How To Cook Collard Greens With Ham Hocks

The nice thing about eating southern food is that you get to taste new dishes.

Having to cook for a large group of people can require large quantities of food to be cooked which can take most of the day to prepare.

In big families there are several cooks in the kitchen, but the best recipes comes from the grandmothers.

The variety of seasonings used while cooking can give each dish such as collard greens its distinct flavor.

Growing up I had the opportunity to watch my grandmother cook for the family each year. Some of the things I learned has carried over to how I prepare meals today.

It seems like the only way to make the Southern food dish taste great is to use heavy sauces and fattening oils.

More and more African Americans are trying to eat healthy so there are now ways to prepare classic southern meals with less calories.

Cooking for a Large Family

In a household full of relatives preparing huge meals is part of the community and what makes everyone closer.

The ideal place to go for dinner and catch up with old friends over a meal is at the families designated house which becomes a tradition.

There are usually one family member who will do the cooking and everyone will stop by to grab a plate of food to take home with them.

My Aunties are great cooks and can really put together some fabulous dishes for everyone such as black-eye peas, okra, sweet potato pie, corn on the cob, potato salad, fried chicken, baked beans, hush puppies, ham hocks and collard greens.

I will discuss how I prepare collard greens with ham hocks because it is such a simple recipe and takes little time to cook.

The great thing about greens is that they are full of vitamins and can lower cholesterol levels. Interestingly the bile binding acids helps with providing enough fiber to assist the digestive tract.

Steaming collard greens is actually better than eating them raw, which can be used in a tossed salad as an alternative to lettuce. It is important to note that the leafy greens are bitter to the taste when left in its raw state. It helps to add olive oil or lemon juice if preparing it with other raw vegetables.

Benefits of Eating Green Leafy Vegetables

The detox and anti-inflammatory properties provide protection from cancer causing agents. This is due to the glucoraphanin, sinigrin, gluconasturtiian, and glucotropaeolin and is recommended to eat green leafy vegetables in your diet 2-3 times per week.

There are antioxidant benefits of collard greens, containing many of the essential vitamins such as vitamin A, K, C, Manganese, Folate, Calcium, Fiber, Potassium, B6, B2, Zinc, and iron.

I guess the only thing that makes collard greens unhealthy would be to add too much lard, grease or bacon oil drippings to the cooking pot.

I have a few relatives who are vegans and they have decided to live the vegetarian lifestyle, many times I have been asked if I know how to prepare vegetarian collard greens. At first I had to look it up because it was confusing to me since they are vegetables after all.

Then it dawned on me that what they were referring to is the lack of the use of meat oils and seasonings such as bacon grease, lard, pork or other related meats that are usually cooked in the greens to add flavor.

So for vegetarian collard greens recipes I just avoid adding any oils at all and stick strictly to just boiling them in a slow cooking crockpot.

To add some flavor for vegan dishes I like to use stewed tomatoes with black pepper and basil leaf. It comes out really well and my health conscious relatives love it.

Different Ways to Prepare Collard Greens

From my experience you can prepare Collard Greens in a variety different ways and that is what makes the dish so versatile.

The preferred way to eat the greens is steamed in a big pot seasoned to taste.

Cutting Methods for Quick Cooking

Wash each leaf really well in water before cutting them into slices, some cooks like to remove the stem but it is not necessary. Also you can slice them flat or after rolling them up which ever is faster.

Other ways would include preparing the big green leafs raw and cut into strips to go with other raw vegetables in a green salad.

Or you can combine collard greens with beans to add color and flavor as well as add them to soups.

Onions, lentils and curry is another favorite way to prepare greens with adding red peppers for added spice.

If you decide to add salt use it sparingly because it does not take much to ruin a pot of greens and make them too salty.

Alternative Seasonings for Salt

Instead I choose garlic, lemon juice and cayenne as seasoning because once you boil the ingredients together it gives the greens its distinct flavor. Plus if you are adding Ham Hocks you will get the salt from the pork.

It is best not to over cook greens, that would include kale, mustard greens and spinach, because the leaves lose the firmness and can have a slimy taste. This is one reason that buying canned greens is not a good idea, because the vegetables turn out too mushy.

Boiling vs. Simmering

Some people like to add lots of water when cooking the greens in my case I think it is best to use a small amount of water to allow for the collards to steam. Avoid boiling at high heats and then the veggies will not dry out or get burned.

Have a pot that is deep enough to hold at least 5 pounds of collard greens, the reason for this is because although initially it will look like you have too many greens once they cook down and shrink it will be enough for everyone in the house to eat and come back for seconds.

