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Southern Collard Greens with Ham Hocks

4/25/18

Southern, soul food style collard greens seasoned to perfection and made with smoked ham hocks.

Southern style collard greens made with ham hocks and seasoned with garlic and onions.

Southern collard greens are a staple in soul food homes. Collard greens, like most southern greens can be made several different ways. Sometimes I make my soul food collard greens with bacon ends. Other times, I use smoked pork neck bones, or even smoked turkey. However, this time around, I’m going to show you how I make my southern collard greens with ham hocks.

What Are Southern Style Collard Greens?

So let’s talk about the actual collard greens first. Some people are new to southern cooking, so let’s start with what collard greens are!

What are collard greens? It’s large leafy vegetable that’s similar to kale. It’s usually braised when made the southern way. Collard greens are usually a side dish, and served with a main dish such as chicken or fish, along with cornbread.

To cook soul food collard greens, I start off with the meat. As mentioned, for this recipe I will use smoked ham hocks. I like to cook the ham hocks first, in my slow cooker. Although you can definitely cooked them on your stovetop. I just prefer to make them in the slow cooker, because it’s less time that I have to stand over the stove and watch something cook. Once the ham hocks are nice and tender, I remove transfer from the slow cooker to a large pot.

This soul food recipe for collard greens with ham hocks is seasoned to perfection with red peppers, onions, and garlic.

FYI – I prefer to use fresh collard greens. However, frozen greens cook well. Before adding my fresh collard greens into the pot with the ham hocks, I wash them really good! I make sure to remove all the dirt and grit. I also tear or cut the collard greens into small pieces.

This soul food style collard greens recipe is not spicy, because I don’t use any hot peppers or anything, but if you’d like to and some heat to your greens, feel free!

Share this recipe for southern collard greens on Pinterest and Facebook! Check out my video tutorial and print the recipe below. (Don’t forget, subscribe to I Heart Recipes on YouTube!)

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Southern Collard Greens with Ham Hocks

These southern collard greens with ham hocks are made with red peppers, onions, and garlic - slow-cooked to perfection for a classic comfort food dish. 
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Southern/ Soul Food
Keyword Southern Collard Greens with Ham Hocks
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Author I Heart Recipes

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs collard greens washed, and cut
  • 2-3 medium sized ham hocks
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 large red bell pepper diced
  • 2 tsp seasoning salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp vinegar white or apple cider vinegar will do
  • 1 tbsp garlic minced

Instructions

  • Start off by placing the smoked ham hocks and the 8 cups of water into a slow cooker.
  • Set the slow cooker on high, and let cook for 3 hours, or until tender.
  • Next, transfer the ham hocks, and the liquid to a large pot.
  • Place the pot over medium high heat, and start adding in the collard greens.
  • Once all of the collard greens are in the pot, add in the onions, peppers, garlic, and seasonings.
  • Give everything a nice stir, then add in the vinegar.
  • Reduce the heat to medium, and let the greens cook for about an hour, or until tender.
  • Serve with cornbread.
  • Enjoy!

Video

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Comments

  1. Antoinette Lewis says

    April 28, 2018 at 1:49 pm

    I like to use smoked turkey necks.

    Reply
  2. Trudy says

    April 28, 2018 at 2:37 pm

    Can I cook everything (at one time) in a slow cooker ?

    Reply
    • Rosie says

      April 28, 2018 at 6:38 pm

      You can check out my slow cooker collard greens recipe here.

      Reply
  3. Bertha Marsh says

    April 28, 2018 at 3:08 pm

    Could you cook collard greens with smoked turkey. I do not eat beef or pork. Do you have any of the recipes where you can use turkey or chicken.

    Reply
    • Rosie says

      April 28, 2018 at 7:48 pm

      Sure, you can use smoked turkey.

      Reply
      • Gwendolyn Grayer says

        May 16, 2018 at 1:19 pm

        I tried greens Monday and they was great.

        Reply
      • Rick says

        August 14, 2022 at 7:57 am

        Smoked turkey tails are delicious

        Reply
        • Christine King says

          August 20, 2022 at 8:30 pm

          Oh my gosh, before the kids took over Thanksgiving dinner, I would always snag the tail before food went on the table. I’ll never find smoked turkey tails here in Montana, but just the thought made my mouth water. I’ll do a little reseach, but where do you find them, other than prep them yourself?

          Reply
          • Rosie says

            August 22, 2022 at 12:47 pm

            Hi Christine! Believe it or not, Walmart has smoked turkey tails. Also check out your local butchers. XOXO

          • Rick says

            August 22, 2022 at 1:16 pm

            5 stars
            Albertsons and Wallymart has them here in Cali occasionally- maybe Vons too

  4. Whitney Crawford says

    April 28, 2018 at 3:42 pm

    I use a ham shank instead of ham hocks because they have more meat on them.

