Slow Cooker Collard Greens

This easy slow cooker collard greens recipe is a family favorite! Slow-cooker collard greens are a classic soul food dish consisting of smoked meat and bunches of collards cooked in a delicious savory broth. This easy recipe is a delicious side dish during the holidays and perfect for family dinners.

I have fond memories from my childhood of my mom, aunts, and grandmom all cooking collard greens. They’d make them for almost every occasion – holidays, graduations, birthdays, cookouts, baby showers – you name it. The sink would be filled with water and vinegar and once those greens hit the pot, the smell of smoked meat and garlic would fill the house.

This collard greens recipe is not only a great side dish but it’s a take on my family’s recipe. During the holidays, I always need more space on the stove so I’ve gradually over the years have begun using my slow cooker to ease the burden of holiday cooking.

That’s where this recipe comes in hand. The first time I made greens in a slow cooker, I was shocked that I could get the same taste and flavor and tenderness without needing to take up space on the stove. In fact, I typically throw the greens in the Crockpot Slow Cooker the night before and let them cook down while I sleep. One less thing for me to cook!

For more soul food recipes, try this Gumbo Greens, Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese and Easy Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits!

What do collard greens taste like?

Collard greens are part of the cabbage family so uncooked, they’re a bit bitter – kind of like kale. However, when cooked in the delicious broth with smoked meat – these bitter greens transform into a savory and smokey dish with a nice bit of tang and a tiny bit of spice. Once cooked, all of the bitterness leaves and the tender greens take on the flavor of In a word, they are heavenly! Best of all, they’re a pretty healthy side dish loaded with nutrients AND flavor. You get the best of both worlds.

History of Collard Greens

Collard greens actually originated in the Mediterranean and made their way to the American South via the Atlantic slave trade. Enslaved Africans used their traditional cooking methods to make a multitude of dishes using the foods that were available to them.

Collard greens were a readily available vegetable that they were allowed to grow and use to feed their family, hence as to why this dish is a staple dish in African American culture and the quintessential soul food.

I’m no southern girl, but I believe that my great great grandmother was from South Carolina. My great grandmother taught my grandmom who taught my mom, who then taught me how to make these greens.

Ingredient Notes

• Smoked Meat – this recipe calls for both smoked turkey neck and smoked turkey drums. I like to combine both because the neck provides a lot of smoky flavor and the drums are more meaty so you can get nice meat chunks in every bite. It also makes for a delicious pot liquor (or pot likker as they say in the South)! You can also use smoked ham hocks (a smoked ham hock is a pork knuckle) and/or smoked turkey wings.
• Collard Greens – I like to use whole fresh collard greens – the sturdy greens! However, you can use the pre-washed bagged kind too. Perhaps I’m a bit of a purist. I like to wash and cut my greens on my own – it’s how my grandmom and mom both did theirs. To save time, using the bagged collard greens will not cause this to taste any differently so if you want to use that, feel free! I’ve also seen people use mustard greens and turnip greens mixed in with their collard greens so feel free to get creative if you’d like to mix things up.
• Seasonings – you’ll need garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, seasoned salt, and red pepper flakes. Of course salt and black pepper too.
• Onions – dice the onions up nice and fine!
• Garlic – what’s a classic southern side dish without garlic? It’s a must.
• Apple cider vinegar – we use vinegar to both wash and cook the greens. First they’ll soak in a water/vinegar solution to remove any dirt. Then, we add another dash to the both for flavor. You can also use red wine vinegar or white vinegar.
• Chicken stock – you can also use chicken broth, beef broth, or veggie broth.

Tips

• Make sure to wash your greens thoroughly, especially if you’re not buying the pre-shredded bagged kind. This step is critical to getting out any dirt that may be left behind!
• If the lid of the slow cooker doesn’t fit onto the slow cooker (depending on the type), add as many greens that will fit into the slow cooker. As the greens cook down (after about an hour or two), add the remaining amount of greens.

How to make Southern Collard Greens

Start by scrubbing your sink and making sure it’s VERY clean. Fill the sink with about 6 inches of hot water and add a 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar. Submerge the collard greens into the water and let them soak for 10 minutes.

Begin removing the stems from the greens. Grab one leaf and fold it in half. Pull the stem away from the leaf all the way up the leaf. Throw away the stem. Rip the leaf into shreds and place it back into the vinegar solution. Repeat for all of the leafy greens. (You can also use a sharp knife to cut the stem away from the leaves if you don’t want to use your hands – personal preference)

Once you’re finished removing the stems, continue to let the greens soak and get started on the cooking liquid. Add a large pot to the stove over medium heat and drizzle a little olive oil. Add diced onions and season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 5-6 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Add diced garlic and seasonings and continue to cook for 3 minutes.

Pour chicken broth into the pan and allow it to cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Place the smoked meats into the crockpot and then place the greens on top. Pour the chicken broth mixture into the Crockpot slow cooker and cover with a lid. Cook on low heat for 8 hours, stirring occasionally. I do not recommend cooking these greens on high heat, low and slow is the way to go.

Grab the bones of the smoked meat and use a fork to pull the meat away from the bone. Remove the bones and mix the meat into the greens. Add in the last 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar. Continue to cook for another 4 hours on low heat. Enjoy with a bit of hot sauce.

What to eat with Collard Greens

This wonderful side dish goes with just about everything. We eat them all year long and they are the perfect compliment to any soul food recipe. Here are a few suggestions below:

• Seafood Boil
• Black-eyed peas
• Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
• Soul Food Potato Salad
• Candied Yams
• Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese
• Buttermilk Cornbread
• Smoked Chicken Thighs

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