Potlikker Soup with Greens

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large Dutch oven or heavy stockpot (6-quart minimum)
• •Slotted spoon for skimming
• •Sharp knife for stripping collard stems

Instructions

1. 1

   Build the ham hock broth

   Place the ham hocks in a large Dutch oven or heavy stockpot. Cover with the cold water. You want the hocks submerged by at least two inches. Cold water extracts flavor slowly and evenly, so don't rush this with hot water from the tap. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. You'll see foam rising to the surface. Skim it away with a large spoon. This keeps your broth clean and clear.

   Look for ham hocks with plenty of meat still clinging to the bone. Some are mostly skin and fat, which makes weak broth.
2. 2

   Add aromatics and simmer

   Once you've skimmed the foam, add the diced onion, smashed garlic, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and half the salt. Reduce heat to low so you see lazy bubbles rising every few seconds, not a rolling boil. Cover and let this simmer for one and a half hours. The hocks need time to surrender their collagen and smoke flavor to the water. Your kitchen will start smelling like Sunday dinner.

   A gentle simmer is everything. Boiling makes the proteins seize up and turns the broth cloudy and harsh.
3. 3

   Prepare the collards

   While the broth simmers, wash your collard greens thoroughly. Fill your sink with cold water and swish the leaves around to release any grit. Lift them out (the dirt sinks) and repeat until no sand settles at the bottom. Strip the leaves from the thick center stems by folding each leaf in half and running your knife along the rib. Stack the leaves, roll them like a cigar, and slice into one-inch ribbons. You'll have a mountain of greens. They cook down to almost nothing.

4. 4

   Remove and shred the ham hocks

   After ninety minutes of simmering, the meat should pull away from the bone easily. Transfer the hocks to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones, discarding the skin and fatty bits unless you like them (some folks do). Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Return the bones to the pot for more flavor extraction. You'll fish them out later.

5. 5

   Add greens and continue simmering

   Add the collard ribbons to the pot in batches, pushing them down into the broth as they wilt. They seem like too much at first, but trust me. Add the apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, black pepper, and remaining salt. The vinegar brightens everything and helps tenderize the greens. Stir to combine, then cover and simmer for another 45 minutes to one hour, until the greens are silky and tender but still have some body.

   Taste the broth after adding the greens. The ham hocks are salty, so hold back on extra salt until the end.
6. 6

   Finish and adjust seasoning

   Remove the bay leaves and bones from the pot. Return the shredded ham meat to the soup. Taste the potlikker now. This is the moment of truth. Does it need more salt? More vinegar for brightness? A pinch more pepper for warmth? Adjust until it sings. The broth should taste deeply savory with a whisper of smoke and just enough tang to keep things lively.

7. 7

   Serve with cornbread

   Ladle generous portions into deep bowls, making sure everyone gets plenty of greens, meat, and that precious potlikker. Set a bottle of hot sauce on the table for those who want heat. And serve warm cornbread alongside, preferably still hot from the oven. Dunk it in the broth. Soak up every drop. That's the bayou way, and it's the only proper Southern way too.

   Crumble cornbread directly into the bowl if you want to eat like a true Southerner. Nobody's judging.

Chef Tips

• •Ham hocks vary wildly in saltiness depending on the cure. Taste your broth before adding all the salt, then adjust at the end. You can always add more, but you can't take it back.
• •If you can't find ham hocks, a smoked turkey leg works beautifully and makes a lighter broth. The technique stays the same.
• •The soup tastes even better the next day after the flavors have married overnight. Make it ahead if you have the time.
• •Save any leftover potlikker and use it as the base for cooking rice or beans. It's liquid gold.

Advance Preparation

• •The soup can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored refrigerated. The flavors deepen beautifully overnight.
• •Freeze for up to 3 months. The greens soften slightly upon reheating but the flavor remains excellent.
• •Collard greens can be washed, stripped, and sliced the day before. Store in a damp towel in the refrigerator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 450g)