This week in my CSA box from the farm co-op I belong to I received a TON (well about 2 lbs actually) of collard greens. I also happened to have a giant ham hock in my freezer – the last remaining piece of the recent 1/2 a hog that we purchased from our favorite local pig farmers. I have been wondering what the heck to do with the ham hock, and now that I had a bountiful amount of collards – I was suddenly inspired – Southern Style Collard Greens! This is a dish I remember having as a child when we took a trip in a rented motor home and traveled from CA to New York, stopping at various states across the way. It was an incredible adventure and an incredible culinary adventure of sorts as well. So, here is my take on Southern Style Collard greens as I remember them. The end result turned out so satisfying, delicious and comforting – even good enough to hope for another huge supply of collard greens in my next CSA box!!
Southern Style Collard Greens
2 lbs collard greens
1 smoked ham hock (or 1 lb of diced bacon)
1 yellow onion, diced
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons hot sauce (I used Tapatio)
2 teaspoons sea salt (optional)
In a large soup pot add the ham hock, onions, garlic powder, hot sauce and sea salt. Wash the collar greens and using your hands, tear the leaves away from the tough spine of each green. Roughly chop the greens and place in the pot. Add enough water to just cover the greens. Cover and bring to a boil, turn heat down and simmer, stirring occasionally for 1 hour. When you serve the collards, shred some of the ham off the hock to eat with the greens and add some of the broth to the serving bowls as well. The broth by itself is amazing.
Enjoy!
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Totally reminds me of this post: http://donmatesz.blogspot.com/2010/03/my-meals-3910-breakfast.html
I love southern style collard greens, especially when they’re smothered in hot sauce!
Collard greens can’t be beat. As a life long southerner, I’ve always loved greens of any kind.
Hi Jeff! Well, as a California girl, I hope I’ve done the collard greens justice! : )
I am born and raised in Georgia and what would make this even better is to use chicken broth instead of water and add a little red wine vinegar at the end!
From Georgia as well and I agree on the chicken broth and vinegar. Also the leftover “broth” as you call it, is called pot liquor. Enjoy!
Ray – pot liquor, I love it! I’ll have to try the chicken broth idea, the dish was super flavorful like it was but I’m sure it would be great with the chicken broth too!
If I use bacon, should I cook it first?
Hi Nicky,
Do not cook the bacon first, just throw it in raw. : )
Yes, I also put red wine vinegar on my greens. Guess I thought everyone did that so I forgot to mention it…LOL.
Sarah,
I’ve been using seaweed in my cooking a lot more lately (especially since I bought oh about 4lbs of it when we were in Maine. I added a bit of chopped kelp to my collards tonight and it was yummy. The different varieties of sea “vegetables” are a great substitute for salt. Let me know if you’d like to try some. 🙂
Hey Veronica,
I would love to try some, thanks for the offer!! : )
The collard greens were great, nice spice and very comforting 🙂
I love greens of any kind…sea greens included.
checkout my site. I have a recipe for true southern collards. you were close. next time try my recipe. you will see the diff. I just started eating paleo, and my site is brand new, but just saw your collards recipe and wanted to share….. not sure if you will even see this…..
Hi Erika,
Thank you so much for sharing your blog and your true southern collards recipe! Mine was for sure just an attempt at the real deal so now I can’t wait to try your recipe, thanks again so much, oh and I love your blog!! : )
thanks!!!! I am so psyched your book is out soon!!!! Mine has been pre-ordered for awhile girl!!!!
Thanks so much Erika!!! : )
Fyi, I made Robb’s Jamabalaya recipe from The Paleo Solution recipe section and used the left-over pot liquor from my collard greens instead of chicken broth. Oh, my yummy goodness!!! It was DELISH. So when you make collard greens, DON’T THROW OUT THE JUICE! It makes great broth for other recipes!!
So good! Thanks for the great recipe!