    Reply
  5. Lois says

    April 28, 2018 at 5:04 pm

    I also add a little sugar in my greens, my mom would do that when the greens were a little bitter, as well as the vinegar to tenderize them.

    Reply
  6. Denise Braithwaite says

    April 28, 2018 at 5:36 pm

    5 stars
    Now ya talking, Rosie. I love greens with ham hocks!

    Reply
  7. Lynn says

    April 28, 2018 at 8:32 pm

    I cook my collards and ham hocks in a stovetop pressure cooker. I use 3 slices of chopped bacon, 1 medium onion, 3 minced cloves of garlic, chicken stock, 1 jalapeno pepper and apple cider vinegar.

    Reply
    • Rosie says

      April 29, 2018 at 10:58 am

      Sounds good!

      Reply
  8. Pat Reese says

    April 28, 2018 at 11:31 pm

    5 stars
    Looks amazing…I always use smoked turkey wings but have tried ham hocks and they’re delicious.

    Reply
  9. Tony R. says

    April 30, 2018 at 4:57 am

    5 stars
    I like to use smoked turkey necks with my greens, but how do you stop the bones from the smoked turkey necks from getting in the greens after the meat falls off the bone?

    Reply
    • Rosie says

      April 30, 2018 at 7:44 am

      I usually cook the turkey for a while, the shred the meat off of the bones. Then I place the meat back into the pot with the broth, and start adding the greens.

      Reply
  10. Lisa G. says

    June 16, 2018 at 7:05 pm

    I think your collard greens recipe looks delicious, and even though my dad used to cook them the same way. I prefer smoked Turkey. I love your recipes. Its wonderful being able to go to a site to find good southern recipes.

    Reply
  11. Janet says

    October 8, 2018 at 2:31 pm

    Hello
    Do find collard greens in the product section of the grocery store?

    Reply
    • Rosie says

      October 8, 2018 at 2:56 pm

      Yes 🙂

      Reply
  12. Tanya Wilson says

    November 20, 2018 at 2:44 am

    My step mom suggested I use ham bouillon to put in the water. Would that be okay for this recipe?

    Reply
    • Rosie says

      November 20, 2018 at 5:43 pm

      You can if you’d like.

      Reply
  13. Tom says

    November 22, 2018 at 10:46 am

    I used smoke turkey tails OMG the boom mad i had to share with family lol

    Reply
  14. Steve says

    December 16, 2018 at 3:38 am

    Over the last year or so, I have been using an electric pressure cooker for almost everything. Looking forward to trying your seasoning. Will precook ham hocks for about 20 minutes. Afterwards, add other ingredients and replace water with chicken broth while cooking for about 35 minutes. Thanks for sharing. …Real men loving to cook.

    Reply
  15. Edith Joyce Williams says

    April 23, 2019 at 7:37 pm

    I’m from the South ., sometimes to cut the bitter of the greens,, instead of sugar I will grate an apple in the pot while cooking… Yum

    Reply
  16. Brenda says

    October 3, 2019 at 7:02 pm

    5 stars
    Just printed 3 of your recipes. Can’t wait to try them. Will let you know. Go girl!!

    Reply
  17. Deb C says

    February 10, 2020 at 11:27 am

    I am so excited to read about using the crock pot to get ham hocks going. Frees me up to do other things. Using this trick today,

    Reply
  18. Betty Fowler says

    August 18, 2020 at 12:05 pm

    My mom always stripped the greens from their tough stems, and used some sugar, salt and bacon drippings. She liked pork steak in her greens, and so do I. I plan on giving your recipe a try. Thanks.

    Reply
  19. Kris Robeson says

    December 31, 2020 at 11:22 am

    5 stars
    This is the 3rd time I’ve used your recipe and my family LOVES IT! I’d never made them before, but have of course eaten them, and this recipe is PERFECTION!
    I use ham hocks, and cook them on the stovetop. Thank you so much for sharing!

    Reply
  20. Renata Long says

    November 13, 2021 at 4:48 pm

    This is the one that got me hooked, cousin

    Reply
  21. Dana render says

    November 13, 2021 at 5:47 pm

    Reply
  22. Pam J says

    November 14, 2021 at 4:48 am

    5 stars
    Your recipe is awesome! I like using smoked turkey tails.

    Reply
  23. Christine Tegner says

    December 10, 2021 at 10:49 pm

    I’m using your tip of putting the ham shank in the crock pot tonight. Never occurred to me before! Thank you!

    Reply
  24. Carleen says

    June 13, 2022 at 6:48 pm

    5 stars
    Can you freeze this once it’s cooked

    Reply
    • Rosie says

      June 20, 2022 at 11:40 am

      Yes , you can 🙂

      Reply

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