I almost had my “Southern Girl” card revoked…because I forgot how to make collard greens! I figured it out and I’m excited to share the best Southern collard greens recipe with you.
Before this recipe, the last time I made collard greens from memory was over 15 years ago. I had a “soul food” themed dinner at my home and one of the guests was my friend (now husband) Reggie. I used turkey meat instead of the traditional smoked ham hocks to season my greens.
One of my Japanese classmates was also there. She enjoyed my collard greens until she heard they were flavored with smoked turkey necks. Her reaction was priceless. I remember her eyes getting big as she asked “Smoked turkey necks?” to clarify that she had heard correctly. Yes, girl…yes. Those greens were awesome!
I had been eating canned collards – Glory or Sylvia’s brands – after that time. (Shhh, don’t tell!) Anyway, I decided that collard greens would be the last recipe in my soul food-themed ebook so I knew I had to master this dish.
A Friend’s Famous Recipe
Initially, my mom helped refresh my memory regarding how my family cooked collard greens. I was getting closer. Then, I remembered that my friend Theo was “friend-famous” for her greens. (Whenever there is a potluck, we all look forward to Theo’s greens.)
I asked Theo if she would share her collard greens with smoked turkey wings recipe with me and she did. I then asked if I could share her recipe with all of you and she was kind enough to agree. Theo’s last name is “Grate” so with her permission, allow me to introduce “Grate’s Great Collard Greens”!
Best Southern Collard Greens Recipe
Grate's Great Collard Greens
Ingredients
- 3 lbs collard greens
- 1 smoked turkey wing (approximately 1.5 lb)
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1 tbsp hot sauce (preferably Tabasco or Texas Pete’s)
Instructions
- Rinse your greens, remove the stems, and chop or tear them.
- Fill a large pot with 3 quarts of water. Add the turkey wing and bring to a boil.
- Cover the pot, reduce heat to medium heat and cook for 2 hours.
- Remove the wing from the pot. Remove the bones and return the meat to the pot. Stir in the salt, sugar, and hot sauce.
- Add the collards to the pot and boil over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring so the greens don't stick.
- Cover the pot and let the greens simmer on low for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally.
- Drain most of the leftover liquid before serving.
Recipe Notes
- If you don’t know how to remove the stems from collard greens, this video is helpful:
- When it comes to flavoring collard greens, you have options. Smoked ham and smoked turkey (neck or wings) are all great picks. You can even use smoked paprika or liquid smoke to add a smoky flavor for a vegetarian/vegan-friendly twist.
- Whatever you do, don’t let the collards burn. As my mom says, “‘The worst taste is burnt collard greens.”
- Once the greens are cooked, taste them and season them to your family’s liking. Add a little seasoning at a time. The great thing about a basic recipe (like this one) is that you can adjust it to your family’s preferences.
- I like to serve my collards with vinegar as an option on the side. Other people like to add onions, garlic, and pepper.
- In my (and my family’s) opinion, these greens taste even better the day after they are cooked. Just store the greens in a covered container in the refrigerator. Be sure to include some leftover liquid (pot liquor / potlikke) in the container.
- Collard greens go well with a variety of dishes. A few recipes that I like to make with them include black-eyed peas and pork shoulder or fried chicken.
Years after giving me her recipe, Theo called me to get her recipe! We laughed together because I forget recipes all of the time. (That’s one of the main reasons I keep this blog.)
If your family likes collard greens and you’re ready to move away from the canned ones, I think you will enjoy this easy greens recipe.
If you found this recipe helpful, please share it. Thanks!
{This post has been updated and republished. This recipe was originally posted on November 23, 2016.}