Southern Collard Greens Recipe (2024)

Want to bring good luck for the new year? Cook up a pot of New Year's Day good-luck collards with this Southern Collard Greens recipe ~ And usher in the new year in true Southern style.
CLICK HERE TO PIN THIS FOR LATER

If you want good luck in the new year, Southern tradition says to eat your collard greens! Along with black-eyed peas and some form of pork, that is.

According to Southern lore, a New Year's meal of these three things brings luck and good fortune for the upcoming year.

And this New Year's Day tradition is certainly one we honor and follow in our home.

But have you ever wondered why these three foods are said to bring good fortune?

According to Southern lore, a New Year's meal of collards, black-eyed peas, & pork brings luck and good fortune for the upcoming year.

Well according to legend ... as described onAbout.com, ... some form of pork is traditional for New Year's Daybecause "pigs have long symbolized progress. A pig can't turn his head to look back without turning completely around, so it's believed that pigs are always looking to the future."

Eating pork on New Year's Day, therefore, symbolizes making forward progress in the upcoming year.

And the collards and black-eyed peas?

They're said to represent money ~ the collard greens meaning dollar bills and the peas,coins. Eating these on New Year's day is supposed to ensure wealth and luck.

Now, I can't say for sure this is all true ... but we're not ones to tempt fate. In our housewe honor thisSoutherntradition, including this Southern Collard Greens recipe and a big pot of New Year's Day Black Eyed Peasin our New Year's meal.

I mean, if legend is correct, I certainly don't want us to miss out!

True Southern-style collards are silky, tender, and flavorful, a result achieved with a long, slow simmer in a generously seasoned broth.

Sticking some collards in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes simply won't do, my friends. No way, no how.

For true Southern style, care must be taken to properly prepare the greens, to create a flavorful seasoned cooking liquid, and to gently simmer the greens for several hours to create a tender, silky result.

True Southern-style collards are silky, tender, and flavorful, a result achieved with a long, slow simmer in a generously seasoned broth.

To prepare the greens, washing thoroughly is a must.

Collard greens can end up with a lot of dirt and grit trapped within the folds of the leaves ... soaking for a bit in warm water and scrubbing the leaves with a bit of salt will take that dirt away.

I like to fill my sink with water to soak my collards ... it works great. Or, they can be soaked in a very large pot.

Removing the spine of each leave is also a must, as the spines are very tough and remain chewy once cooked ... no matter how long that simmering time is.

Lay each leaf out flat on a cutting board and cut on either side of the spine to remove it. I find it easiest to do this with the collard leaf upside down ... you can see the edges of the spine better that way.

Once the spines are removed, create stacks of leaf halves, roll up each stack lengthwise, and cut across the stack to create collard ribbons.

Southern Collard Greens

Want to bring good luck for the new year? Cook up a pot of New Year's Day good-luck collards with this Southern Collard Greens recipe ~ And usher in the new year in true Southern style.

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

2 large bunches collard greens {about 2 to 2 & 1/2 pounds total}
2 tsp. salt
1 T. olive oil
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 c. (32 oz.) chicken broth
1 1/2 T. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 T. red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
pinch crushed red pepper flakes {optional}
2 lbs. smoked ham hocks {or hog jowl or country ham}, rinsed with warm water to remove some of the saltiness

instructions:

How to cook Southern Collard Greens

Separate the collard leaves; place in a large bowl or clean sink and cover leaves with warm water. Add 2 teaspoons salt to act as a scrubbing abrasive. Gently scrub leaves with your hands and then rinse. For especially gritty greens, repeat the scrubbing process. One at a time, lay each leaf upside-down and flat on a cutting board. Cut along each side of the spine in the center, cutting each leaf into two halves and completely removing the tough spine. Discard spines. Assemble cut leaves into several stacks and roll up each stack lengthwise. Slice each roll into 1-inch pieces, cutting the collard greens into ribbons.
Prepare the cooking liquid: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot. Sauté chopped bacon and onion about 5 minutes until bacon is cooked and onion is tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken broth, sugar, black pepper, vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes {is using}, and ham hocks. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.
Add collard greens to the pot; stir into cooking liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours until greens are desired tenderness.
When done, use a slotted spoon to transfer greens from the cooking liquid to a serving bowl. Chop meat from the ham hocks and stir into greens. Serve with vinegar on the side for drizzling on each serving, if desired.

https://www.thekitchenismyplayground.com/2015/12/southern-collard-greens-recipe.html

Created using The Recipes Generator

You might also enjoy these other Southern favorites:

New Year's Day Black Eyed Peas Recipe

Classic Southern Deviled Eggs

Traditional Southern Chicken Salad

Classic Pound Cake

Shrimp and Grits Casserole

CLICK HERE TO PIN THIS FOR LATER

Affiliate links are included in this post. Ireceive a small amount of compensation for anything purchased from these linksatAmazon.com at no additionalcost to you.

FAQs

How do you make Patti Labelle collard greens? ›

Add the collard greens, chicken stock, onions, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt. Mix in the smoked turkey. Turn the heat to low and cook, covered, until the greens are tender but not too soft, 35 minutes.

Get More Info Here ›

What does adding vinegar to collard greens do? ›

This might seem like an unusual addition if you're new to making collard greens, but the vinegar adds a welcome tangy note that brightens the dish and balances out the salty, savory flavors. A tablespoon of sugar also helps balance out the greens' potential bitterness.

Tell Me More ›

How do you get the bitterness out of collard greens? ›

Braise them. For sturdy greens with a bite, like rapini, collards, kale, and turnip greens, consider braising. Not only will this slow-cooking cut the bitterness, but it will also soften the otherwise tough leaves.

Why are my collards tough? ›

Cut stems from leaves immediately before cooking. The smaller leaves tend to be more tender than larger ones. It is common to prepare collards using a slow cooked method to make them more tender. Cutting the leaves into smaller pieces will help speed up the cooking time.

Tell Me More ›

What makes collard greens good? ›

Collard greens are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and calcium, a rich source of vitamin K, and a good source of iron, vitamin B-6, and magnesium. They also contain thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid, and choline.

Keep Reading ›

How are the greens to be cooked? ›

Cook the Greens

Bring a small amount of lightly salted water to boiling in a Dutch oven. Add the greens. Cover the pan and cook until tender. Chard and beet greens will take 8 to 10 minutes; kale, mustard, turnip, and collard greens will take 15 to 20 minutes.