You don’t have to be Southern to cook perfect collard greens. With everyone cooking kale and Swiss chard these days, collard green provide similar nutrients at a lower cost, but are often overlooked. The main complaints surrounding collard greens seem to be they are tough and/or bitter. Follow this simple recipe and you will have tender collards in a rich and flavorful broth. In fact, the “pot liquor” as it’s known in the South is often consumed by itself. This broth is extremely rich in minerals and vitamins such as vitamin C and K, and tons of iron.
Before we get to the recipe, let learn how to properly cut collard greens. First, trim the stem off the bottom.
Second, split the leaf just to one side of the center stem.
Third, remove the center stem.
Fourth, roll one half of the leaf at a time into a tight long tube.
Fifth, proceed to slice 1/4 inch strips horizontally across the rolled tube. Now, do this about 100 more times and you’re good to go!
This Southern recipe is a classic and is very easy to follow, after you sear off your ham hock or smoked turkey necks, you’re ready to start building a delicious simmering pot of collard greens.
- 2-3 bunches collard greens
- 1 package ham hocks, smoked turkey neck/leg, or thick cut bacon
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- Water
- 5 tbsp salt
- 3 tbsp cracked black pepper
- 2-5 tbsp crushed red pepper
- Hot sauce
- Trim collard greens per instructions above.
- Pre-heat a large pot on the stove-top on medium-high heat.
- Slice your ham hock (or other meat) into small cubes (you can leave the bones in for flavoring).
- Once the pan is warm, add the meat and cook until browned.
- Add vinegar and deglaze the pan, then add collard greens and water, stire until the greens are submerged.
- Add salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes (to taste) and hot sauce (to taste).
- Simmer on medium heat for three hours, or until greens are tender.
- Serve while hot.