• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

SmartyPantsKitchen logo

  • About
  • Foodie Tips
  • Kitchen 101
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Foodie Tips
  • Kitchen 101
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
×
Home » Side Dishes

How to Season and Cook Southern Greens

Published: Sep 3, 2021 · Last Modified: Oct 23, 2022 by Anecia

  • share
  • share
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

If you want to learn how to season and cook Southern greens like a true Southerner, look no further! 

Here you'll find the seasonings and cooking methods Southern cooks use for making delicious southern mixed greens - collard, mustard, turnip or kale- apply these techniques to any type of green and enjoy with a slice of cornbread!

How to buy, store and cut greens, when to buy fresh greens, making Southern greens for a crowd and more!

Seasoned greens in a white bowl.

Jump to:
  • Why this recipe works
  • Here's what you'll need
  • How to season and cook Southern greens
  • What is pot likker (pot liquor)?
  • How to select the best greens
  • How to store fresh greens
  • How to clean greens
  • How to cut collard or turnip greens
  • FAQ
  • Cooking greens for a group
  • What's the difference between Soul Food and Southern Food?
  • Make ahead and storage
  • Reheating
  • Serving suggestions
  • 📋 Recipe

Why this recipe works

  • No bitterness - Most greens (collard, mustard, turnip) are inherently bitter. The savory and meaty broth (pot liquor) and a smidgen of sugar and vinegar override this bitter flavor, resulting in a savory and flavorful green.
  • Tender - but not over cooked; the addition of a little white vinegar and pepper vinegar increases the acidity of the water which helps tenderize the greens as they cook
  • Seasonings - simple, yet versatile! Add onions, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, pepper sauce to your liking!
  • Healthy - collard greens, in particular, are one of the more nutrient dense foods on the planet (kale is #1)! They're considered a "superfood" and are high in fiber, as well as vitamin C, A, and B and they're off the charts with vitamin K.

Here's what you'll need

Sometimes, simple ingredients are the best way to fix delicious, fresh collards!

Ingredients labeled on counter.

Greens - fresh collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens or kale; use pre-washed packaged greens or fresh; you can use mixed greens, too!

Water or broth start with 3-4 cups of water per pound of greens; if you need to add more, do so; you may have to add more seasonings if you add more water (you can also use chicken broth or chicken stock, or even vegetable stock)

Protein - smoked ham hock, smoked turkey leg, fat back, bacon or salt pork

Seasonings - onion or onion powder (optional), garlic powder, white vinegar, salt, pepper, pepper vinegar, crushed red pepper (optional).

The ingredients for making a good pot of greens are actually pretty simple. Start with a piece of meat, usually a smoked ham hock, smoked turkey leg, fatback or bacon and cook it in liquid until tender along with seasonings.

How to season and cook Southern greens

Most greens are inherently bitter and tough. Southerner's typically use a "fatty protein" like bacon fat, ham, smoked ham hocks, smoked turkey legs or bacon pieces to season their greens. If you don't have any meat handy, you can always add a few tablespoons of bacon grease to the stockpot. 

The fat from the protein is released into the bitter greens and this creates a delicious juice called "pot likker" or "pot liquor" -this is the secret to a really good pot of Southern greens! 

Start with a big pot of water (or Dutch oven ) and some protein; you can use smoked ham hock, smoked turkey leg, turkey neck bones or bacon-any of these will give the greens a nice smoky flavor.

Place water or chicken broth (I recommend using a high quality chicken stock) and the protein in a big pot, along with a little onion powder and garlic powder.

Bring the water to a rolling boil, then turn to low heat or simmer, cover and allow to cook for about 1 hour. Cook the pot liquor (water, protein, seasonings) covered

Dutch oven with glass lid ajar.

After 1 hour, add prepped greens (wash, remove stems and chop greens) and a little white distilled vinegar and a pinch of sugar to the pot.

Once you add the raw greens to the stockpot,  leave the lid off for about the first 5-8 minutes while stirring the greens into the broth. This lets the gases escape; then cover and simmer till tender.

This initial phase of cooking the greens uncovered allows the natural gases in the vegetable to escape. Once all the greens have soaked in the broth for a few minutes, place the lid on the stockpot and cook on low.

Season to taste with salt, pepper and Trappey's Louisiana white pepper sauce.

If you want spicy collard greens feel free to add a little hot sauce or red pepper flakes to this southern collard greens recipe.


What is pot likker (pot liquor)?

There's no "liquor" involved here. This is an old term used for the juice of the cooked greens!

Pot liquor is non -alcoholic. It is the juice you get from braising a salty meat in liquid that develops when you cook cook the greens slowly.

This savory, meaty broth gives collard greens (well, all greens) their rich flavor. It is essential to making true Southern greens and is loaded with flavor. It's what makes Southern greens so delicious! The actual greens themselves don't take that long to cook, it's the broth or pot liquor that takes the most time to develop.

The smoky and salty flavor that develops in the braising liquid helps to overcome any bitterness from the collard or mustard greens.

Collard greens and mustard greens are inherently bitter, so this is the first step to take when making Southern style greens that don't have a bitter taste.

