Southern Collard Greens

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Collard Greens are a must for the holiday table in my family. I love a good batch of Southern Collard Greens. I always hated the waiting time for greens though. A big pot of greens, braising for what seemed like hours, on a Sunday morning brings back a lot of childhood memories. But I think I’ve found a quicker way to get that same taste.

Cleaning Collard Greens

Cleaning greens is essential! I take my time, rinsing and thoroughly cleaning each leaf. This takes time but it’s necessary because greens are known to have critters in the bunches.

Pork

Pork in greens go together like salt and pepper! My grandma and my mother always served greens with some kind of smoked pork in the mix. I use smoked ham hocks, which you can find in almost any grocery store in the freezer section. Just ask the butcher!

Eating Southern Collard Greens

I love love greens with a side of ribs, some baked mac and cheese and a piece of cornbread for good measure. Greens also go great with a pot rice and beans, fried chicken, pork chops – the combinations are endless! If you haven’t tried making greens on your own, this is a great, nutrient dense, straight-forward recipe to add into your fall recipes.

Print Recipe

Southern Collard Greens

Southern collard greens without the long wait!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Keyword: collard greens, southern

Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

• 1 Bunch of Collard Greens rinsed and thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• ¼ Cup Yellow Onions diced
• 1 Ham Hock
• 1/4 Cup Chicken Stock I used unsalted
• ¼-½ tsp Salt

Instructions

• THOROUGHLY clean your greens. Remove the stem and then chiffonade the greens.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil and then add the chopped greens. Boil the greens for 15 minutes.
• Remove the skin off the ham hock and cut out the meat. You won't get much but the little you get will pack a lot of flavor!
• While the greens are boiling, grab a sauté pan and heat your olive oil. Once heated, add your onions and the meat from the ham hock.
• Sauté the onions until translucent and the pork until lightly crisped. Then take the greens directly from the pot and add to the sauté pan.
• Pour the chicken stock into the sauté pan and cook for 3-5 minutes until tender yet soft. Serve immediately.