World’s Best Southern Collard Greens Recipe (Made With Smoked Turkey)

Ladies and gents, these are the UNDISPUTED CHAMPS of Collard Greens. If you’ve been looking for a good collard greens recipe, you might as well keep searching because these collard greens aren’t good, they’re AMAZING!!!

Greens can’t get any better than this, folks!!! My collard greens recipe is one of the most viewed YouTube videos for a reason. I made a few changes to the recipe over the years, but they’re still as good if not better than the previous versions.

These greens will NOT DISAPPOINT, so don’t be skeptical or afraid to try them—just trust me, they’re the BOMB.COM! Now, usually, I have some long-drawn-out story about how one of my aunts or grandmoms inspired my recipe.

Or how I’m taking their recipe and putting my own spin on it. But let me tell yall, this recipe here, is all me, baby!!! I created it all by myself. It’s not a modified version of somebody else’s recipe. 

These greens are so good that church members have begged me to make them. So I think you get the point: These greens are dangerous, and you’ll be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t try the recipe. Lol!

Now let me be clear, these are fresh collard greens, not the frozen ones that come in a bag. I have a Frozen Collard Greens Recipe available so check it out if you’re looking for a quick collard greens recipe.

These are the fresh ones you make the night before Thanksgiving. They take an hour to prep and two hours to cook. Lol! Prepping and cooking these boys take a lot of time, so I recommend having someone help you with it.

That way, you won’t feel like you’ve worked a 16-hour shift when you’re done! Lol!

My family loves collard greens

My family cooked collard greens often. We didn’t just make them for Thanksgiving; we also cooked them for Sunday dinner, which was sort of a tradition in my family.

My parents would prepare Sunday dinner on Saturday evenings and cook the vegetables right after church. If they were having a salad, they’d make it the night before to give all the condiments and seasoning time to marry.

It would taste better the next day, but so did the collard greens, which we ate for leftovers on Monday nights. Lol! My nana did not play; she was not cooking Monday night after laboring over the stove and preparing Sunday dinner all Saturday and Sunday.

We knew Sunday dinner was not just for Sunday but Sunday AND Monday!! And if there weren’t any leftovers, we knew how to make a PB&J sandwich, boil some ramen noodles, fry a bologna and cheese sandwich….

or something else to fill our stomachs because Nana wasn’t cooking. Lol!

Story of how my nana washed her collard greens

Back in the day, when my nana cleaned her greens, she would go to the store and buy tons of greens, vinegar, and salt. Let me just say that old folks have very weird and outdated ways of doing things. Lol!

Some things they do still work, and some things just don’t make sense, but they stick to what they know. There was one disgusting thing she’d always do that I just couldn’t make sense of.

She would chop the collard greens first, then put them in the bathtub and soak them in vinegar/salt water. Smh! First, I would never prepare food in a bathroom.

Secondly, the tub is one of the dirtiest places in your home! I don’t care how well you clean it; it’s filled with germs and bacteria we can’t get rid of with a simple scrub. So somebody—ANYBODY—tell me what she was thinking!

I remember asking her why she didn’t just clean them in a big bowl and clean a little at a time. She said she liked cleaning them in the tub because it’s spacious and she can clean large amounts at once.

My grandma used to make greens for other people during the Holidays. Sometimes, she would buy 20-25 pounds of greens and cook 3-4 pots of greens at once throughout the night.

So, yeah, the size of the tub is perfect for cleaning such large amounts of greens, but it’s still very dirty and unsanitary. But you know old folks are stuck in their ways, so no matter how many times I told her she shouldn’t wash them in a tub, she kept on doing it!

She told me that’s how her mother cleaned them. I told her how many germs the greens were collecting sitting in the tub, and she said, “It ain’t kill me in all my 86 years, so I won’t stop now.” Lol!

All I can say is that those collard greens were always GOOD AS H***, though, so I didn’t complain!! Lol!

Barb’s disdain for meaty vegetables

Now, before I get into the meat, let me just say some folks simply don’t like meat in their veggies or the flavor it gives the greens. My friend Barb was definitely one of those people. Lol!

Whenever we’d eat at a soul food spot in Philly, she’d always ask if they cooked their greens or cabbage with meat or had chopped meat in it. If they said yes, she’d respond, “I’m good”! LMBO

She loved vegetables and didn’t want to see not one piece of meat in it! Some people are vegetarians and don’t use meat for that reason, so the point is… you can omit it from the recipe. They’ll still turn out pretty good either way.

