04/16/2025
Southern style collard greens
Ingredients
▢ 3 lbs fresh collard greens about 5-6 smaller bunches
▢ 1 1/2 lbs extra large smoked turkey wings, legs, necks or ham hock Make they are meaty
▢ 2 tsp chicken bouillon like Better Than Bouillon
4 cups chicken broth
▢ 2 tbsp sugar can be granulated or brown sugar
▢ 1 tbsp bacon grease
▢ 1 tbsp seasoned salt such as Lawry's
▢ 2 tsp worcheshire sauce
▢ 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
▢ 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes you can go down on this to 1/2 teaspoon if you like less heat.
▢ 1/2 tsp garlic powder
▢ 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
▢ 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
Instructions
Start by pulling and tearing greens away from the stems. Take a hand full of greens, roll them up tightly lengthwise like a cigar. Cut them crosswise into 1/2-1 inch thick strips based on your preference of size. Smaller strips cook faster than bigger strips. We personally remove the stems but this is a personal decision.
Next, add greens to empty clean sink and wash them removing all grit thoroughly with lukewarm water until water becomes clear then drain water, fill up again and repeat.
Then rinse the smoked turkey or smoked ham hock very well then add to a large pot along with enough water (about 10 cups) to fully submerge the smoked meat then add in chicken bouillon and bring to a boil at medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook at a gentle simmer until the smoked meat is nearly tender, about 45 minutes. Once time is up, stick a fork in the center of the meat and twist to see if it is tender.
Once smoked meat is almost tender, add greens, about 4 cups of chicken broth or enough to just barely cover greens to the pot as well as the rest of the ingredients to the pot.
Bring the heat back up to a boil then reduce heat to about medium or medium-low, and cook while partially covered for at least 2 hours or until completely tender. You are looking for the meat to be falling off the bone and most of the broth evaporating leaving just a super concentrated flavorful pot likker. Taste the potlikker and see if it hits like you want it to. Most broth should have evaporated by this point just having enough to barely cover the greens. Then serve!
