Southern Collard Greens (Soul Food Recipe)

A soul food Southern Collard Greens recipe flavored with smoked turkey, onion, garlic, and plenty of spices. These greens are incredibly tender and the cooking liquid, or pot liquor, that these greens create is perfect for dipping homemade buttermilk cornbread into!

Take it from a girl born and raised in Mississippi, these collard greens are good ol' down-home eating! With the perfect balance of savory, tangy, and subtly sweet flavors, these greens will complete any Thanksgiving or Sunday dinner spread.

For more authentic southern food, check out our Southern Candied Yams and Homemade Biscuits and Sausage Gravy recipes next!

Why These Are The Best Southern Collard Greens

• Old-fashioned soul food preparation. Authentic southern-style collard greens are simmered low and slow in meat-flavored broth with lots of spices. No ingredients are sauteed or browned beforehand and everything cooks together until flavorful and extremely tender.
• Super tender. The greens are simmered for at least two hours until they are very tender. The result is silky smooth, tender greens with no bitterness!
• Delicious smoky flavor. Smoked meat is a key ingredient in southern-style greens. Many southerners use ham hocks to flavor their greens. However, this recipe calls for smoked turkey which is just as flavorful and delicious!

Ingredients You Need To Make This Recipe

• Fresh collard greens. Make sure the leaves are dark green and are not extremely tough.
• Smoked turkey necks. Smoked turkey wings, legs, or ham hocks can also be used. Smoked meat flavors the greens and cooking liquid and creates that scrumptious pot likker!
• Yellow onion. For added flavor.
• Fresh garlic cloves. Because garlic makes everything better, hello!
• Extra virgin olive oil. For a little extra fat in the cooking liquid.
• Apple cider vinegar. To balance out the flavors and add tanginess and acidity.
• Granulated sugar. To balance out the bitterness of the greens and the acidity of the vinegar.
• Paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked sea salt, cayenne pepper, salt, and cracked pepper. To flavor the collard greens.

How To Make This Recipe

1. Place the smoked turkey necks in a large Dutch oven and add enough water to the pot to cover the turkey. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and boil the smoked turkey for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, remove the tough stems of the collard greens by gripping each leaf by the stem and pulling the leaf up and away from the stem. Roll bunches of leaves up and slice them into about 1-inch ribbons.
3. Place the greens in a large basin and fill it with water. Using two hands, rub and stir the greens around to remove the dirt and grit. Drain the water from the basin and repeat this process at least two more times until the water runs clear.
4. Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and collard greens to the pot with the smoked turkey necks and stir with a wooden spoon. If needed, add more water to the pot until the greens are covered.
5. Add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and sugar to the pot and season the greens with paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked sea salt, cayenne pepper, salt, and cracked black pepper. Bring the greens to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and simmer the greens for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
6. After two hours, check the greens for tenderness. If they aren't silky and melt in your mouth tender, add additional cooking time. Add more seasoning if needed until you are pleased with the flavor.
7. Carefully remove the meat from the bones and discard the bones. The meat should be falling off the bone at this point. Check the pot for small bones that may have broken off during cooking. Serve collard greens hot with a dash of hot sauce if desired!

Variations and Substitutions

You can also use smoked ham hocks, turkey wings, or turkey legs instead of turkey necks.

All or some of the water can be replaced with chicken broth or stock. However, the old-school Mississippi collard greens I grew up eating were made with water. The greens create their own broth from smoked meat, onion, and garlic.

What Are Collard Greens?

Collard greens are dark, leafy greens that are a very popular side dish in the southern US.

Collard greens historically were grown mainly in the south and were one of the few ingredients enslaved African Africans could easily access to feed their families.

The slow cooking method and seasonings and flavors added to the greens transformed them into the southern staple we know today.

How To Properly Clean Collard Greens

Collard greens are loaded with dirt, grit, and sometimes bugs when they are freshly picked. They must be cleaned very well to remove debris and for a pleasant eating experience.

The best way to clean collard greens is to place the greens in a large, clean basin and cover them with cool water. Using both hands, rub and stir the greens around to remove the dirt.

Drain the water from the basin and repeat this process at least two more times until the water runs clear and no more grit is evident in the bottom of the basin. A small amount of white vinegar can be added to the water to help with cleaning the greens.

Many people clean their greens in a kitchen sink but I strongly advise against this because our kitchen sinks are loaded with bacteria, even after thoroughly cleaning!

