Southern Collard Greens Recipe w/ Smoked Turkey Legs (soul food style)
Collard greens have been cooked and used for centuries. The Southern-style of cooking of greens came with the arrival of African slaves to the southern colonies and the need to satisfy their hunger and provide food for their families. Though greens did not originate in Africa, the habit of eating greens that have been cooked down into a low gravy, and drinking the juices from the greens (known as “pot likker”) is of African origin. The slaves of the plantations were given leftover food from the plantation kitchen. Some of this food consisted of the tops of turnips and other greens. Ham hocks and pig’s feet were also given to the slaves. Forced to create meals from these leftovers, they created the famous southern greens. The slave diet began to evolve and spread when slaves entered the plantation houses as cooks. Their African dishes, using the foods available in the region they lived in, began to evolve into present-day Southern cooking
Watch me make these Southern Collard Greens from start to finish!
Get the Recipe: Southern Collard Greens Recipe w/ Smoked Turkey Legs (soul food style)
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of collard greens
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, diced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 t. red pepper flakes
- 1 fully-cooked, smoked turkey leg (can also use smoked turkey wings)
- Seasoning (optional), (salt, pepper, vinegar, hot sauce
Instructions
- Remove the collard green leaf from the steam.
- Wash the collards several times in cold water to remove any dirt and grit. You can also use salt to help remove the grit if needed.
- Rinse well & set aside
- In a large pot, add a tablespoon of olive oil and the chopped onions & garlic. Saute until tender.
- Add in the chicken broth, red pepper flakes, & the turkey leg. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for about 20-30 minutes. This helps the broth take on that delicious, smokey flavor!
- Add in the collard greens. Simmer covered for about 45-60 minutes or until your desired tenderness is reached. You can increase the heat if needed but do not boil the collard greens. They will wilt down as they cook.
- When done, season to your preference. In my opinion, these greens don't need a thing if your broth is very sesoned. I usually add in a few dashes of black pepper and a few drops of hot sauce!
i have never made collards before and i always hear people saying how good they are. i’m so glad i found this recipe! even my picky husband loves it. he’s asked me to make it twice since the first time. thank you!
Wouldn’t say this in front of the guys but this man can cook like a Diva !! A fantastic recipe the kids and wife love it so much I have to triple the recipe. Instead of 3 smoked turkey legs I use 2 and a pound of smoked bacon. I low boil the turkey legs in water and salt for hour or so then de- bone and finish covering greens with chicken broth. THANKS ALOT
I’m cooking my collard greens right now. The lid to my pot does not go down all he way. Is that okay? Do I keep the turkey leg (smoked) while the greens cook?
This was my first try at cooking greens. This was a great recipe the greens were tender and very tasty, I’ll be using this recipe again, again, and again.
This diva sure CAN cook. I made collard greens today for the first time ever using this recipe and wow. Fantastic! I did deviate a bit by adding twice as much broth, but only because I wanted to keep it as stock. And despite the warning to steam and not boil (it was barely a boil – stove on low) it was still absolutely amazing. I’m going to make this all the time now. Thanks so much for turning me on to this recipe!!!!
Yayyy so glad to hear that Amy!!! Thanks!!
I have made this recipe about 6 times since Thankgiving 2015 and it has come out perfect every time! My advice: take your time, allow the broth to simmer and cook slow! Thanks for sharing!
All I can say is thank you! I cooked the greens today and they Rock! I just need to find the cool book if there is one…
Thanks again from an inspiring Dica that cooks.