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Silky, deeply flavored collard greens slow-simmered with smoky ham hock until tender, bathed in rich pot likker that begs for cornbread. A New Year's tradition that promises prosperity with every bite.
Collard greens carry the weight of history in every leaf. African cooks brought their traditions to Southern kitchens, transforming tough greens into something extraordinary through patience and smoke. This is food that fed families through hard times and celebrated with them in good ones. On New Year's Day, the green leaves represent folded money, a promise of prosperity for the year ahead.
The secret to proper collards lives in two places: the quality of your smoked pork and the time you give them. A good ham hock, heavy with meat and fat, will perfume your kitchen for hours while it renders into the cooking liquid. That liquid, called pot likker, becomes nearly as valuable as the greens themselves. Don't you dare pour it down the drain.
I've eaten collards in church basements and white-tablecloth restaurants across the South. The best versions share one quality: they respect the time the dish requires. Two hours minimum, three is better. The greens should yield completely to your fork, silky and saturated with smoke. Rush this and you'll taste the difference.
Quantity
3 pounds (about 3 large bunches)
Quantity
1 large (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Quantity
1 medium
diced
Quantity
4 cloves
smashed
Quantity
8 cups
Quantity
2 tablespoons, plus more for serving
Quantity
1 tablespoon
Quantity
1 teaspoon
Quantity
1 teaspoon
Quantity
2
Quantity
1 tablespoon, plus more to taste
Quantity
1 teaspoon
Quantity
for serving
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| collard greens | 3 pounds (about 3 large bunches) |
| smoked ham hock | 1 large (about 1 1/2 pounds) |
| yellow oniondiced | 1 medium |
| garlicsmashed | 4 cloves |
| chicken stock or water | 8 cups |
| apple cider vinegar | 2 tablespoons, plus more for serving |
| brown sugar | 1 tablespoon |
| crushed red pepper flakes | 1 teaspoon |
| smoked paprika | 1 teaspoon |
| bay leaves | 2 |
| kosher salt | 1 tablespoon, plus more to taste |
| freshly ground black pepper | 1 teaspoon |
| hot sauce (optional) | for serving |
Fill your sink with cold water. Submerge the collard leaves and swish them vigorously. Grit hides in every fold and crevice. Lift the greens out, drain the water, and repeat until no sand settles at the bottom. This takes three washes minimum, sometimes four. Don't skip this step or you'll be grinding dirt between your teeth at dinner.
Fold each leaf in half lengthwise along the stem. Run your knife along the stem to remove it entirely. Stack several leaves together, roll them into a tight cylinder, and slice crosswise into one-inch ribbons. The stems are too fibrous for this dish. Discard them or save for stock.
Place the ham hock in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Add the onion, garlic, stock, vinegar, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for one hour. The ham hock needs this head start to begin releasing its smoky fat into the liquid.
Add the collards to the pot in handfuls, pressing each addition down with a wooden spoon until it wilts enough to make room for more. This takes patience. Three pounds of raw greens look impossible to fit, but they cook down dramatically. Once all greens are in and submerged, cover the pot.
Cook at a bare simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. The greens should become completely tender, almost silky, with no chew remaining. The pot likker will darken and concentrate, carrying the smoke from the ham hock into every bite. Taste at the two-hour mark. If the greens still have any resistance, keep going.
Remove the ham hock to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bone in rough shreds, discarding the skin, fat, and bone. Return the meat to the pot and stir to distribute. Some cooks leave the hock whole for presentation. I prefer the meat scattered throughout so every serving gets its share.
Remove the bay leaves. Taste the pot likker and adjust with more salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed. The greens should taste smoky, slightly sweet, and have a gentle vinegar brightness that cuts through the richness. Transfer to a deep serving bowl, making sure to include plenty of pot likker. Serve with hot sauce and extra vinegar on the table.
1 serving (about 375g)
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