Is it just me or do sometimes you just craaave some of the holiday favorites in the middle of the year? I absolutely love collard greens but I have gotten into a nasty habit of only making them during Thanksgiving and Christmas!
Not only are these greens soooo savory and delicious, but collard greens are super good for you. They have ninja quality, cancer preventing and cancer reversing properties, and let’s face it…we all know someone that has been affected whether directly or indirectly with the big C. Collards are an incredible source of Vitamins A, B6, C, fiber, protein, calcium, and a myriad of other micronutrients all swimming in a bowl of warming delicious comfort food, you really can’t go wrong.
I am always looking for ways to sneak superfoods and natural detoxifiers into my family’s meals, and greens are the perfect way to do that. They help your body release free radicals and counteract a lot of the toxins we absorb from the environment.
These rustic style greens don’t require fancy knife cuts or a gourmet approach. This is a good ol fashioned comfort food at its finest. Roughly dice your veggies, rip your collards by hand, and throw it in a pot to slow simmer.
We don’t eat pork in my house so I opted for a smoked turkey neck in this recipe. I love the hearty, smoky, umami-rich flavor it adds to the “pot liquor” (the name for flavorful juice the greens cook in). If you prefer to use hog bones, that is totally up to you. After a quick sear to develop those smoky flavors, the other ingredients are added and we begin to build a tornado of flavor.
If you aren’t familiar with Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1-where the hell have you been, under a rock?! I literally put that sh*t on everything! But 2- it will add a bit of a spicy kick to your collards. If you’re not into spice or are making this for kids either scale back the amount in the recipe or use a chili or red pepper-free cajun seasoning instead.
When cooking I often choose to add a bouillon cube to many recipes that call for water because think about it, why build all this flavor with incredible ingredients just to dilute it…water is bland! Why not add more flavor instead? I use the cubes instead of stock because my pantry is small and as many recipes that I cook that require chicken stock, I would need a whole second kitchen to fit them all. The cubes are small and pack the same amount of flavor punch. Find a nice salt-free or low sodium option to dissolve into your water and you’re all set. If you’ve got chicken or vegetable stock already in the house feel free to use that instead.
The greens need about 1-1.5 hour to simmer in their jacuzzi of goodness, as well as, to give the leaves time to get nice and tender. If the turkey meat is not falling off of the necks when it’s done, they aren’t ready yet! My favorite time to eat greens is on the second day because all the flavors are melded together and perfect.
Serve these up with some homemade Best Baked BBQ Beef Ribs and enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Smoked Turkey Necks (can use ham bones if you eat pork)
3 Large Bunches of Collard Greens -washed, de-stemmed, and ripped into large chunks
2 Peppers (green, red, orange, or yellow all fine) -Large diced
1 Large White Onion -Large Diced
6 Whole Cloves of Garlic
1 Chicken or Vegetable Bouillon Cube
2 ½ TB Cumin
1 ½ TB Paprika
2 TB Garlic Powder
2 TB Onion Powder
1 TB Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning + plus more to taste
1 TB White Vinegar (Apple Cider Vinegar also works)
Instructions:
- Heat Olive Oil in a large 20qt or bigger stockpot on medium heat
Add in turkey necks and sear on all sides until caramelized, about 3-4 minutes each side
Add in diced onions and peppers and cook 4-5 minutes or until starting to soften
Add in garlic cloves, bouillon cube, and enough water to cover the turkey necks
Bring water to a boil to dissolve the bouillon and then lower to a simmer
Add in all dry seasonings and stir to fully dissolve
Add in collard greens, fill the pot with just enough water to almost cover greens, and press down to incorporate
Raise heat to med-high and return water to a boil
Once it’s boiling stir everything one last time, put a lid on the pot, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 1-1.5 hours or until desired tenderness is reached, stirring occasionally
Once greens are cooked add in the splash of vinegar and stir to incorporate
Serve topped with your favorite hot sauce or red chili flakes if you like some extra heat and enjoy!!
