Collard greens, the soul food way: I'm just not that into you

by Sarah Gilbert, Posted Jan 24th 2006 @ 6:25PM

collard greens the soul food way I've read any number of pieces waxing rhapsodic about collard greens cooked the soul food way - about how delicious was the "pot likker" (I've really seen it spelled that way! honest!), about how wonderful the house smelled when you set the smoked pork products to cooking. About how nothing says comfort like the rich, tender, porky piles of essential vitamins and minerals. I doubted, but I figured I must be missing out on something really great. So, on slow cooking day, I set out to make soul food-style greens.

Neither my expensive Italian market nor my lower-priced supermarket had smoked ham hocks (and I was secretly relieved!) but they did have suggestion #2: smoked pork neck.

Here's how the recipe goes: you boil the smoked pork neck in several cups' water for hours until it's falling off the bone. I used one pound, although most recipes call for two. You clean, destem, and chop lots of collards - three to five bunches. I used three. You combine the mess and let it cook, stirring occasionally, until the collards are tender. Salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste.

I just don't love this. I didn't enjoy the smell, and I really could barely finish my serving of collards. My mom liked them, and so did a friend who's into soul food. Everyone else looked at them askance. I'll keep cooking collard greens - but I think I'm going to stick to my Mediterranean-inspired version.

[Photo Sarah Gilbert. And disclaimer: I totally stole the title idea from Love My Crock]

Filed Under: Raves & Reviews, Ingredients, Methods
Tags: collard greens, CollardGreens, collards, comfort food, greens, mess o greens, mess of greens, MessOfGreens, MessOGreens, smoked ham hock, smoked pork, smoked pork neck, SmokedHamHock, SmokedPork, SmokedPorkNeck, soul food, soul food greens, SoulFood, SoulFoodGreens, southern states, vegetables

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

1-24-2006 @7:39PM Denzylle said... Please can someone in the UK tell me what is our nearest equivalent of collard greens? Curly kale, perhaps?
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1-24-2006 @10:33PM Al said... Here is another way to try.Take 2-3 bunches of collards(chopped).2 smoked turkey legs.A clove or two of chopped garlic (more to personal taste?).A teaspoon or more of red pepper flakes (more to personal taste).2-3 tbsp olive oil.1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of lemon juice.And a cup to 1 1/2 of cheap dry to medium dry white wine.In a large bowl mix collards,garlic,olive oil,pepper,lemon juice,and wine.Place half into a slow cooker,top with turkey legs,top turkey legs with the rest of the collard mixture.Cover and cook on LOW setting for 12+ hours.This works equally well for brussel sprouts (mmm... brussell sprouts,one of God's bittersweet gifts).As for the collards in the UK question,I don't remember what kale taste like but because of its extreme toughness 12+ hrs of cooking will more than likely be pertinent.Also if you dont have access to smoked turkey wings, then smoked pork necks,ham hocks,or good well smoked ham should do.Just add half to no olive oil since the fat from the pork should suffice.Recipe also works for frozen greens,brussells,just cut time to 6-8 hours.Slowfood is good food.
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1-25-2006 @2:18PM Emily said... Denzylle: do you have turnip greens in the UK?

My mother would substitute those if she couldn't get collards (personally, can't stand either one.)

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