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Southern

Southern Collard Greens

Low and slow is the way with collards. Smoked turkey wings give deep flavor without as much fat as ham hock, and the 'pot likker' left in the pan is worth sopping with cornbread.

Prep
30 min
Cook
1 hr 30 min
Total
2 hr
Makes
6 servings
Braised collard greens with smoked turkey and cornbread

My Sassy Southern Recipes

Southern Collard Greens

Prep 30 min · Cook 1 hr 30 min · Total 2 hr · Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

6 servings
  • 3 lbcollard greens (2–3 large bunches)
  • 2 tbspolive oil or bacon fat
  • 1large onion, diced
  • 4 clovesgarlic, minced
  • 1 ½ lbsmoked turkey wings or necks
  • 6 cupslow-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tbspapple cider vinegar
  • 1 tspsugar (optional)
  • ½ tspred pepper flakes
  • salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. 1

    Wash collards thoroughly in several changes of cold water to remove grit. Strip leaves from thick stems and cut into 1-inch ribbons.

  2. 2

    Heat oil in a large pot over medium. Cook onion 5 minutes; add garlic for 1 minute.

  3. 3

    Add smoked turkey and broth. Bring to a boil and simmer covered 30 minutes.

  4. 4

    Add greens in batches, letting each wilt. Stir in vinegar, sugar and red pepper flakes.

  5. 5

    Simmer covered 45–60 minutes until very tender. Pull meat from turkey, return it to the pot and season to taste.

Cooking notes

  • Washing well is non-negotiable — sandy greens will ruin the pot.

Serving suggestions

Serve with cornbread and a dash of pepper vinegar or hot sauce.

Storage

Refrigerate in their pot likker up to 5 days; freeze up to 3 months.

Reheating

Reheat on the stove until simmering.

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