Southern Collard Greens (Soul Food Recipe)

A soul food Southern Collard Greens recipe flavored with smoked turkey, onion, garlic, and lots of spices. These greens are incredibly tender and the cooking liquid, or pot liquor, that these greens create is perfect for dipping homemade buttermilk cornbread into!

📝 Ingredients

• 4 large bunches fresh collard greens (about 4 pounds with stems)
• 1 pound smoked turkey necks (or smoked turkey wings, legs, or ham hocks)
• 1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped)
• 3 cloves fresh garlic (minced)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon paprika (sweet or smoked)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked sea salt
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt and cracked black pepper (to taste)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Place the smoked turkey necks in a large Dutch oven and add enough water to the pot to cover the turkey. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and boil the smoked turkey for 30 minutes.
2. 2Meanwhile, remove the tough stems of the collard greens by gripping each leaf by the stem and pulling the leaf up and away from the stem. Roll bunches of leaves up and slice them into about 1-inch ribbons.
3. 3Place the greens in a large basin and fill it with water. Using two hands, rub and stir the greens around to remove the dirt and grit. Drain the water from the basin and repeat this process at least two more times until the water runs clear.
4. 4Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and collard greens to the pot with the smoked turkey necks and stir with a wooden spoon. If needed, add more water to the pot until the greens are covered.
5. 5Add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and sugar to the pot and season the greens with paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked sea salt, cayenne pepper, salt, and cracked black pepper. Stir the greens and bring them to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and simmer the greens for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
6. 6After two hours, check the greens for tenderness. If they aren't silky and melt in your mouth tender, add additional cooking time. Add more seasoning if needed until you are pleased with the flavor.
7. 7Carefully remove the meat from the turkey neck bones and discard the bones. The meat should be falling off the bone at this point. Check the pot for small bones that may have broken off during cooking. Serve collard greens warm with a dash of hot sauce if desired!