Perfect Collard Greens and Potlikker
Serves: 8 to 10
 
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 large sweet onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 smoked ham hock
  • 3⁄4 cup bourbon
  • 1⁄2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1⁄8 to 1⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 pounds collard greens, stemmed and roughly chopped
  • Cornbread, to serve
Instructions
  1. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ham hock; cook, turning ham hock occasionally, until browned on all sides. Stir in bourbon and vinegar; cook, scraping browned bits from bottom of pot with a wooden spoon, for 1 minute. Add broth, bay leaves, salt, black pepper, and red pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Add collard greens in batches. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Shred ham hock, and stir into greens. Serve with cornbread.
Notes
Collard Greens Tips:
1. Using a mixture of bourbon and vinegar as part of your cooking liquid adds a subtle smokiness and sweetness, while the vinegar gives an acidic brightness to cut through the richness of the greens.
2. Greens can be served with or without the cooking liquid, or potlikker. Save any leftover potlikker and use it to cook grits, add to soups, or anywhere broth is called for.
3. You can omit the ham hock and substitute vegetable broth for a vegetarian option.
Recipe by Paula Deen Magazine at https://pauladeenmagazine.com/perfect-collard-greens-and-potlikker/