes for 30 seconds.
3. Pile in the collards in batches with the stock, letting each addition wilt down to make room. Cover and simmer low 40–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leaves are silky, dark, and completely tender — proper Southern collards have no squeak left.
4. Return the sausage with the vinegar and brown sugar if using, and simmer uncovered 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and more vinegar until the potlikker tastes bright as well as rich.
5. Serve over rice, ladling plenty of potlikker into each bowl, with hot sauce at the table.