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Serving up Southern collard greens with cornbread for everyday or holiday meals.
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Southern Collard Greens

Slow-cooked greens in a savory, spicy broth loaded with ham hocks and delectable seasonings is comfort in a bowl. Satisfying dark leafy greens in a delicious broth boasts health benefits. Win-win!
Course Side
Cuisine Southern
Diet Gluten Free
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 172kcal
Author Imma

Ingredients

  • 1-2 small ham hocks (about 2 pounds)
  • 2-3 bunches collard greens (about 2 pounds or 900 grams)
  • 2-3 strips thick-cut bacon
  • 1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) cooking oil (omit if you have enough bacon grease)
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon (15g) minced garlic
  • 1-2 Roma tomatoes, diced (optional)
  • 1-2 teaspoons (3-6g) paprika
  • 1 teaspoon (4-5g) Creole seasoning (adjust to taste)
  • 1-2 teaspoons (2-4g) red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon (12g) chicken bouillon powder (adjust to taste)
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • 5 cups (1.2l) chicken broth (more as needed)

Instructions

  • Bring the ham hocks in a pot fully covered in water to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 1½-2 hours or until the meat falls off the bone. (For a faster way, do this in a pressure cooker. It takes me about 12 minutes once it starts cooking.) Let the ham cool, remove the meat from the bones, and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
  • Remove the stems from the collard greens. Then wash, rinse, and chop. Discard the stems (or save them for broth) and reserve chopped leaves.
  • Heat a medium or large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chopped bacon and fry for 6-7 minutes or until brown. 
  • Add about 1 tablespoon of oil (if necessary) to the bacon grease in the pot. Add the onions, garlic, and chopped ham, then sauté for 3-5 minutes.
  • Toss in the tomatoes, paprika, Creole seasoning, and 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 until the greens are tender.
  • Serve warm with hot sauce and cornbread.

Notes

  • Feel free to replace the ham hocks and bacon with smoked turkey.
  • Discard old leaves with large patches of yellow or brown.
  • Save the ham hock bones for bone broth later.
  • Please remember that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used.

Nutrition

Serving: 125g | Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 1123mg | Potassium: 330mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3199IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 139mg | Iron: 1mg