Easter is coming up and I know a lot of people will be cooking a big Easter ham, so here’s an easy recipe that will help you make use of that leftover ham bone, OR that you can make anytime the craving hits using a smoked ham hock. These Collard Greens are super easy, the leftovers reheat beautifully, and they make a great side for just about any dinner. Collard greens are a southern dinner staple and one of my all-time favorite side dishes!
What Are Collard Greens?
Collard greens are a super hearty green leafy cruciferous vegetable in the same family as cabbage and mustard greens. They have a smooth, sturdy, dark green leaf that can be used raw as a wrap, or cooked low and slow until they’re nice and tender.
We’re using the low and slow cooking method for these classic collard greens so the leaves become soft and easily digestible and the flavor deepens as it simmers in a mixture of chicken broth, ham, and aromatics and spices. The end result is a super comforting and flavorful green that you’ll love to serve with your favorite meal.
What Type of Ham to Use
Simmering collard greens with ham gives the greens extra rich flavor and tons of umami that will make you want to come back for seconds (yes, they’re THAT good). We used a smoked ham hock today because they’re inexpensive and provide TONS of flavor. You can also use a leftover ham bone from a ham roast, diced ham, salt pork, or pancetta. Just keep in mind that some type of bone-in ham will deliver the most scrumptious flavor.
Don’t want to use ham? No problem. Smoked turkey wings are a great alternative or you can make a delicious pot of vegetarian collard greens using the same method as our Vegetarian Mustard Greens recipe.
What to Serve with Collard Greens
Collard greens are a southern soul food staple and you’ll often see them served alongside other comfort foods like BBQ chicken, Glazed Pork Chops, ribs, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, cornbread, and green beans. They’re also traditionally served on New Year’s Day with Black-Eyed Peas and cornbread. My mouth is watering just typing that out!!
Collard Greens
Servings 6 1 cup eachIngredients
- 1 lb. chopped collard greens ($2.99)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.37)
- 4 cloves garlic ($0.32)
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.04)
- 1 smoked ham hock* ($1.50)
- 4 cups chicken broth ($0.64)
- 1 tsp sugar ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
Instructions
- Prepare the collard greens by removing the stems and then chopping the leaves into one to two-inch pieces (or use bagged, pre-chopped collard greens). Place the collard greens in a colander and rinse well.
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion and garlic to a large soup pot along with the cooking oil. Sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Add the washed collard greens, ham hock, sugar, red pepper, black pepper, and chicken broth to the pot. Stir briefly to combine.
- Place a lid on the pot and allow it to come up to a simmer. Once simmering, turn the heat down to low and let the green simmer for one hour, with a lid, stirring occasionally.
- After simmering for one hour, taste the greens and see if they are simmered to your desired tenderness. If not, simmer longer.
- Remove the ham hock and pull the meat from the bone. Chop the ham into small pieces, then stir it back into the greens.
- Give the collard greens a final taste and adjust the salt, sugar, or other seasonings to your liking. Serve hot with your favorite meal!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Cook Collard Greens – Step By Step Photos
I love to use these bagged chopped collard greens because they’re cheap and half of the work is already done for me! If you don’t have access to pre-chopped collard greens, simply cut out the tough stems of your collard greens then chop the leaves into one to two-inch pieces. You’ll need one pound of collard greens.
Whether you’re using pre-chopped or chopping your own, make sure to wash your collard greens well. There’s no need to wait for them to drain well, as they’ll be simmering in a pot of liquid anyway.
Dice one yellow onion and mince four cloves of garlic. Add both to a large soup pot with one tablespoon of cooking oil. Sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent (about 5 minutes).
Add the washed collard greens, smoked ham hock, 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, 1 tsp sugar, and 4 cups of chicken broth to the pot. Give everything a brief stir, place the lid on top, and let it come up to a simmer.