Smoked meat options

• Smoked turkey tails: After years of cooking collard greens, experimenting with this recipe, and tasting collard greens made with meat, I’ve found that turkey tails, because of their flavor and fat content, work best for collard greens.
• Smoked turkey necks/legs: I like to season my green beans with smoked turkey necks, which taste great with them. They’re also a good option for collard greens if you don’t have or can’t find turkey tails.
• Ham Hocks: Listen, this is a Southern option, as it’s what old folks down south traditionally put in their collards. But many folks nowadays are anti-pork for health reasons or religious reasons, so I replaced it with smoked turkey tails.
• Pork bacon: I personally never used bacon for collard greens. However, If you think you might like it, give it a shot. I have seen people use it before. It’s still fatty pork meat, after all.

Tough Collards greens that wont get tender

If, after an hour of cooking, you find that your greens aren’t tender, add a little more liquid if needed, cover them with a lid, and cook them longer. Repeat this process until they’re tender to your liking.

The reason for this is, AGE! Depending on how old the collard greens are, they can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours. 

Wilting can help to tenderize greens, which is a process of frying the greens a little before simmering them in liquid like broth or water.

I sautee my vegetable in oil over high heat, and I add 1 pound at a time. I allow them to wilt, before adding the  second pound of collard greens. I let them fry until they reduce in size aka wilt, and become glossy.

I’ve found that doing this helps shorten the cooking time and get the collards tender faster so I don’t have to cook them for 5 hours. Haha! So make sure to wilt your greens.

If this still doesn’t work, just continue to cook the collard greens as long as needed, until they’re as tender as you like. This can take up to 2 hour or a little more. 

Just make sure to continue adding more liquid and keep them covered with a lid to help them tenderize them and try to have patience as annoying as this process can be. 

How to wash collard greens

Now, when I wash my greens, I soak them in a big bucket or baking dish, not a BATHTUB LIKE MY NANA! LMBBO! I like to wash my collard greens first before chopping them because you can scrub them more thoroughly when they’re whole.

Below are three options and cleaning agents commonly used to wash collard greens. No matter which one I use, I stick with the same ratio which is 1 tablespoon per quart of water.

• Salt + water: I usually wash my collard greens with salt. This the most common solution.
• White Vinegar + water: White vinegar is probably the second most common product people use to clean their collard greens. If you don’t have salt on hand, you can replace it with vinegar
• Lemon + water: Last but not least, lemon juice and water are another common solution used to clean collard greens as well.

1. Place the collard greens in a big mixing bowl, add in 1 tbs of salt, and enough water to cover them.
2. Let them soak for 15-20 minutes, scrub well, then rinse and pat dry.
3. Fold the collard greens with the stems sticking out to the side.
4. Remove the stems and chop them up. Keep a cup worth of stems, discard the rest, and chop up the collard greens.
5. Roll the collard greens up.
6. Chop the collard greens up into small pieces.

Recipe Ingredients

Make sure you have all these ingredients to maximize the recipe and for best results. 

• Collard Greens: We’ll be using fresh collard greens
• Smoked Turkey Tails: Smoked turkey tails infuse collard greens with a meaty, smoky flavor.
• Chicken broth: Chicken broth adds depth of flavor to collard greens. I always make sure I have some on deck when I plan on making them.
• Water: We add the water to the broth to simmer and cook the greens in and to cook the hocks in.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider is so essential. It gives the collard greens its tangy flavor.
• Yellow Onions: I like to use them mainly because they’re sharp, which mellows out as they cook, and they’re great for caramelizing, which is what we do when we saute them. That just adds depth of flavor to the greens.
• Green and Red Peppers: Peppers add additional flavor to the greens, enhancing the overall dish. The red color makes the greens more appetizing and aesthetically appealing.
• Minced garlic: You might be able to get away with not using some of the other ingredients, but this is one of the ones you gotta have. Collard Greens aren’t collard greens without garlic.
• Seasonings: Lawry’s seasoning is black folks’ favorite seasoning and a must when it comes to collards, Garlic, onion powder, chicken bouillon cubes, and black pepper add depth of flavor, sugar balances out all the acidity, and red crushed peppers add a hint of heat.
• Vegetable Oil and Unsalted Butter: The oil and butter are used to sautee the vegetables, pre cook the collard greens and the butter adds richness and flavor.

How to make collard greens

1. Place a pot over medium heat, add the turkey tails and cool water, cover with a lid, leaving a crack on the side, and boil for 1 hour.
2. Once the turkey tail is done and tender, chop it up into small pieces.
3. Chop the onions and peppers into small pieces.
4. Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add in the oil, butter, onions, peppers, and stir.
5. Sautee for 5 minutes, then stir in the first pound of collard greens.
6. After 3 minutes, add in the 2nd pound of collard greens and let them cook for 3 mins or until they wilt and are glossy.
7. Reduce the heat to medium and add in the chopped turkey tails and the water from the turkey tails.
8. Add in the broth, and all the condiments.
9. Add in all the seasonings, then stir well.
10. Cover the greens with a lid, leaving a crack on the side, and let them simmer for approximately 1 hr or until tender.