The part of a hogs leg that has the most fat, skin and muscle tendons, is often slowly cooked until tender. Also known as the shank the leg bone beneath the knee of the pigs feet and ankles.

Growing up I remember this being the part of the animal that most butchers would throw away. Since most African Americans used this part of the hog in preparing greens and vegetables for flavoring it is now sold separately in the meat isle.

This shank cut can also be used to flavor stews, soups. I have eaten butter beans with ham hocks and it is really delicious and easy to prepare at home.

Length of Cooking Time

It is a good idea to cook the ham cuts first since they will take 2 to 3 hours to finish cooking. The key is to avoid putting the ham hocks in a shallow pan, its best to use a pot full of water to boil the meat and then simmer until tender.

You will know the pork is done because you will see it shrinking away from the bone and the fatty parts will get darker. Test with a fork and look for a change in the color of the tendons.

Using Ham Hocks to Flavor Other Vegetable Dishes

Having several pounds of collard greens will make it possible for the juices from the ham to soak into the vegetables. The meat will fall off the bone after slow cooking for a few hours.

Cabbage and green beans are another favorite dish to add ham hocks. Mostly used in American Southern country cooking where the pork cut can be purchased fresh, smoked or cured. If you are like me you will want to add your favorite hot pepper sauce to your food when your done.

Often times I have some left-over ham hocks that I did not need for the collard greens main dish.

In this case I prepare other recipes using a variety of beans depending on what I have in my kitchen cubert.

You would be surprised to know that you can cook ham hocks with lima beans, pinto beans, blackeye peas, and even black beans.

I prefer to use blackeye peas because of the taste.

Plus it is a staple in our house and I can count on them coming out great every time I fix them for dinner or special family gatherings.

Cooking in a Crockpot

All you need to prepare the dish is to have a crockpot filled with water and after you wash and sort the beans remove any rocks or dirt. You can soak the beans for a few hours the same day or chose to soak them overnight.

Next place them in the crockpot and slow cook them all day until tender and then add the cooked ham hocks afterwards with basil or oregano seasoning.

It is recommended to let your guest add the amount of seasoning they want such as salt, hot sauce or red peppers because some people like their food to be really hot and spicy while others like a more salty taste and then others want it to taste plain like hospital food.

Often times after a big family meal there will be leftovers, not usually the case in my family because everyone that shows up wants to take some food home for a mid-day or evening snack.

In the case of my cooked collard greens I usually have a big pot of them after everyone has gone home for the day.

Here are some of my leftover recipes that I use for my cooked collard greens. If you have added pork, bacon or turkey legs to the dish you can still use these tips.

First I like to place the collard greens in a smaller bowl or plastic food container and place then in the freezer to preserve them until I make my next meal.

Lunch and dinner are good times to eat leftovers, especially if you add other ingredients to spruce up the dish with new flavors or tastes.

Collard Greens and Ham Hock Soup Recipe

After taking the leftover collards out of the freezer I like to prepare a stew or soup. You will need a medium size pot to prepare the broth. To make the broth you can use 1 part bouillon cube and 2 parts distilled water.

I learned this handy cooking trick from one of my relatives who always uses dehydrated stock cubes to add flavor and seasoning to meats, stews and casseroles.

You can buy chicken or beef bouillon cubes from a variety of brands such as McCormick, Knorr or Tones either one will work, because they have the same ingredients: salt, seasoning, fat and meat stock.

To reduce the amount of sodium in each cube make sure to simmer each piece in a half-full pot of water. Once the broth is boiled you can add a generous serving of collard greens and ham hocks leftover from your previous meal.

The key is to let the broth marinate into the greens. It is recommended to compliment the soup with crackers, biscuits or a slice of corn bread.

Leftovers are good for no more than 2 days after your initial cooking unless you put the remains in the freezer.

The new year is a time for change and improving ones diet. Greens is what makes it to the table of those who believe in the tradition that Georgia collards represent prosperity.

Large blue green plants can be found in gardens in Branchville. Growing the collard plant on acres of land lends to tasty tender leaves after a cold night of frost.

Southern cooks are able to take the leafy vegetable and create menu's of seasoned natural dietary fiber full of vegetables and minerals.

The pork fat and country cured ham is what can add calories to a favorite dish, cooked up in a big pot on the stove at dinner time.

Homemade artichoke relish with a splash of vinegar can make the meal taste great for any family large or small.