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Southern Collard Greens

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These southern collard greens are a new years day tradition, but also make as a great side dish for you’re everyday dinner.

If it isn’t obvious by now I am a southern girl. We do things a little bit different in the south. And as long as I can remember we eat the same things on New Year’s Day every year. And collard greens is one of those.

Why is collard greens a New Year’s Day tradition?

Along with eating some black eyed peas, collard greens are on the menu as well. Collard greens are green and green equals money. So eating a side of collard greens means money for the up coming year. Read more about the history at TripSavy.

To go along with those collard greens is cornbread. Due to it’s golden color. This also means money since gold coins were a form of money back in the day. I have a chipotle cornbread recipe that goes great with these greens.

Ingredients needed for Southern Collard Greens

  • Collard Greens– obliviously this one is needed. I picked up some already cut and ready to go at my local Walmart. Made it so much easier than having to wash and chop leaves of collard greens.
  • Ham Hock– probably the thing you look at in the meat department and think eww, but it’s really just a leg part of a pig. It add amazing flavor to dishes.
  • Bacon– because I mean bacon makes everything better
  • Onion– chopped up and ready for sauteing. I prefer to use a sweet onion
  • Apple Cider Vinegar– which helps cut the bitterness of collard greens
  • Chicken Broth– They don’t make pork broth and chicken broth always bring a nice flavor to dishes
  • Sugar– another ingredient to cut the bitterness from the collard greens
  • Garlic Powder– I use garlic powder for this recipe but you can substitute it for garlic cloves instead
  • Olive Oil– a little oil to saute the bacon and onions.

Sauteing

First take a deep pot and add the olive oil to it over medium/high heat (Photo 1) Let it warm up to temperature and add bacon pieces to the pot (Photo 2)

Next add the chopped onions to the pot (Photo 3) and start stirring everything around while it cooks (Photo 4) Cook until the bacon and onions have a nice brownish/ gold color (Photo 5)

Cooking Southern Collard Greens

Once the bacon and onions are sauteed add the chicken broth to the pot (Photo 6) and then one ham hock (Photo 7) Next add the apple cider vinegar (Photo 8), the sugar (Photo 9) and garlic powder (Photo 10) and stir around and bring to a boil for about 2 minutes.

Next add you chopped collard greens to the pot (Photo 11) and stir them around getting as many as you can submerged in the liquid (Photo 12) Turn the heat down to low and cover and cook for 1.5- 2 hours until greens are tender.

Take out the ham hock and shred the meat and add it back to the greens and then serve.

Tips for this recipe

  • To save time and a lot of extra work try and find already washed and cut collard greens. They usually go on sale closer to collard green season which is towards the end of the year.
  • If you can’t find already washed and cut greens buy a regular bunch of greens submerge completely in warm water and wash away any grit. Then rinse and then cut the stems off and cut into bite size pieces.
  • Ham hocks usually come in 2 so you can either freeze the other or you can use if you are planning on making black eyed peas also. You could also double up on the ham hocks for this recipe if you want it extra meaty.
  • This is great to serve with black eyed peas, hoping johns, and corn bread. Might as well keep your new year luck up.
a white bowl of cooked collard greens with chunks of ham pieces

Need More Green Vegetable Recipes?

Green Beans with Almonds
Spinach with Caramelized Onions
Easy Cajun Fried Cabbage
Green Beans with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Walnuts

Or check out all my side dish recipes to find exactly what you’re looking for!

Did you make this recipe? Then give a star rating below and tag your picture on Instagram with #glitterandgraze

a white bowl of cooked collard greens with chunks of ham pieces
5 from 3 votes

Southern Collard Greens

These southern collard greens are a new years day tradition, but also make as a great side dish for you're everyday dinner.
Print Recipe
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:2 hours

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs fresh collard greens
  • 5 strips of bacon
  • 1/2 sweet onion 1/2 cup
  • 1 ham hock
  • 32 oz chicken broth
  • 1 TBSP sugar
  • 1/2 TBSP garlic powder
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 TBSP olive oil

Instructions

  • Add olive oil to a large pot over medium/high heat
  • Add chopped bacon and chopped onions to the pan and cook until bacon is cooked
  • Add chicken broth to the pot and then the ham hock
  • Add apple cider vinegar, sugar, and garlic powder to the pot and stir well
  • Then add chopped collard greens to the pot and submerge in the liquid. Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce heat to a shimmer for 1.5- 2 hours
  • After cooked take the ham hock out of the pot and shred the meat and add it back to the pot and stir. Then serve

Notes

  • To save time and a lot of extra work try and find already washed and cut collard greens. They usually go on sale closer to collard green season which is towards the end of the year.
  • If you can’t find already washed and cut greens buy a regular bunch of greens submerge completely in warm water and wash away any grit. Then rinse and then cut the stems off and cut into bite size pieces.
  • Ham hocks usually come in 2 so you can either freeze the other or you can use if you are planning on making black eyed peas also. You could also double up on the ham hocks for this recipe if you want it extra meaty.
  • This is great to serve with black eyed peas, hoping johns, and corn bread. Might as well keep your new year luck up.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 202.75kcal | Carbohydrates: 13.4g | Protein: 12.17g | Fat: 12.27g | Saturated Fat: 3.59g | Cholesterol: 26.91mg | Sodium: 578.39mg | Potassium: 578.16mg | Fiber: 7.04g | Sugar: 3.37g | Vitamin A: 8537.17IU | Vitamin C: 68.97mg | Calcium: 408.84mg | Iron: 1.43mg
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: collard greens, new years day food, southern collard greens
Servings: 8
Calories: 202.75kcal

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4 Comments

  1. 5 stars

    5 stars

    This was my first time making collard greens and I’m so glad to have come across this recipe.. This is now my Go To recipe.. it was spot on.. I was skeptical how they would turn out but the aroma filled my house with DELICIOUSNESS and definitely reccomend this recipe… It will feed your soul!!!!

  2. 5 stars
    This was my first attempt at making AND trying collard greens. I intended to just eat a all amount for a New Year’s Day. But I wound up going back for seconds. My brother was visiting too and also went back for more. Awesome recipe. Thanks!!!

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