Southern Collard Greens Recipe

This Southern Collard Greens Recipe features tender flavorful greens cooked with bacon, sweet onion and seasoned with smoked ham hocks. Serve them as a side dish alongside hot buttered cornbread and a bowl of beans or black eyed peas for a taste of the South.

Ingredients to Make Southern Collard Greens Recipe

Collard greens are found on the menu in the South year-round. They’re especially popular as part of a traditional New Year’s Day meal along with black eyed peas and cornbread. Ingredients to make Southern Collard Greens with ham hocks: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

• Collard Greens: Three medium bunches fresh collard greens (around 12-14 cups) stems removed.
• Bacon: Six slices of classic bacon plus the drippings for cooking and tenderizing the onion.
• Onion: Two medium sweet onions add depth of flavor to the greens.
• Fresh Garlic: Four large cloves garlic, finely minced for added flavor.
• Seasonings: Two teaspoons seasoned salt (or table salt), black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.
• Granulated Sugar: A small amount of white sugar to balance any bitterness from the greens. You can add more to your taste.
• Stock: Four cups vegetable stock for the pot liquor.
• Ham Hocks: Two medium smoked ham hocks.
• Bay Leaf: 1 large bay leaf for extra seasoning.
• Vinegar: 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar adds the acidic notes to balance the flavor of the pot liquor and and perk-up the flavor of the greens.

How to Make the BEST Southern Collard Greens Recipe

• Bacon – Cook bacon over medium high heat until almost crisp.
• Onion – Add diced onion to bacon plus drippings. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 6-8 minutes. (The bacon isn’t removed from the pot.)
• Seasonings – To the pot add minced garlic, seasoned salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Greens – Add dark green leafs and sugar, stirring to coat. 
• Liquid – Add vegetable stock, ham hocks and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer, undisturbed, until greens are tender and liquid has concentrated in flavor.
• Check for Doneness – The ham hocks should be fork-tender about 1 1/2 – 2 hours or until desired tenderness is reached. Remove from heat.
• Remove Meat from Ham Hocks – Carefully transfer hocks to a cutting board; let them cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard skin. Using a fork, shred the meat from the bones. Return shredded ham to greens mixture in Dutch oven, and stir to combine.
• Add Vinegar – Stir in apple cider vinegar. Season with additional salt to taste and serve.

Tips for Making Southern Collard Greens

• Kitchen Tools You’ll Need for Cooking Collard Greens: Large pot or Dutch oven, measuring cups and spoons, sharp knife and cutting board. large spoon, forks and plate or platter to shred the ham hocks.
• Use Fresh Greens: Look for greens with dark green leaves and skip the bunches that with yellowy or wilted leaves.
• Clean and Rinse Thoroughly: Place the greens into a large bowl or into the sink and cover with cold water. Swish the greens to remove any dirt.
• Use the Same Technique for Different Varieties of Greens: This same recipe will work with turnip greens or mustard greens. Some Southern cook’s also like to use a combination of greens.
• Adjust the Level of Spice to Taste: Crushed red pepper flakes are optional, but a must for our taste. You could omit them and serve hot sauce on the side, if desired.
• What’s Pot Likker? The liquid that’s leftover from cooking the collards is delicious for sopping up with cornbread or any crusty bread for dipping.
• Dishes to Serve with Collard Greens: Serve greens with any Southern comfort food such as pinto beans, Southern cornbread, chow chow, Cajun fried chicken, meatloaf muffins, mac and cheese, alongside turkey for Thanksgiving and with black eyed peas for your New Year’s Day celebrations. There’s no wrong time to serve collards as a side dish.

Recipe Variations:

• Greens: You can use this recipe for other types of greens including kale.
• Garlic: You can use 2-3 teaspoons of garlic powder in place of fresh garlic, in a pinch.
• Protein: You can use smoked turkey or smoked turkey wings in place of ham hocks, if you prefer not to use pork.
• Ham Hocks: You could use a ham bone or leftover smoked ham instead. Skip the honey glazed or barbecue ham flavors greens need that smoked flavor to really shine.
• Vegetable Stock: You can use chicken stock or chicken broth in place of vegetable stock.
• Red Pepper Flakes: You can omit the pepper flakes and serve hot sauce on the side for those who’d like to add spice to their greens.

Storage and Leftovers

• Leftovers: Store cooked Southern-Style Collard Greens in an airtight container chilled in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in single servings in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium high heat.
• To Freeze Collard Greens: Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Transfer greens mixture to an airtight freezer-safe container. (Alternatively, fill a ziplock plastic freezer bag no more than three-fourths full and the seal bag, pushing out any air prior to sealing.) Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
• To Thaw Frozen Collards: Transfer the container to the refrigerator until greens mixture is thawed, about 24 hours. Remove greens mixture from container, and transfer to a large heavy bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until heated through, about 15 minutes.

More Southern Side Dish Recipes to Make

• Southern Black Eyed Peas can be served as an entree or a side dish.
• Make this Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese to free up oven space.
• Tender Lima Beans cooked with bacon.
• Stewed Okra with Tomatoes is made with frozen okra so you can enjoy it at any time of year.
• Crackling Cornbread is the ideal side dish for a bowl of beans or soup.
• Easy Cornbread Casserole is sweet and buttery.
• Southern Fried Cabbage is packed with smoky bacon for added flavor.
• Simple Navy Bean Soup from Deep South Dish.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Cutting Boards
• Measuring Set
• Kitchen Utensils
• Dutch Oven