Description
Mouthwatering “easy collard greens with ham hocks for beginners” bring Southern comfort straight to your kitchen. Hearty greens slow-simmered with smoky ham hocks create a soul-satisfying dish you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 2 smoked ham hocks
- 3 pounds fresh collard greens, cleaned and chopped
Liquid Ingredients:
- 9 cups (2.1 liters) unsalted chicken stock
- 3 cups (710 milliliters) water
- 4 tablespoons (60 milliliters) white vinegar
Seasonings and Aromatics:
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
Instructions
- Craft a robust foundation by combining chicken stock and water in a large pot, introducing chopped onion, minced garlic, and smoked ham hocks to develop a rich, aromatic liquid base.
- Elevate the heat to achieve a vigorous boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer with the pot covered, allowing the initial flavor profile to intensify for approximately 15 minutes.
- Gradually incorporate collard greens in two separate batches, permitting each layer to wilt and soften through strategic covered cooking intervals of 10 minutes per addition.
- Transform the developing dish with a carefully calibrated blend of salt, black pepper, optional red pepper flakes, and white vinegar, ensuring thorough distribution throughout the greens.
- Transition to low heat, creating a slow, gentle environment that allows the collard greens to tenderize and absorb the complex, smoky undertones from the ham hocks over 1 to 1.5 hours.
- Conclude the preparation by extracting ham hocks, meticulously separating succulent meat from bones and skin, then reintegrating the shredded protein back into the verdant, flavor-packed pot.
- Present the collard greens piping hot, generously ladling the deeply seasoned broth to complement the tender, richly infused greens.
Notes
- Enhance tenderness by cutting collard green stems into thin, diagonal slices for quicker, more even cooking.
- Swap ham hocks with smoked turkey wings or bacon for different flavor profiles and dietary preferences like lower-fat options.
- Control spice levels by gradually adding red pepper flakes and adjusting to personal heat tolerance during cooking.
- Boost nutrient retention by minimizing cooking time and avoiding overcooking, which can diminish the greens’ vibrant color and nutritional value.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Southern (American)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 100
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg