The BEST Collard Greens Southern Style
Just in time for Thanksgiving, here’s a recipe for smoky, southern style collard greens. This recipe has smoked turkey, but I’ve included a bonus vegan recipe so everyone can be happy during the holidays Braised, tender, smoky collard greens full of incredible, flavor and a pot liquor that will make you want to slap your mama. But only want to, don’t get crazy!
Oh, I bet ya’ll didn’t think I was coming back so soon, huh? Well, I’m here!! And I am bringing yet another dish you can add to your Thanksgiving table: Collard Greens! Now, those of you who follow me on social know I make collard greens all the time. Quick greens, braised greens, greens and cabbage, greens with peppers…I mean, there’s a lot of recipes I make with greens. Lol. I like to switch it up because I eat them on a weekly basis to keep my vegetable, iron and vitamin count high and my carbs low! Yes, collard greens, while a southern, comfort dish is actually very healthy for you!
No, but look at that. The tender greens, smoked meat and super delicious pot liquor peeking through!
This recipe is especially close to me because it reminds me of home. On both sides of my family, greens, whether collards, kale, turnip or mustard, are made, generally on Sundays and always during the holidays. I can clearly recall being down in North Carolina and having a bowl full of greens and adding hot sauce and vinegar from a crystal jar that always sat on the table until my perfect combination was reached. I love tart greens with a little kick. In this recipe, I provide the measurements to give you a good, balanced pot of greens, so your guests can add more tartness or more spice as they see fit.
Here, a turkey drumstick is placed back into the pot, to continue imparting flavor and become more tender before braising greens.
But the star of this recipe is the broth that the greens are cooked in or what us in the South call the Pot Liquor. The base of these greens starts with combining aromatics like onions and garlic with spices, broth and a smokey, umami flavor and letting it simmer. My favorite for the job is smoked turkey. I find it more flavorful that smoked pork and eats better in the end. Once you add the collards, they release juices into the broth that when combined, feels so luscious on the tongue and keep you coming back for another bite. When developing the vegan version of this recipe, I wanted to make sure that we got the same deep flavor in the greens, so enter miso. Miso is fermented soybeans that has a rich, deep, savory flavor. It penetrates the broth and gives you the feeling of satisfaction on your tongue. Taking the aromatics a step further and adding caramelized onions gives you a similar feeling of gelatin that is given by the smoked turkey and, if using, homemade stock.
While I understand and realize that not everyone makes greens on Thanksgiving, I really believe it’s a dish everyone should have. The best part is if you’re thinking about trying these for the first time, you can make greens the day before. They actually taste better when the flavors get a chance to meld. Just bring them back up to temperature for serving! I usually make my greens the night before, along with desserts to reduce the amount of things I have to actually do on turkey day! The only problem you’ll have is trying to stop everyone from “sampling” the greens…including yourself!
Before I go, I want to make sure I leave you all with some tips for a super successful recipe, whether making with meat or not! Here you go :
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Whether you used pre-chopped greens or you cut them yourself, wash them thoroughly and remove the tough stems. You don’t want your guests to be chewing on those forever.
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If you have access to it, use homemade stock. It has more flavor, less sodium and gelatin which adds to the overall greens experience. Many times, a butcher will have stock for sale that you can pick up. But don’t wait until the week of Thanksgiving to get it.!
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Add the greens in batches. Instead of trying to add all of the collards to the pot at one time, add a couple handfuls at a time. Once the greens hit the broth, they will wilt down after stirring a couple of seconds. Do this then add the next batch.
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Remember that the collards also release their own juices as they cook. So make sure you don’t add too much liquid. You want to be able to see the liquid just peeking through the greens, but they don’t need to be submerged in a pot full of liquid where you can’t even see the vegetable!
Follow these tips to make the best greens for your thanksgiving, friendsgiving or just a normal dinner. I promise you won’t regret it!!
Don’t forget to tag me in your photos online @lizeeangel or using #lizeeangel. And as always, comment below and please, like, share and follow me on youtube, instagram, twitter, facebook and pinterest!
Smoky Southern Collard Greens
ingredients:
- 1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
- 1/2 lb smoked turkey
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 5 cloves garlic
- 4-6 cups chicken or turkey stock (homemade if possible)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (more or less to taste)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp red chili flakes (more or less to taste)
- 1/2 tsp aleppo pepper (optional, but recommended)
- 2 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
- 2lbs Greens (Collards or a mix), cleaned and chopped
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
instructions:
How to cook Smoky Southern Collard Greens
- Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat. When pot is hot enough to only be able to hold hand over bottom for around 5 seconds, add in oil. Swirl in pan and after about 30 seconds, add in smoked meat. Brown on all sides.
- Once meat is browned, remove from pot and set aside. Add in onion and cook until just softened. Add garlic and cook for another 2 mins, or until garlic is fragrant.
- Add brown sugar, thyme and all spices except salt and pepper and cook for 1 min to open up the spices and remove the “raw” flavor.
- Next, add in the Worcestershire, vinegar and stock. Stir around to remove any brown bits from the bottom of the pot and add back in the smoked meat. Cover and develop “pot liquor” by cooking broth for an hour over medium-low heat. This infuses the liquid and adds a depth of flavor to your greens.
- Open the pot and once again remove the smoked meat to the side. Taste the broth and adjust for any seasonings, including salt and pepper. The smoked meat is pretty salty, so be sure to taste before adding the salt.
- Now, add the collard greens to the pot, adding in batches by stirring into the liquid after each addition to wilt the greens slightly and make room for more. Once all greens are added, add the smoked meat back in and press gently into the liquid.
- Cover and simmer for another hour and a half, or until greens are tender, but not mushy. If desired, shred meat from bone and stir into the greens.
- Serve immediately or allow to cool and store in fridge for 1-2 days. Bring back up to temperature to serve. Enjoy!
Calories
253
Fat (grams)
15.81
Net carbs
10.48
Protein (grams)
13.35
