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!
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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 made this recipe for the first time and I must say my family loved it I am gonna keep using it. thanx for the recipe
Yay, I can actually make greens! My first time ever making collard greens, and my husband wanted to know who had actually cooked them. I’m in my mid-30s and have a reputation for not being a good cook – LOL. With a hubby and 2 kids, I realized I needed to change that. People always give me recipes to try, but yours actually turn out right!!! LOL … my husband said to make sure I leave you a comment on your Web site!!
Ok, I am a brother who loves to bake and I decided that being from NC, it was time to take the skills in another direction. My cousin makes the kind of greens I can eat for breakfast and she had found a local spot where I can buy a huge head of collards for $3 so I gave it a shot. I followed the recipe here: one with red pepper flakes and one without. Wow, it is all I can add! My cousin is a caterer and I provided her a SMALL sample to which she was asking about the recipe. In an effort to be more honest, I did not take FULL credit for making them. I am growing! My lady isn’t local but she is desirous of my making some for her as well. I am making more and freezing a bunch for the long, cold winter and I wish to thank you for your skill set. I do like cooking for my lady at times and you have helped make it simpler. Handle your biz, Diva!
For the last 15 years, my holiday contribution has been collard greens. My family has always enjoyed my greens, but this year, after using your recipe, they were really talking! Thanks for helping me step up my game.
I made these greens for Thanksgiving yesterday and they were sooooooo good!! People were coming up to me raving and asking for the receipe! That’s never happened to me before. Thank you thank you thank you!
I know this sounds strange, but I’ve never cooked greens before..I tried your recipe and girl those greens were the bomb…I give you two thumbs up..and you are right..you will want to drink the juice after making these bomb greens…Thanks for the recipe girlie..I’m going to make some more tomorrow