American · Side · Easy
Collard Greens
Slow-simmered collard leaves turned silky in smoky, peppery pot liquor. The soul-food cornerstone that makes any plate of Southern cooking feel complete.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Collard Greens, in 5 ideas
- Strip the tough center stems before chopping, they stay chewy no matter how long they cook.
- Give the leaves a long, low simmer, collards reward patience with silkiness.
- The pot liquor is liquid gold; save it for sopping with cornbread.
- A splash of vinegar at the end brightens the whole pot without making it sour.
- Add the greens in batches, they wilt down dramatically in the first few minutes.
What you need
Ingredients
- 900g fresh collard greens
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 120g smoked turkey leg or smoked ham hock, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 750ml chicken stock
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 0.5 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 0.5 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
How to make it
Directions
- Wash the collards thoroughly. Strip the leaves from the thick stems, stack them, roll into a bundle, and slice into 2.5cm ribbons.
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the smoked turkey and onion and cook for 5 minutes until the onion softens.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then pour in the chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
- Add the collards in large handfuls, letting each batch wilt before adding more. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the greens are silky and tender.
- Stir in the vinegar, taste and adjust salt, then serve with plenty of the pot liquor.
Collards are one of the cheapest greens per bunch at any market, and one bunch feeds a crowd. Stretch the pot liquor with a little extra stock and serve over rice to turn a side into a meal.