Braised Collard Greens

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 5 garlic cloves (smashed and peeled)
• 12 cup water (divided)
• 24 oz smoked ham hocks (rinsed; two 12-ounce hocks)
• 2 lb collard greens (stems and central veins removed, sliced into 1/2-inch ribbons)
• 2 cup chicken broth
• 0.25 tsp pepper
• cayenne pepper (Pinch)
• salt (to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven (at least 7 1/4 quarts) over medium heat until shimmering.

2. 2

   Add smashed garlic cloves and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. 3

   Add 8 cups of water and the ham hocks to the pot.

4. 4

   Increase heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil.

5. 5

   Continue to boil, covered, until the water has turned slightly opaque and is reduced by about half, about 45 minutes.

6. 6

   While the ham hocks cook, prepare the collards: Using a sharp knife, remove the stem and central vein from each leaf.

7. 7

   Stack 4 or 5 leaves, roll them lengthwise, and slice the roll crosswise to create 1/2-inch ribbons. Repeat with the remaining collards.

8. 8

   Transfer the ribbons to a large bowl and cover with cool water. Swish with your hand to dislodge grit. Repeat with fresh water as needed until grit no longer appears in the bottom of the bowl. Remove collards from water and set aside.

9. 9

   Add the prepared collards, the remaining 4 cups of water, chicken broth, pepper, and cayenne to the pot (it will be full) and cover.

10. 10

    Cook until the collards wilt, about 4 to 5 minutes.

11. 11

    Stir well, then cover and continue to boil, turning the ham hocks and stirring halfway through cooking, until the collards are very tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

12. 12

    Check the liquid level: If the liquid is more than 2 inches deep, continue to cook uncovered until reduced to about 1 inch (about 30 minutes). If it is less than 1 inch deep, add enough water to measure 1 inch.

13. 13

    Transfer the hocks to a cutting board and let them cool for 10 minutes.

14. 14

    Remove the meat from the bones, chop the meat, and stir it back into the collards; discard the skin and bones.

15. 15

    Season the collards with salt to taste and serve.

Notes

Select collards that are vibrant green and avoid wilted or yellow leaves. If you cannot find two 12-ounce ham hocks, one large and one small totaling 24 ounces is fine. Serve with hot sauce and cornbread for dunking into the pot liquor.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• side dish
• Southern
• braised
• slow-cooked
• comfort food
• dairy-free
• gluten-free