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Southern collard greens with smoked ham hock
Slow-braised greens in smoky pot likker
Collard greens simmered low and slow with smoked pork are at the heart of African American soul food and of Southern Sunday dinners and New Year's tables from Alabama to Virginia. The tough leaves melt into silky, savoury greens, and the cooking liquid, the 'pot likker', is so good it is sopped up with cornbread. Chef's tip: strip out the thick stems and wash the leaves in three changes of water; grit is the commonest complaint.
- Total time
- 140 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 1 smoked pork ham hockabout 700 g
- 6 ¼ cups water
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onionsliced
- 4 cloves garlicsliced
- ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- pepper vinegar or hot sauce (optional)to taste, to serve
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Simmer the 1 smoked pork ham hock in the 6 ¼ cups water, covered, for 1 hour to make a smoky broth.
60 minStep 2: Meanwhile strip the leaves of the 2 ⅝ lb collard greens (or spring greens) from the stems, wash in three changes of cold water and cut into 3 cm ribbons.
15 minStep 3: Heat the 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot and fry the 1 onion for 6 minutes, then the 4 cloves garlic and ½ tsp dried chilli flakes for 1 minute.
7 minStep 4: Add the greens in handfuls, letting each wilt, then pour in the hock and its broth with the 2 tbsp cider vinegar and 1 tsp sugar.
8 minStep 5: Simmer half-covered for 45–60 minutes, until the greens are very tender and the hock meat falls off the bone. A common mistake is cooking them briefly like spinach; collards need time.
55 minStep 6: Shred the hock meat back into the pot, discard skin and bone, and season with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Serve with the pot likker and pepper vinegar or hot sauce.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 180 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does southern collard greens with smoked ham hock take?
- About 140 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 120 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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