Collard Greens

Collard Greens – This authentic Southern dish is slowly simmered in a savory and spicy broth loaded with ham hocks and delectable seasonings. It’s a flavor-packed take on your favorite leafy greens. Even better, it pairs well with cornbread for that perfect soul-food meal!

Course Side

Cuisine Southern

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 15

Servings -8

Calories 98kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

2-3 ham hocks
2 pounds (908 g) collard greens
2-3 strips bacon, thick-cut
2 tablespoons (28 ml) cooking oil, or more as needed
1 large onion, sliced
1 tablespoon (8 g) garlic, minced
1-2 tomatoes, diced (optional)
1 tablespoon (8 g) paprika
2 teaspoons (8 g) Creole Seasoning (adjust to taste)
1-2 teaspoons (2-4 g) red pepper flakes, to taste
1 tablespoon (8 g) chicken bouillon powder, to taste
½ lemon freshly juiced
5 cup (1.2 L) chicken broth, or more as needed

Instructions

Start by boiling the ham hocks in a pot fully covered in water, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for approximately 1½-2 hours or until the meat falls off the bone. The easiest way to do this is to use a pressure cooker. It's faster and takes me only about 12 minutes or less once it starts cooking. Let it cool, then cut the meat into bite-size pieces.
Remove leaves from the stem. Then wash, rinse and chop. Repeat until all the collard greens have been removed from its stem. Discard stem and reserve chopped leaves.
Heat up a medium or large dutch oven. Then add chopped bacon and cook for about 6-7 minutes or until brown.
Add about 1 tablespoon of oil – there should be about 2 tablespoons of grease in the pot.
Add onions, garlic, and ham hocks, then sauté for about 3-5 minutes.
Throw in tomatoes, paprika, Creole seasoning, and some pepper flakes. Sauté for another 2 minutes.
Finally, add the collard greens, chicken bouillon, and lemon. Pour in chicken broth or water. Lightly salt, if desired, or wait till the last few minutes of cooking.
Bring to a boil and simmer for about 45 minutes or more or until the greens are tender.
Serve warm with hot sauce and cornbread.

Notes

For the health-conscious, replace the ham hocks with smoked turkey. It's healthier and takes less time to cook.
Collard greens tend to have a lot of dirt trapped all over the folds of their leaves. So it’s best to wash them thoroughly and soak them in salt water. Or rinse your leaves individually by placing them under water to wash away dirt. Remove each leaf individually from the colander.
The acidity in lemon and vinegar reduces the bitterness of the collard greens. It also adds a subtle tang to the dish.
A little sugar also helps cut down the bitterness of the collards. The bitterness is actually good for you, but I understand if it’s not your favorite flavor.
Save the ribs in the freezer for a deliciously nutritious stock.
Please remember that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used.

Nutrition