Collard Greens
Southern collard greens are a staple in my household. Tender leafy greens combined with salty, smoky meat…my partner in crime on this blog has literally described them as “eat til you’re sick - good”. Which i’m 78% sure is a compliment.
1 medium yellow onion
3-4 garlic cloves - follow your heart
1 smoked turkey leg
2 fresh bunches of collard greens (or a 32 oz bag of fresh pre-washed greens)
1 TBS crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup of chicken stock
A few dashes of Cholula hot sauce
Salt/Pepper/Apple cider vinegar to taste
Dice your onion and mince your garlic. Saute in a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. I highly recommend using a dutch oven for this recipe.
Once the onions are translucent, add in your crushed red pepper flakes and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer.
Add in the smoked turkey leg and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes over low heat. About halfway through I tend to flip the turkey leg over, its not necessary and I don’t always do it… just on those days where I’m feeling the need for symmetry in my life. :)
Once those 30 minutes are up, pull out that turkey leg and let it cool for a few. You’re going to shred the meat off the bone into bite size pieces, so it needs to be cool enough where you won’t burn your little fingers! Shred that beautiful gam and add it back to the pot. Cover and simmer for another 20 minutes. DON’T SKIP THIS STEP! It seems redundant, but it’s really the key to a delicious pot of greens.
Meanwhile, soak your greens. Even if you buy the pre-washed ones, those suckers are grimy. Wash ‘em up. If you are using fresh bunches, tear them into large-ish chunks and discard the tough stems.
Now is the time to add the greens to the pot! Add them in and cover over low heat. Now I know you’re thinking you’re close to chow time, but sorry Jack, you’re not. These greens take time. Simmer them over low heat for at least an hour, probably more just depending on how patient you are. You will see them wilt down to a beautiful bright emerald green, but for true southern greens, we’re gonna keep cooking. You can see the difference in the two pics up top… the final stage is when they are a dark green and totally wilted. That is what we’re looking for!
Season with salt and pepper. Add a couple dashes of Cholula and a capful of apple cider vinegar. Dig in!