Once simmering, turn the heat down to low, and allow the collard greens to simmer for one hour (with the lid on top), stirring occasionally. After simmering for one hour, taste the greens to see if they have tenderized to your liking. If not, you can simmer even longer.
Once the collard greens are the texture that you like, remove the ham hock and pull the meat from the bone. Chop the ham into small pieces then return the meat to the pot.
Give the collard greens a taste and adjust the salt, sugar, or other seasonings to your liking.
Serve hot alongside your favorite comfort foods!
I have no access to smoked ham hocks! The grocery store said they don’t get them anymore. Does the smoked Turkey leg really compare to the smoked hocks?
Hi Pam, the turkey leg is a great sub. However, if you want more of that pork flavor, just chop up a little ham steak and throw it in. XOXO -Monti
I love when you post older recipes. I don’t always find them when I’m browsing the archives, so am very glad you highlight them again. I know that so much work went into developing them, so they have staying power.
Thank you, Judy! There are so many good ones in the archives that don’t get seen, so I definitely want to make sure they get noticed! :)
I made this without the ham hock (vegetarian) and it was still really great. I used vegetable broth, a little extra oil and added shallots and a smoked chili powder.
I veganized this for New Years and it was wonderful. I subbed Better than Bullion No Chicken flavor for chicken broth and added 1 tsp liquid smoke and 1 tsp salt-free Tony Chachere for the ham hock. Thanks for another keeper!
i love the balance of flavors. thank you!
I made this today, and I must say that although the flavor was delicious, by the time it was done simmering and reducing, (I let them simmer the extra hour) it was incredibly salty. I think that next time I make this I will cut the chicken base in half.
Would this work with bacon instead of a hock?
I frequently use bacon with collards. Here in NC lots of folks use country ham, which is not at all like the ham I was used to even in other parts of the south. I personally find it too salty, but it only takes a bit. It’s sold in our local supermarkets in very small packages. The greens are also good with smoked sausage such as andouille or even kielbasa.
I chop and saute the bacon just a little–still limp–to render some fat. I pull it out of the pan before I use the bacon fat to saute the onion and garlic then add the bacon back in with the collards and broth. I don’t cook it until crisp because if so it won’t hold up during a long cooking. I’m thinking about 2-4 oz of bacon or country ham for a pound of collards.
Sounds like a big pile of yum to me, including that amazing sauce. I live in an RV and have to watch my propane . . . can you share any thoughts on using a slow cooker for this one?
Yeah, I bet you could just let it simmer on high for a while just like it simmers on the stove. Yum!
A ham hock is mainly fat. The add a very good flavor to black eye peas also. If you have high blood pressure done try the ham hack.
Love, love, love this blog! I made the glazed pork chops and potato salad today. Thanks for such great recipes!
I prefer to let the collards cook until they are just tender, maybe twenty minutes? Maybe it’s the type of collards I use, but if they cook for 45 minutes as stated above they get bitter. This also means the hock needs to cook longer, until fork tender, before adding greens. Once the hock is cooked, I drain off most of the resulting broth (save and freeze for later) and leave an inch of water or so on the bottom of the pot. Then I add the greens, and cover pot with a lid to steam them, for twenty minutes (more or less, check after ten minutes) Sometimes I also add peeled chunks of turnip along with the greens. Never tried using garlic, but I’m sure it would only make greens taste even yummier and I plan to use it next time I make greens! Never needed bouillon cubes or chicken broth, because of the ham hock flavor.
Thanks for the info on ham hocks, I wanted to make a dish that I needed a ham bone (but didn’t feel like having a whole ham for myself) and never thought about using a ham hock.
I’ve been waiting for a good recipe to inspire my first purchase of ham hocks, and this is it. This looks like a good simple flavorful dish.
Oh btw.. my mom simmers her fresh greens all day on the stove and leaves the hock in there in tact. Eventually the meat falls off the bone and they are uber good and *drool*
It is hysterical you had this post today. I made split pea soup with a hamhock yesterday. My husband is in love!