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Southern Collard Greens Recipe is the slow Sunday side that fills the house with ham hock steam for hours, with Maddie sneaking spoonfuls straight from the dutch oven before dinner is even on the table on a lazy December afternoon when the cornbread is in the oven and the fried chicken is resting on a rack. Pair this pot with our classic Southern fried catfish for a full soul food plate.
It’s the 9 ingredient soul food classic that needs nothing more than time on the stove and a generous hand with the pepper, and it pairs beautifully with our chicken fried steak fingers with gravy for a Friday night soul food spread.
Southern Collard Greens Recipe Quick Look
- 🕐 Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🍴 Cook Time: 4 hours
- ⏳ Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
- 🍽 Serving: 12 servings (Sunday dinner pot for a crowd)
- ⚡ Calories: 145kcal
- 🌶 Flavor Profile: Smoky, savory, deeply pork forward (ham hock pot likker, garlic and onion powder, a hit of seasoned salt and black pepper)
- ✋ Difficulty: Beginner, low and slow like our crock pot pulled pork
Jump to:
- Southern Collard Greens Recipe Quick Look
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Southern Collard Greens Recipe
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Southern Collard Greens Recipe FAQs
- Other Recommended Southern Side Dish Recipes
- Southern Collard Greens Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ham hocks do the heavy lifting: A pair of smoky ham hocks simmered low and slow in chicken stock builds the deep, savory pot likker that defines soul food collards, the same kind of low and slow flavor we coax out of our crispy fried hot honey chicken brine.
- Set it and forget it: Five minutes of active prep, then the pot does the work for 4 hours while you handle the rest of Sunday dinner. The greens don’t need babysitting; they just need time.
- Feeds a crowd: One pot makes 12 generous servings, which is exactly what you want for a holiday table, a church potluck, or a Sunday dinner that stretches into Monday’s leftovers (collards taste even better the next day).
Key Ingredients
- Ham hocks: Two smoked ham hocks are the soul of this pot. The smoky pork fat renders into the chicken stock and the meat picks off the bone after the long simmer for tender shreds that get stirred back into the greens. Smoked turkey necks or thick cut bacon work in a pinch if your store is out, similar to the pork swaps we make in our Parmesan coated oven baked chicken tenders.
- Collard greens, bagged and chopped: 2 pounds of pre washed, pre chopped bagged collards is the weeknight shortcut that gets dinner started fast. Fresh bunches work too; you’ll just spend 15 extra minutes stripping the tough center ribs and chopping the leaves.
- Chicken stock, unsalted: 64 ounces of unsalted chicken stock is the braising liquid, and unsalted is non negotiable because the ham hocks bring plenty of salt on their own. Salted stock plus salted ham plus seasoned salt = too salty to serve.
- Garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt: The dry seasoning trio. Garlic and onion powder bloom in the simmer and infuse every leaf, while seasoned salt (think Lawry’s) brings the savory background note that makes this taste like Sunday at grandma’s, the same flavor backbone we use in our crispy baked Ritz cracker chicken.
- Unsalted butter: Two tablespoons of butter stirred in at the end add a glossy richness that ties the smoky pot likker together. Skip it and the greens taste lean; add it and they taste finished.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
- Smoked turkey neck swap: Trade the ham hocks for two smoked turkey necks for a leaner, lighter version that still delivers the smoke. Cooking time stays the same; pull the meat off the neck bones the same way.
- Bacon and tasso version: Cook 6 ounces of thick cut bacon or 8 ounces of diced tasso ham in the dutch oven first, then build the pot likker on the rendered fat. Pairs perfectly with our Chick Fil A mac and cheese for a full Southern soul plate.
- Spicy hot pepper vinegar finish: The traditional Southern table topper. Drizzle hot pepper vinegar (or splash plain apple cider vinegar with a few drops of hot sauce) over the bowl right before serving for the tangy heat that cuts the rich pork.
- Mixed greens pot: Use a 50/50 mix of collards and mustard greens or turnip greens for a more complex, slightly peppery bite. Cooking time and seasonings stay identical.
- Quick stovetop shortcut: Short on time? Cut the simmer to 90 minutes total instead of 4 hours. You’ll get less depth of flavor but still a respectable pot, the same way we cut corners on weeknights with our crispy fried battered chicken tenders.
How to Make Southern Collard Greens Recipe
- Score the ham hocks in a diamond pattern, cutting through the skin to expose the meat underneath so the fat and flavor render out during the simmer.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat and sear the ham hocks on all sides, about 5 minutes total, until the skin is deeply browned.
- Pour in the chicken stock, garlic powder, and onion powder, stir, bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook 2 hours. Remove the ham hocks and set on a plate to cool.
- While the hocks cool, add the bagged collards, seasoned salt, and black pepper to the pot. Bring back to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook 2 more hours, stirring occasionally.
- Once the ham hocks are cool enough to handle, pick the tender meat off the bones, discard the bones, skin, and any gristle, and stir the meat back into the pot with the butter.
- Stir everything together, taste the pot likker, and adjust with more seasoned salt or pepper if needed. Serve hot in a bowl with a wedge of cornbread on the side.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Score the ham hocks first. The diamond pattern cuts let the rendered fat and smoky flavor out into the pot likker; uncut hocks keep most of the flavor trapped under the skin and you’ll wonder why your greens taste flat.
- Use unsalted stock and unsalted butter. The ham hocks plus seasoned salt already bring a generous amount of sodium to the pot. Salted stock + salted butter pushes the pot into too salty territory, and you can’t pull salt back out the way you can stir more in.
