Southern Collard Greens Recipe
Collard greens are a leafy member of the Brassica oleracea species, the same plant family as kale, cabbage, and broccoli, which is why their broad, sturdy leaves hold up to long, slow cooking instead of turning to mush like more delicate greens. Simmering them for close to an hour in smoky, seasoned broth breaks down their natural toughness and mellows the mild bitterness in the leaves, while a splash of vinegar at the end brightens the whole pot.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 45 min
- Total
- 2 hr 5 min
- Servings
- 8
Ingredients
- 3 lb collard greens, stemmed and chopped
- 1 1/2 lb smoked ham hock
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 137
- Protein
- 10g
- Carbs
- 13g
- Fat
- 6g
Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.
Need different units or a different yield? Try our Conversion Calculator →
Instructions
- 1Place the ham hock in a large pot or Dutch oven with the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes to render smoky flavor into the liquid.
- 2Meanwhile, rinse the collard greens well to remove grit, fold each leaf in half along the center rib, and strip out the tough stem. Stack the leaves and slice them crosswise into 1 to 2 inch ribbons.
- 3Add the diced onion and garlic to the pot and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes to soften.
- 4Add the chopped collards to the pot in batches, stirring and letting each batch wilt down before adding the next.
- 5Stir in the vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
- 6Cover and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the greens are fully tender and have darkened from bright green to a deep olive green.
- 7Remove the ham hock, let it cool slightly, then pull the meat from the bone, shred it, and stir it back into the pot.
- 8Taste the greens and the pot liquor, and adjust with more vinegar or salt as needed before serving hot.
Tips & variations
- Swap the ham hock for a smoked turkey wing or leg for a lighter, still-smoky pot of greens.
- A pinch of baking soda added with the collards speeds up softening, but use it sparingly (no more than 1/4 teaspoon per pot) since too much turns the leaves mushy and dulls their color.
- Frozen chopped collard greens work in a pinch; add them straight from frozen and extend the simmer time by about 10 minutes.
- Save some pot liquor to spoon over cornbread; it carries most of the smoky, savory flavor from the cooking process.
Storage & reheating
Refrigerate cooled collard greens in their pot liquor in an airtight container for up to 5 days; the flavor actually improves after a day. Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth or water if the liquid has thickened too much.
Tips from the Tulo kitchen
- Soak stemmed, chopped collards in a large bowl of cold water for a few minutes before cooking; grit and sand settle to the bottom, so lifting the leaves out rather than draining the bowl keeps sediment out of the pot.
- A short glug of hot sauce or extra vinegar at the table lets everyone adjust the tang to taste without changing the pot itself.
FAQ
What are collard greens?
Collard greens are a leafy vegetable in the species Brassica oleracea, the same species as kale, cabbage, and broccoli, but grown for their large, flat, dark blue-green leaves rather than a head or florets. They have a mild, slightly bitter flavor that softens considerably with long, slow cooking, and they're a staple of Southern U.S. cooking, often simmered with smoked pork.
Do collard greens taste like kale?
They're related and share some bitterness, but collard leaves are thicker, sturdier, and milder than kale, which is why they're traditionally braised for close to an hour rather than quickly sauteed.
Do you have to remove the stems from collard greens?
Yes. The center rib and stem are fibrous and stay tough even after long simmering, so stripping them out before chopping the leaves is standard practice.
Why are my collard greens still tough after cooking?
They likely need more time on the stove. Collards typically need 45 minutes to an hour of active simmering, on top of any time spent building the cooking liquid, before the leaves fully soften.
Can collard greens be made without meat?
Yes. Use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth and add a teaspoon of smoked paprika or a few drops of liquid smoke to replace the depth the ham hock would otherwise provide.