Slow Cooker Collard Greens

Name: Slow Cooker Collard Greens
Prep time: 50 min
Total time: 6 h 50 min
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 pounds smoked ham hocks or smoked turkey drumsticks; 5 pounds collard greens (about 6 bunches); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 medium yellow onions, medium dice; 4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock; 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

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6 to 8 servings Easy

Total: 6 hrs 50 mins

9 Ratings

Ingredients (11)

2 pounds smoked ham hocks or smoked turkey drumsticks
5 pounds collard greens (about 6 bunches)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, medium dice
4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

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Nutritional Information

Calories515
Fat22.17g
Saturated fat5.61g
Trans fat
Carbs27.77g
Fiber15.83g
Sugar5.53g
Protein55.75g
Cholesterol128.52mg
Sodium1596.31mg
Nutritional Analysis per serving (6 servings) Powered by

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Cleaning and trimming 5 pounds of collard greens is the hardest part of this recipe—after that, it’s easy. Sauté onions and garlic in a large pot, then add the greens. (It may seem odd to precook them, but wilting the collards is crucial to getting them to fit in the slow cooker.) Transfer everything to the slow cooker, along with ham hocks or smoked turkey drumsticks for meaty, smoky flavor, and walk away for 4 or even 6 hours. Come back to tender greens and some tasty potlikker to spoon over grits with shrimp or cornbread, or serve beside our easy Chicken Gumbo recipe.

What to buy: Collard greens are often cooked with smoked ham hocks, but smoked turkey drumsticks are a great substitute and yield more meat than ham hocks.

This recipe was featured as part of our Slow Cooker Recipes for Hot Summer Days.

by Christine Gallary

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Tips for Ham

Tip

How to Store Ham

Hams like to sweat, so it’s important to not wrap hams firmly in plastic or foil to allow a level of circulation. For ham slices, take an airtight container and place a paper towel or sheet of wax paper on the bottom. Place the ham into the lined container and top with another paper towel or sheet of wax paper. Swap the papers when damp and the ham will last three to five days.

For whole, bone-in hams, place the entire dish in a ham bag or cover with a thin dish rag. Both should be soaked in water with two tablespoons of white vinegar to preserve freshness, though it’s obviously ideal to cut the ham into smaller pieces and store using the methods above.

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Next: How to Freeze Ham

Tip

How to Freeze Ham

The first thing you need to do is cut your ham into smaller pieces. Breaking down a ham will allow the meat to freeze easier and prevent the production of freezer burn. Place the pieces into a freezer bag and rid the bag of any excess air. Some experts recommend sucking the air out with a straw before sealing. This will ensure that it’s as close to vacuum-packed as possible. Since the ham is cooked, you should consume it within two months of freezing.

2 of 3

Next: How to Thaw Ham

Tip

How to Thaw Ham

Frozen ham, especially one that’s been cut into smaller pieces, can be easily thawed in the microwave. To speed up the process, the bag of meat can also be placed in a bowl of room-temperature water.

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Next: How to Store Ham

Instructions

1Place the ham hocks or turkey drumsticks in a 3-quart or larger slow cooker; set aside.
2Using your hands, remove the collard leaves from the tough stems and discard the stems. Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces, then wash and dry them; set aside.
3Heat the oil in a large, wide-bottomed pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes.
4Increase the heat to high, add the broth or stock, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Stir in the greens a handful at a time, adding more as they wilt, until they’re all in the pot.
5Turn off the heat and add 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, the sugar, measured salt, measured pepper, and cayenne and stir to combine. Transfer to the slow cooker.
6Cover and cook until the greens are very tender, about 4 to 5 hours on high or 5 to 6 hours on low.
7Remove the ham hocks or turkey drumsticks to a cutting board. When they’re cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones (discard the skin and bones), shred it into bite-sized pieces, and stir it back into the greens. Add the remaining teaspoon of vinegar and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

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