By the way, collard greens are the official vegetable of South Carolina!

How to select the best greens

Now days, you can buy pre-washed cut greens in a bag! What a great convenience and time saver. However, if you want to buy fresh greens look for small bunches with smaller leaves. These are more tender than the larger ones.

How to store fresh greens

Look for deep, dark green leaves and avoid any light green or yellow leaves or leaves with holes in them. Avoid leafy greens with dark black spots, too.

If you buy a few bunches of fresh greens and don't plan on cooking them immediately, place UNWASHED greens in a sealed storage bag or airtight container in the vegetable or crisper bin for up to 3-5 days.

How to clean greens

The wrinkled leaves of greens harbor dirt so it is necessary to wash greens at least three times to ensure all the debris is removed. 

Place whole green leaves in a large bowl and fill with cold water. Manually swish the water to loosen any dirt. Remove greens from bowl, pour out the water and repeat this process at least three times. 

Believe it or not, you can get sick from consuming greens that aren't truly free of debris.

How to cut collard or turnip greens

Once you've cleaned the greens, you can remove the woody stem and chop or tear the leaves. Collard greens are tough so use a sharp knife. First, remove the stem and place the leaves on top of one another.

Cut lengthwise first, then go back and cut horizontally until they're cut to bite size.

Another way is to just tear the leaves into small pieces - my Grandmother just tore 'em, but it's really your call!

The easiest way to remove the stem is to fold the green in half and slide the tip of a sharp knife down the stem membrane. Then, stack the greens on top of one another and cut into bite sized cubes.

Some cooks cook their mixed greens (collard, mustard and turnip greens) for a long time (like hours), just like their Mother and Grandmother did.

Collard greens are in the cruciferous vegetable group, along with cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower which means they emit a sulfurous odor when cooked.

FAQ

When are fresh greens in season?

Most leafy greens are cool weather vegetables and grow during the cooler months. In the South, they are usually harvested in the fall, winter or early spring as they do not tolerate heat well.
Thankfully, the grocery stores now sell the pre-washed, pre-packaged greens so you can enjoy them year round.

How much does one pound of raw collard greens yield?

Greens, like onions tend to really cook down when they cook! Keep this general rule of thumb in mind when buying greens: one pound of pre-washed, chopped greens yields about 4 cups of cooked greens.

Cooking greens for a group

If you're cooking for a crowd, I recommend cooking the greens in one huge stockpot or use a few 5-quart stockpots.

One pound of raw chopped collards in a stockpot.In the image above is a 5-quart stockpot with one pound of raw greens. After it cooks down, you get about 4 cups of cooked greens per 5 quart stockpot. 

A typical serving size is about ½ cup per person, so one pound of raw collard greens yields about 8 half-cup servings. 

You'll typically find a side of collard greens with bacon next to the black-eyed peas and cornbread on New Year's Day! The greens are said to represent "dollars" for prosperity in the New Year!


Southern greens of all types are typically cooked in a rich, meaty broth (called "pot likker") and served as a side dish to just about anything from meatloaf, fried catfish and chicken fried steak.

What's the difference between Soul Food and Southern Food?

These terms are often used interchangeably across the southern United States, however, there is a difference. Not all Southern food is "soul food" but all "soul food" is Southern. Slow cooked greens are considered "Soul Food."

The term "soul food" refers to ethnic recipes developed and prepared by African Americans in the Southern United States and dates back to the 60's. Some common soul food recipes are collard greens, cornbread, chitlins, black eyed, peas, candied yams and more. 

As a native Texan, I personally refer to common Southern dishes as both, as these recipes are rich in heritage and culture.

Make ahead and storage

If you need to make Southern greens in advance, I recommend cooking them no more than 3 days in advance and, cook them twice.

Make the pot liquor first then add the greens and seasonings. Cook the greens only halfway at this point - don't cook them all the way. Store greens and liquid in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve.

On the day your serving the southern greens, pour them and the liquid back into a large stockpot and resume cooking. This ensures your greens won't get soggy or overdone.

Reheating

Reheat refrigerated greens on the stovetop or in the microwave. If reheating frozen greens, allow them to thaw first, then reheat on the stove or microwave.

Serving suggestions

Serve your leafy green vegetable with a slotted spoon or tongs. I always put a second serving spoon in the bowl in case anyone wants to get a little of that savory broth for their serving!

Seasoned greens in a white bowl.

Once you learn how to season and cook Southern greens, you'll be happy to serve them with any of these Southern favorites, but cornbread is a must!

  • How to Season and Cook Black Eyed or Purple Hull Peas
  • How to Prevent Cauliflower from Turning Brown
  • Southern Skillet Cornbread
  • Chicken Fried Steak
  • Meatloaf with Tomato Sauce
  • Fried Catfish
  • Macaroni and Cheese
  • Turnip Green Cornbread Casserole
  • Beef Tenderloin
  • Smothered Okra and Tomatoes
  • Homemade Cream Style Corn
  • Southern Cornbread Dressing
  • Sauteed Yellow Squash and Onions
  • Salmon Croquettes
  • Potato Patties

If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a comment and rating! I love to hear from you!

