Slow-Simmered Sunday Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey
The Sacred Sunday Dinner: The Midday Feast
A pot of greens simmering on the back of the stove is the undeniable scent of a Southern Sunday. Rooted in the profound resourcefulness of enslaved West Africans, this dish transforms a tough, bitter leaf into something dark, velvety, and deeply comforting. The secret isn't some Michelin-starred technique; it’s just patience. While pork was the historical standard, generations of soul food cooks have embraced smoked turkey to build the potlikker—that rich, smoky, nutrient-dense broth that is the absolute soul of the dish. Don't you dare pour it down the drain; bake some hot cornbread and soak up every last drop.
Before you start
Execute the triple wash.
Fill a clean sink with cool water, aggressively swish the fresh collard greens to loosen the grit, and lift them out before draining the sink. Repeat this at least three times until the water is completely clear—a single grain of sand will ruin the entire pot.
Ingredients
- neutral oil2 tbsp
- yellow onion1 large
- garlic4 med cloves
- smoked turkey wings, tails, or drumsticks2 lb
- chicken broth6 cup
- fresh collard greens3 large bunches
- apple cider vinegar1/4 cup
- white or light brown sugar2 tbsp
- seasoned salt1 tbsp
- smoked paprika1 tsp
- black pepper1 tsp
- crushed red pepper flakes1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Build the savory foundation.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent, then stir in the garlic and cook for one minute more until fragrant.
- 02
Build the potlikker.
Nestle the smoked turkey pieces into the pot and pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a rolling boil, then drop the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes to extract the collagen and deep smoke from the turkey.
- 03
Wilt the greens.
Uncover the pot and add the prepped collard greens a few handfuls at a time. Let them wilt into the hot, smoky broth for a minute or two before adding the next batch.
- 04
Season and simmer into submission.
Once all the greens are submerged, stir in the apple cider vinegar, sugar, seasoned salt, smoked paprika, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the leaves are dark, silky, and melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- 05
Shred the turkey and serve.
Carefully remove the turkey pieces with tongs, let them cool slightly, and shred the meat from the bones, discarding any skin or cartilage. Return the meat to the pot, taste the broth for a final adjustment of vinegar or hot sauce, and serve piping hot.
Notes
Respect the weeknight schedule.
For a busy Tuesday, assemble the sweated aromatics, turkey, broth, and washed greens in a slow cooker in the morning. Set it to low for 8 hours, and you'll come home to a perfectly developed potlikker.
Bagged greens are acceptable, with caveats.
If using pre-washed, bagged chopped greens to save time, you must still manually sort through them and discard any thick, woody stem pieces that slipped past the commercial sorters.
From Cook Southern Food.