- Do not rush the simmer. Two hours for the hocks then two hours for the greens is the minimum for a deep flavored pot. If you only have 90 minutes total, you’ll get an acceptable pot but the collards won’t have that “Sunday at grandma’s” depth, similar to the way our easy homemade chili mac and cheese rewards a long simmer.
- Storage: Leftover collards keep airtight in the fridge for 4 days and taste even better on day 2. Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium low heat with a splash of the leftover pot likker to loosen.
- Freezing: Freeze portions in airtight containers with some pot likker for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop, the same freezer friendly pattern we use for our baked Swiss cheese and ham sliders filling.
- Don’t skip the butter. Two tablespoons stirred in at the end glosses the pot and rounds the edges. It’s the difference between “good collards” and “the collards everyone asks for the recipe for”, similar to the finishing trick we use on our the BEST Mississippi pot roast.
- Taste the pot likker before serving. The braising liquid is the soul of the dish. Spoon some over a piece of cornbread or sip a small spoonful straight; that’s how you’ll know what to adjust before you ladle the greens into bowls.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Southern Collard Greens Recipe is the side dish that plays the soul food supporting role across an entire spread. The default pairing at our house is a wedge of cornbread, a piece of fried chicken, and a tall glass of sweet tea, but the pot likker also begs for a slice of bread to mop. Pair the greens with our BBQ rib recipe for a smoky platter, or set them next to our oven baked pulled pork sandwiches for a leftover Sunday lunch the next day.
For a Cajun spin, serve a bowl alongside our gumbo recipe with chicken, sausage, and shrimp with a scoop of rice for a Louisiana style spread. For a slow cooker Sunday dinner that runs all afternoon, plate the greens with our slow cooker lemon chicken thighs and a side of buttered grits, or build a Cajun bowl over our Cajun dirty rice and let the pot likker soak into the rice for a one bowl soul food dinner.
Southern Collard Greens Recipe FAQs
Southern Collard Greens Recipe needs a 4 hour simmer total: 2 hours for the ham hocks alone in chicken stock to build the pot likker, then 2 more hours after the chopped collards are added. The long low and slow cook is what gives the greens their tender, deeply savory soul food flavor.
Yes, Southern Collard Greens Recipe converts cleanly to a slow cooker. Sear the ham hocks in a skillet first for color, then transfer everything to a 6 quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, then pick the meat and stir in the butter at the end exactly as written.
Bitter Southern Collard Greens Recipe usually means the greens didn’t simmer long enough to break down the tannins, or the tough center ribs were left in. Make sure to strip the ribs from fresh leaves, simmer the full 2 hours after adding the greens, and a teaspoon of granulated sugar at the end will balance any residual bitterness.
Yes, Southern Collard Greens Recipe freezes well for up to 3 months. Portion the cooled greens with some pot likker into airtight containers, leaving an inch of headspace. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently in a saucepan over medium low heat, stirring occasionally.
For a Southern Collard Greens Recipe without ham hocks, swap in two smoked turkey necks (leaner, lighter smoke), 6 ounces of thick cut bacon (faster, less rendered fat), or 8 ounces of diced tasso ham (spicier, more intense). Cooking time and seasonings stay the same; just sear the substitute first to render fat into the pot.
Southern Collard Greens Recipe pairs with cornbread, fried chicken, BBQ ribs, pulled pork, fried catfish, mac and cheese, candied yams, and black eyed peas for a classic Sunday soul food plate. The pot likker also makes the greens an excellent side for gumbo, dirty rice, and chicken fried steak.
Other Recommended Southern Side Dish Recipes
If you made this Southern Collard Greens Recipe, leave a star rating and a comment below to let us know how it turned out, and tag us on social so we can see what made it onto your Sunday plate this week. We love hearing whether you went with ham hocks, smoked turkey necks, or bacon and tasso.
Southern Collard Greens Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ham hocks
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 64 ounces unsalted chicken stock
- 2 Tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 Tablespoons onion powder
- 2 pounds collard greens bagged already chopped and rinsed for you or fresh if desired.
- 1 Tablespoon seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Score the ham hocks in a diamond pattern, cutting through the skin to expose the meat.2 ham hocks
- In a dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the oil and sear the ham hocks on all sides, about 5 minutes total.1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Add the chicken stock, garlic powder, and onion powder, stir in the seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 2 hours. Take the ham hocks out and place them on a plate to cool.64 ounces unsalted chicken stock, 2 Tablespoons garlic powder, 2 Tablespoons onion powder
- While the ham hocks cool, add the collards to the pot. Stir in the seasoned salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.2 pounds collard greens bagged already chopped and rinsed for you or fresh if desired., 1 Tablespoon seasoned salt, 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
- Once the ham hocks are cool to the touch, pick the meat off the bone. Discard the bone, skin, and gristle. Add the meat to the pot with the collards at any time then add in the butter.2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- Stir everything together. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Video
Notes
- We used bagged and chopped collard greens for convenience, you can use fresh as well.
- Do not forget to score your ham hock, this will help your meat come loose when removing
- Use unsalted stock and butter, this will be salty enough with the ham and seasonings added.
- This can be frozen, see my tips above.
- These are cooked low and slow, do not try to rush this recipe.
Nutrition
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First time I’m cooking collard greens without apple cider vinegar and it taste great!!
Thank you for my go to recipe….love it
I made this recipe for Father’s Day and everyone loved it!! Delicious!
I’ve never canned these so I can’t say for certain, but I don’t think there would be an issue.