Easy Southern Collard Greens Recipe (& how to clean)

A flavorful bowl of slowly cooked southern-style collard greens with some spicy pot liquor (hello red pepper flakes) and ham hocks is just the thing  You’ll know the secret to easy southern collard greens recipe (& how to clean) with this soul food collard greens recipe from a sweet little old Southern grandma!

Easy Collard Greens Recipe

Southern Style Collard Greens are a delicious easy side dish that is one of the lynch pins of southern cuisine. Southern Cooking is known for delicious side dish and you can’t go wrong with a side of cornbread and black-eyed peas besides a plate of fried chicken! Besides, greens offer good luck, vitamin K and health benefits on New Year’s Day and this time of year! Who could ask for more from a true southern classic like this southern greens recipe that yields tender collard greens, savory flavor and a perfect side dish all in one? 

Why This Recipe Works…

• Uses fresh leafy greens “out of the garden” to create a flavorful soul food collard greens recipe.
• It shows you EXACTLY how to clean the fresh collard greens
• Uses smoked ham hock and smoked turkey necks or smoked turkey wings, spices and things you already have at home to make a wonderful pot likker!

Here’s What You’ll Need: 

• Leafy green vegetables (fresh collards) from your produce section
• Chicken Broth
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• white or brown sugar 
• Small pieces of Seasoning meat (available at your local grocery store)
• Dutch Oven or large stock pot 
• Slotted Spoon!

Here’s How It’s Done

 If you have whole collard leaves, mustard greens or turnip greens or you picked them yourself, you MUST clean them fully. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) about Southern Soul Food Collard Greens Recipe

How To Remove the Bitterness From Collard Greens? 

If your collards are bitter, then you will want to add a little extra vinegar and salt. 

Can Collard Greens be Eaten Raw? 

Yes, you CAN eat collard greens raw, but you will want to massage them and cut them very small or shred them.Remember they have sturdy stems. 

What’s the History of Collard Greens? 

Collard Greens have a LONG American history but I think it’s important for us to examine some of their African Roots. Here’s an excellent article about that. 

Tips and Tricks for The Best Collard Greens

How to Clean Collard Greens

• Clean collard greens very well using the process described above. Don’t skimp or you will end up with sandy gritty pieces in your collards and that is gross.
• Cut into strips – this is an easy recipe and yields the proper mouthful of tender greens
• You’ll need a big pot of cold water to cook these in, about 6 quarts is good. 
• After two hours of cooking, if they aren’t as tender as you like, then cook some more – just check every 15-20 minutes so that you don’t over cook them – unless you like them overcooked, in which case – do as you see fit.
• Washing is the hardest part.

Best Southern Collard Greens Seasoning

• In this recipe, I use butter, bacon grease, bacon, sweet onions and smoked turkey for delicious collard greens for an authentic southern collard greens recipe but you can use turkey legs, smoked turkey leg, chicken stock, black pepper, fresh onions, garlic powder and cajun seasoning.
• The hot pepper flakes do not make your green very hot – it just adds flavor.
• Add hot vinegar to the finished greens if you like yours hotter – that is what I do (it makes the best greens!).
• You’ll need to be liberal with the salt and pepper and hot sauce when cooking collard greens, just saying!

Watch Me Make This True Southern Classic! 

Can You Give Me a Hand? 

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Easy Southern Collard Greens Recipe (& how to clean)

Perfectly flavored and delicious easy southern collard greens recipe plus how to clean them!

5 from 4 votes

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Course: greens

Cuisine: American

Keyword: how to cook and clean collard greens

Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 3 hours hours

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 280kcal

Author: Wendi Spraker

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup unsalted sweet cream butter
• 6 strips of heavy flavorful bacon – cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 medium onion – chopped small
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 6 lbs of greens cleaned and stemmed
• 32 oz chicken stock
• 2 whole smoked turkey necks
• 1 tsp chicken stock concentrate
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tsp white granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions

• Using a large heavy stock pot (I use my 6 quart porcelain coated cast iron dutch oven), melt 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup) in the bottom of the pot over medium heat.
• Cut up 6 strips of thick bacon into 2 inch pieces.  Add to the melted butter. Cook  until done.
• Add 1 onion, chopped small, and cook in the fats until translucent.  Add the garlic and heat for 1 minute.
• After sauteing the garlic for 1 minute, add the greens a few at the time, allowing them to wilt as you go.
• Once the greens are all in the pot, Add 1- 32 oz box of chicken stock. Add smoked turkey neck.
• After the the greens come to temp, have wilted down in the pan, Add 1 tsp chicken stock concentrate, 1/4 cup cider vinegar, 2 tsp sugar,  1 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Give everything a good stir.
• Put the lid on and set the stove on low.  Check and stir every 30 minutes or so.  Add more stock if needed.  After 2 hours the greens should be done, tender and flavorful

Notes

Clean Those Collards Really Good!

• Clean collard greens very well using the process described above. Don’t skimp or you will end up with sandy gritty pieces in your collards and that is gross.
• Cut into strips – this is an easy recipe and yields the proper mouthful of tender greens
• You’ll need a big pot of cold water to cook these in, about 6 quarts is good. 
• After two hours of cooking, if they aren’t as tender as you like, then cook some more – just check every 15-20 minutes so that you don’t over cook them – unless you like them overcooked, in which case – do as you see fit.
• Washing is the hardest part.

Best Southern Collard Greens Seasoning

• In this recipe, I use butter, bacon grease, bacon, sweet onions and smoked turkey for delicious collard greens for an authentic southern collard greens recipe but you can use turkey legs, smoked turkey leg, chicken stock, black pepper, fresh onions, garlic powder and cajun seasoning.
• The hot pepper flakes do not make your green very hot – it just adds flavor.
• Add hot vinegar to the finished greens if you like yours hotter – that is what I do (it makes the best greens!).
• You’ll need to be liberal with the salt and pepper and hot sauce when cooking collard greens, just saying!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Easy Southern Collard Greens Recipe (& how to clean)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 280 Calories from Fat 171

% Daily Value*

Fat 19g29%

Saturated Fat 9g45%

Cholesterol 44mg15%

Sodium 719mg30%

Potassium 768mg22%

Carbohydrates 18g6%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 4240IU85%

Vitamin C 80.6mg98%

Calcium 57mg6%

Iron 2.5mg14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Tried this recipe?Mention @loavesanddishes or tag #loavesanddishes!

***This post originally appeared on the pages of Loaves and Dishes on October 21, 2018 and has been updated with “why this recipe works” “Here’s how its done”. Step by step instructions, Frequently asked questions, video, nutrition information, updated instructions***

A VERSE TO SHARE

Here is an amazing fact that I totally hope is true. Recently, I heard this on Super Soul Sunday with Oprah when her guest said,  “There are 365 instances in the Bible where God says, “Be not afraid” .

God tells us NOT to be AFRAID 336 times which is nearly ONE FOR EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE YEAR!

Apparently, God tells us not to be afraid MORE than he tells us anything else!

Luke 12:4

And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.