Collard Greens with Ham Hocks
October 3, 2022 • 0 comments
There are a lot of dimensions to these collard greens: smoky pork, a little bit of acidic vinegar, and sweet cane syrup. That's real, true Southern greens.
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Servings: 6
Ingredients
- (2, cured or smoked) Pork Ham Hock
- (1 Tbsp) vegetable oil
- (2 bunches) collard greens
- (1) yellow onion, diced
- (5) garlic cloves, minced
- (4 cups, plus more as necessary (precise amount will depend on dimensions of your pot)) chicken stock
- (2 Tbsp) cane vinegar (can be found at most Asian markets)
- (2 Tbsp) cane syrup
Directions
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the vegetable oil.
- Add the ham hocks and sear on all sides.
- Meanwhile, prepare the collards by ripping the leaf away from the spine. Pile the greens on top of each other and cut into long strips; then cut the strips to make squares. Set aside.
- When the ham hocks are lightly browned, add the onions and garlic to the pot; stir and sweat them until the onions are translucent and tender, 2 minutes.
- Add half of the greens and a cup of stock so the greens begin to wilt. Season with a pinch of salt (which will also help the wilting process) and stir to combine. Then, add the remaining greens and another cup of stock and cover to steam, about 2 minutes. Add 1–2 cups more stock, to just cover the greens and ham hocks. Season with more salt and pepper, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover. Cook, 1–1½ hours.
- After 1–1½ hours, use tongs to remove the ham hocks to cool (they'll be falling off the bone). Add another ½ cup of stock, the cane vinegar, and the cane syrup to the greens. Stir, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- When the ham hocks have cooled, pull the meat off the bones, chop finely, and add back into the greens.
- Serve in a bowl with bits of ham hock and plenty of the "potlikker."
Recipe inspired by Food Network
