Mama's Collard Greens Recipe

This collard greens recipe is the ultimate in southern vegetable comfort food. Serve it with some cornbread, and you've got a meal!




1/2 pound ham hocks (you can use smoked turkey wings, or smoked neck bones)
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 large bunch collard greens (if using frozen, you'll need 2 - 16 ounce bags)
2 - 14.5 ounce cans of chicken broth.

In a large pot, bring chicken broth, ham hocks, salt, garlic powder and hot sauce to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.

Make sure you wash the collard greens thoroughly. Remove the stems that run down the center by holding the leaf of the collard in your left hand and striping the leaf down the stem with your right hand. Discard the stems. The small leaves in the middle of the collards don't need to be stripped.

Stack the leaves on top of one another, a few at a time, roll them up, and then slice into 1/2 to 1-inch strips. If you want, you can dice the stips by cutting the strips crossways.

Put the greens in the pot with the meat. Cook for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. You may need to adjust seasoning when they're done.

Turn this into a mustard greens recipe just by substituting mustard greens for the collards , or you can use a variety of greens and have what's known in the south as a mess' o greens!

*Did you know? The juice from greens is chock full of vitamins. It's known in the south as potlikker. Folks use their cornbread to sop it up!