How to make collard greens video

Tips for best results:

• Chop collard greens into small pieces to make more and to help them cook faster.
•  Sautee/wilt with oil and cover with a lid to optimize tenderness.

Serving suggestions:

Collard greens are a classic popular soul food vegetable side dish. So below are some other would food main and side dishes that go perfectly with and are commonly eaten and taste good with collard greens.

• The BEST New Years Eve Pigs Feet Recipe
• Simple Juicy Oven Roasted Whole Chicken Recipe
• World’s BEST Moist Southern Cornbread Recipe
• The Best Soul Food Style Candied Sweet Potatoes
• World’s Best Southern Potato Salad Recipe

Storage and reheating

• How do you store collard greens? They should be stored in the refrigerator, tightly sealed in a container, bowl, or dish or covered with a plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
• Can you freeze collard greens? Yes, just make sure they are tightly sealed to prevent freezer burn. I don’t typically like freezing vegetables, but if there’s any vegetable I’m okay freezing, it’s collard greens because of their thicker texture.
• How to reheat collard greens in a microwave: You can place them in a microwave proof bowl and microwave them for 2 minutes. Stir after 1 minute and continue heating them up.
• How to reheat collard greens in a pot: Place them in a pot or skillet over medium heat, and let them simmer for about 8-10 minutes until hot, stirring periodically.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How long do they last? Collard greens, if stored correctly, can last up to five days. After that, they may lose a little bit of their swag.

Equipment

• Knife: You’ll need a sharp knife to cut off the stems and to chop up the vegetables.
• Large mixing bowl: A mixing bowl to soak the collard greens in.
• Large Pot: We’re making a lot of collard greens, so we need a large pot with a lid to get them tender.
• Slotted Spoon: Use a slotted spoon to stir the greens as they cook and to strain the liquid while serving them.
• Measuring Cups: A measuring cup will help us accurately measure the liquid and vegetables.
• Measuring Spoons: Measuring spoons helps us accurately measure the seasonings.

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Enjoy, later!
PBJ~

World’s Best Southern Collard Greens Recipe (Made With Smoked Turkey)

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• Author: PhillyboyJay
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 2hrs
• Total Time: 2hrs 20mins
• Yield: 8
• Category: Vegetable Sides
• Method: American
• Cuisine: Soul Food

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Description

Juicy, flavorful, soul food-style Collard Greens.

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Ingredients

• 2 Lbs Collard Greens
• 1/2 Lb Smoked Turkey Tails or Ham Hocks
• 1 Cup Onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 Cup Green Bell Peppers, finely chopped
• 1/2 Cup Red Bell Peppers, finely chopped
• 3 Tbs Unsalted Butter
• 2 Tbs Vegetable Oil
• 2 Tsps Minced Garlic
• 1 Qt Water
• 1 Qt Chicken Broth
• 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 Chicken Flavor Bouillon Cubes
• 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 2 Tsps Seasoning Salt
• 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1/4 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

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Instructions

1. Place a pot over medium heat, add the turkey tails and cool water, cover with a lid, leaving a crack on the side, and boil for 1 hour.
2. Place the collard greens in a big mixing bowl, add in 1 tbs of salt, and enough water to cover them
3. Let them soak for 15-20 minutes, scrub well, then rinse well and pat dry.
4. Remove the stems and chop them up. Keep a cup worth of stems, discard the rest, and chop up the collard greens..
5. Once the turkey tail is done and tender, chop it up into small pieces.
6. Chop the onions and peppers into small pieces.
7. Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add in the oil, butter, onions, peppers, and stir periodically.
8. Sautee for 5 minutes, then stir in the first pound of collard greens.
9. After 3 minutes, add in the 2nd pound of collard greens and let them cook for 3 mins or until they wilt and are glossy.
10. Reduce the heat to medium and add in the chopped turkey tails, the water from the turkey tails, the broth, and all the condiments and seasonings, then stir well.
11. Cover the greens with a lid, leaving a crack on the side, and let them simmer for approximately 1 hr or until tender.

 

Notes

If after an hour your greens are still tough and the liquid has cooked down, add in another 2 cups of broth, cover with the lid, and let them simmer for another 30 mins. Continue this process until they reach your desired level of tenderness.