What Are The Best Seasonings for Collard Greens?

One of the things I love most about southern-style collard greens is the amazing flavor and richness in the broth, also known as pot likker, potlikker, or pot liquor!

This is created by adding lots of seasoning and flavor to the greens while cooking. Some of my favorite spices to add to greens are:

• Sweet or smoked paprika
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Cayenne pepper
• Red pepper flakes
• Smoked sea salt
• Salt
• Cracked black pepper

Two other very important ingredients are vinegar and sugar. You use white, apple cider, balsamic, or red wine vinegar and either white or brown sugar.

These two ingredients provide the perfect balance of flavors and acidity in the greens and tame the natural bitterness.

What Is Pot Likker?

Pot likker, or pot liquor, is the lovely name that was given to the cooking liquid leftover from southern-style collard greens.

Southern collard greens are made with smoked meat, onion, vinegar, sugar, and plenty of spices, which create the most flavorful broth you've ever tasted!

Most southerners serve collard greens with homemade buttermilk cornbread, which is the perfect vehicle for soaking up that delectable pot likker!

Can I Make These Greens Vegetarian or Vegan?

Absolutely! Make these greens vegetarian by omitting the smoked meat and substituting the water for chicken stock or broth.

Make these greens vegan by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Add a little liquid smoke for the same smoky flavor you would get from smoked meat!

Make Ahead and Storing Instructions

Southern collard greens can be made up to two days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Reheat greens on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Leftover collard greens can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

What To Serve With Collard Greens

Southern collard greens are the perfect side dish for a long list of classic and southern comfort food dishes. Some of my favorites dishes to serve collard greens with are:

• Cajun Crawfish Etouffee
• Brown Sugar Glazed Chicken
• Southern Oven Fried Catfish
• Red Beans and Rice
• Cajun Smothered Chicken

Recommended Tools for This Recipe

• Large dutch oven

• Wooden spoon

• Chef knife

More Thanksgiving Recipes You Will Love!

• Southern Buttermilk Pie
• Apple Cider Donut Cake
• Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Southern Cornbread Dressing
• Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese

📖 Recipe

Southern Collard Greens (Soul Food Recipe)

Ashley Boyd

A soul food Southern Collard Greens recipe flavored with smoked turkey, onion, garlic, and lots of spices. These greens are incredibly tender and the cooking liquid, or pot liquor, that these greens create is perfect for dipping homemade buttermilk cornbread into!

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 2 hrs 40 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 55 mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Servings 8 servings

Calories 266 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 large bunches fresh collard greens about 4 pounds with stems
• ▢ 1 pound smoked turkey necks or smoked turkey wings, legs, or ham hocks
• ▢ 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
• ▢ 3 cloves fresh garlic minced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon paprika sweet or smoked
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon smoked sea salt
• ▢ ¼ - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ▢ Salt and cracked black pepper

Instructions

 

• Place the smoked turkey necks in a large Dutch oven and add enough water to the pot to cover the turkey. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and boil the smoked turkey for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove the tough stems of the collard greens by gripping each leaf by the stem and pulling the leaf up and away from the stem. Roll bunches of leaves up and slice them into about 1-inch ribbons.
• Place the greens in a large basin and fill it with water. Using two hands, rub and stir the greens around to remove the dirt and grit. Drain the water from the basin and repeat this process at least two more times until the water runs clear.
• Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and collard greens to the pot with the smoked turkey necks and stir with a wooden spoon. If needed, add more water to the pot until the greens are covered.
• Add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and sugar to the pot and season the greens with paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked sea salt, cayenne pepper, salt, and cracked black pepper. Stir the greens and bring them to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and simmer the greens for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• After two hours, check the greens for tenderness. If they aren't silky and melt in your mouth tender, add additional cooking time. Add more seasoning if needed until you are pleased with the flavor.
• Carefully remove the meat from the bones and discard the bones. The meat should be falling off the bone at this point. Check the pot for small bones that may have broken off during cooking. Serve collard greens hot with a dash of hot sauce if desired!

Notes

• Some or all of the water can be replaced with chicken broth or stock.
• Leftover collard greens can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 266kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 28.4gFat: 11.2gSaturated Fat: 2.5gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 582mgPotassium: 46mgFiber: 8gSugar: 3.9gCalcium: 259mg

Keyword collard greens, collards greens with smoked meat, soul food collard greens, southern collard greens

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