That’s it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my southern collard greens recipe. Let me know if you make it. I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy! Southern style collard greens are something special. With Southern Collard Greens, the greens are treated more like a tough cut of meat, simmered low and slow until they are wonderfully tender and loaded with flavor. If you’ve never tried collards before, or are just not a fan of them, this is the recipe you need to try. Collard greens are popular in Southern cuisine in the United States and are rich in vitamins and minerals, and can be enjoyed raw or cooked. They are versatile in cooking and can be sautéed, braised, steamed, or boiled, often seasoned with ingredients like garlic, onions, and bacon. Let’s talk about how to make collard greens, shall we? Collards can be pretty gritty and have lots of dirt clinging to them, so the rinsing and cleaning step is very important. You’ll notice if any of the grit gets into the pot. It isn’t pleasant. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring here and there, until softened. Add garlic and ham. Cook for 1 minute. Add the greens to the pot. Simmer the Collard Greens. Reduce heat, cover and cook the collard greens for 1 hour, then taste for tenderness. Some people like to cook for 2 hours, and some for 3 hours for super tender collard greens. So good! Such a great side dish. This liquid is called “collard liquor” or “pot liquor”, or “pot likker”, and it is delicious. Pot liquor is essentially the liquid remaining from simmering any type of greens or beans. It is enriched with many nutrients from the greens cooking process. You can enhance the flavor with smoked meats and seasonings, making it not only good for you, but extra tasty, as we’ve done here. Cooking Time. I sometimes prefer to simmer my collard greens for the whole 3 hours, but they are nice and tender with a bit of bite after 1-2 hours. Just cook to your preference. You can get away with a stronger simmer for 45 minutes, but much will depend on the collard greens themselves, whether or not your particular batch wants to soften up enough for you. Other Greens. You can definitely use other leafy greens for this recipe. Consider mustard greens, kale, beet greens, dandelion greens or other green leaves. You may need to adjust your simmering time. Meat Options. Pork is most often used, like bacon and ham. Ham hocks are very popular and add lots of flavor. Smoked turkey is also a nice addition or substitute. You can realistically use any of your favorite meats. Serve this up with fried chicken! Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
The Southerner’s Cookbook: Recipes, Wisdom, and Stories (affiliate link, my friends!) North Carolina Barbecue: Flavored by Time, by Bob Gardner (affiliate link, my friends!)
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 12/15/23 to include new information, photos, and video. It was originally published on 10/6/21.
