Slow-Simmered Southern Collard Greens

Smoky, savory greens with tender turkey and a pot likker worth sopping up with cornbread.

There are some dishes that don't need a fancy introduction. They just need a big pot, a little patience, and enough time for all those flavors to get acquainted.

Collard greens are one of those dishes.

These Slow-Simmered Southern Collard Greens start with a smoky turkey leg, wings, or ham hock simmered in chicken broth with onion and garlic. Then the greens join the party and slowly cook until they're tender, flavorful, and swimming in that delicious Southern pot likker.

And whatever you do, don't forget the cornbread.

Because leaving that pot likker behind would be a tragedy. 😉

Recipe at a Glance

Prep Time: 30 minutesCook Time: 2½–3 hoursTotal Time: About 3 hoursServings: 8–10

What You'll Need

• 3 bunches fresh collard greens

• 3–4 garlic cloves

• ½ large yellow onion

• 1 smoked turkey leg, 2 smoked turkey wings, or 1–2 ham hocks

• 4–8 cups chicken broth, as needed

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, butter, or bacon grease

• 1½ teaspoons salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 teaspoons sugar, or to taste

Equipment

• Large stock pot or Dutch oven

• Sharp knife

• Tongs

• Cutting board

Let's Get That Pot Likker Started

Start with the smoky goodness.

Slice the onion and garlic.

Heat a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, butter, or bacon grease.

If you have bacon grease? Use it! It adds a depth of flavor that is hard to beat.

Add the onion and garlic and sauté until they're fragrant and the onions are slightly translucent.

Add your smoked turkey leg, turkey wings, or ham hocks.

Pour in enough chicken broth to just cover the meat. You will probably only need 4 cups at this point. 

Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Cover and let it simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.

Now to Put That Simmer Time to Good Use

It's time to show those collard greens some love.

1. Wash Those Greens. Then Wash Them Again.

When you think they're clean...wash them one more time. 😊

Collard greens can hold onto a surprising amount of dirt and grit, so don't rush this part.

Fill a clean sink or large bowl with lukewarm water. Wash the greens thoroughly, then remove them from the water and drain.

Look and feel for any dirt or grit. Repeat the process until the water looks clean and, just as importantly, you don't feel grit when you run your hand along the bottom of the sink.

Rinse the sink between washes.

Trust me. Nobody wants a crunchy surprise in their collard greens.

2. Remove the Tough Stems

Fold each leaf in half like a book, with the stem acting as the spine.

Tear along each side of the stem to separate the leafy portion from the thickest part of the stem.

You don't have to obsess over getting every little piece of stem. We're cooking dinner, not performing botanical surgery.

3. Roll and Slice

Stack several leaves together and roll them up.

Using a sharp knife, cut the greens into strips.

Thick or thin is completely up to you. I like mine around ½ inch wide.

Back to the Pot

Use tongs to check your turkey to see if it is beginning to fall from the bone.

If you're using ham hocks...settle in. They can take at least an hour and a half to two to become tender enough to easily pull apart. You can move on with the rest of the recipe while they do their thing.

When it is tender enough, carefully remove the turkey from the pot and allow it to cool slightly. Just enough so you can handle it without burning yourself. You know your heat tolerance. Be smart. 😉

Remove as much meat as you can from the bone and return the meat to the pot.

Add the Greens

Add the cleaned and sliced collard greens to the pot along with the salt and pepper.

If necessary, add additional chicken broth until the greens are covered.

When adding the greens, don't panic if your pot looks ridiculously full. They will wilt.

If they don't all fit at once, use tongs to carefully toss the greens around in the hot broth. As they wilt, add the remaining greens.

Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the pot back to a boil.

Then reduce the heat to just under medium, cover, and let those greens simmer for 1½ to 2 hours.

This is where patience earns its paycheck.

Let Them Simmer

Check your greens about every 30 minutes to make sure there is still enough broth.

You don't want to drown them. The goal is flavorful, concentrated pot likker.

Only add more chicken broth if the liquid has reduced by more than half.

Beginning around the one-hour mark, start tasting the greens for tenderness.

If you sliced them very thin, they'll cook faster.

You want them tender, but they don't need to be mushy.

Once they're cooked to your liking, add the sugar and let everything simmer t

Together for another 15 minutes.

Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Then step back and admire that pot.

You've earned it.

Serve It Southern

Serve your collard greens with:

• Hot sauce

• Vinegar

• A big slice of Southern cornbread

And whatever you do, don't waste that pot likker.

That cornbread has a job to do.

Make It a Family Affair

This recipe is a great opportunity to get the whole family in the kitchen. Let the kids help. 

Collard greens don't have to be cut perfectly. They can be sliced into large ribbons, which makes this a great opportunity to teach responsible knife skills.

Younger cooks can help wash and tear stems from the greens while you work on the rest of dinner.

Just make sure you have the final quality-control check.

We don't need any crunchy surprises hiding in the pot likker.

Let Them Help With the Turkey

Once the turkey has cooled enough to handle, older children can help pull the tender meat from the bone.

And don't be surprised if they sneak a bite. I always do!

More Than a Recipe

Some of my favorite kitchen memories aren't about perfectly prepared food.

They're about standing around the kitchen together. Somebody is washing greens.

Somebody is making cornbread. Somebody is sneaking a taste when they think nobody is looking.

That's the good stuff.

That's what makes a meal feel like home.

And that's why I believe food is always better when there's someone to share it with.

Sauce & Simmer Tip

Don't rush the greens.

The magic happens during that long, gentle simmer. Give the smoked meat time to flavor the broth, give the greens time to become tender, and give the pot likker time to concentrate.

Good collard greens aren't just cooked....they're simmered into submission.

Gather 'Round

This is the kind of dish that belongs in the middle of a table surrounded by people.

So pour yourself something cold, make a pan of cornbread, and invite somebody to pull up a chair.

Because around here, there's always room at the table.