📋 Recipe

Seasoned greens in a white bowl.

Southern Greens (Collard, Mustard, Turnip) Recipe

How to Season and Cook Southern Greens
5 from 12 votes
Print Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Southern
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes
1 hour for broth or pot liquor: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes
Yield: 4 cups
Author: Anecia Hero
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients 

  • 1 lbs greens , mixed, turnip, collard -See Recipe Notes
  • 1 smoked ham hock 1 large smoked ham hock, smoked turkey leg or bacon strips (6) See Recipe Notes
  • water start with 3-4 cups water per pound of raw greens; See Recipe Notes ;
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder , or ½ cup chopped onion
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • pepper sauce , white pepper vinegar; to taste
  • salt and pepper ,to taste

Instructions 

  • Wash greens thoroughly. At least 3 times (disregard if using pre-washed greens)
    1 lbs greens
  • Cut away core stalk; chop or tear into small bite size pieces
  • In a large stockpot, add protein, (and chopped onion - optional), water and seasonings to pot; cover and allow to simmer for 1 hour; See Recipe Notes
    1 smoked ham hock, water, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • Add greens and white vinegar; stir well; allow to cook 5-8 minutes with the lid off
    1 lbs greens, 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • Place lid on stockpot and allow to simmer until greens are tender
  • Add salt, pepper and pepper vinegar to taste
    salt and pepper, pepper sauce

Notes

Greens:
If you use pre-cut/pre-washed greens, still rinse them again in a colander just to be safe.
Water:
Start with 3-4 cups per pound of raw greens; if you find you need to add more during the cooking process, then add more. You do not want the greens covered by water. If you add more water, you might want to add more seasonings.
Protein:
If you use bacon, I recommend cutting it into tiny pieces and cooking it in the stockpot until crispy. Then, add a little water (stand back - it will splatter) and begin scraping the bacon residue from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. 
Add the rest of the water and seasonings and let that simmer for 1 hour. Then resume recipe.
Onion:
If you want to add diced onion to the greens, I recommend cooking the onion in a little oil first, (use the same big stockpot you're using for the greens) then add the protein and water.
Or, if you're adding onion AND bacon, cook them at the same time before adding the water.

Nutrition Estimate

Serving: 1cupCalories: 189kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 16gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 128mgPotassium: 439mgFiber: 5gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 5691IUVitamin C: 40mgCalcium: 280mgIron: 1mg
Craving More? Pin it and Share!Mention @SmartyPantsKitchen or tag #smartypantskitchen!
Join the Facebook group!Mention @SmartyPantsKitchen or tag #smartypantskitchen!

More Favorite Southern Side Dishes

  • Creamed spinach in white serving bowl.
    Tex Mex Jalapeno Creamed Spinach
  • Braised cabbage in white Dutch oven.
    Cajun Braised Cabbage Wedges
  • Eggplant casserole in white baking dish.
    Southern Eggplant Casserole
  • Fried okra in decorative blue bowl.
    How to make the Best Southern Fried Okra

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Wanda says

    February 16, 2023 at 8:37 am

    5 stars
    Simply simple and delicious! Thank you!

    Reply
  2. Sandra Drake says

    September 03, 2021 at 7:51 pm

    5 stars
    My mama always cooked collards, for they are milder than turnip greens or mustard greens. You can mix greens though!

    Reply
    • Anecia says

      September 03, 2021 at 8:42 pm

      Mustard and turnip greens are often tough and peppery. So you may have to add a little more vinegar to balance the flavor. . Thank you for sharing this!

      Reply
  3. Camille says

    September 03, 2021 at 5:08 pm

    5 stars
    Very tasty and easy!

    Reply

I'd love to hear from you! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Anecia Hero, Food Blogger

About SmartyPantsKitchen

I'm Anecia, a native Texan, author, cook and photographer for SmartyPantsKitchen where I'm sharing Traditional and Contemporary Southern recipes for cooks of all levels. There's nothing fancy or gourmet about my recipes-just easy, simple, delicious and memorable! Take a tour and check out delicious recipes! 

Learn more about me →

Texas Recipes

  • Authentic Texas Chili in white bowl with tortilla chip and shredded cheese.
    Texas Chili
  • Close up of cake on white plate.
    Original Texas Sheet Cake
  • Sausage cream gravy in red bowl with bowl of biscuits in red checkered basket in background
    Sausage Cream Gravy
  • Whole pecan pie on colorful tablecloth
    Classic Southern Pecan Pie
  • Chicken fried steak with cream gravy and a side of green beans
    Texas Chicken Fried Steak with Cream Gravy
  • Apple cake on gold plate.
    Fresh Apple Cake

Brunch

  • Two slices of quiche on white plate.
    Basic Quiche Recipe
  • Holiday Sausage Ball on fork resting over honey mustard dip
    Easy Sausage Balls
  • Smoked tomato bisque on brown serving tray with crouton and cream
    Smoked Tomato Bisque (Low-Sodium)
  • Slice of low carb egg casserole on plate.
    Low Carb Crustless Quiche Recipe
  • Slice of spinach feta pie on white plate with a side of kalamata olives.
    Spinach Feta Pie
  • Shrimp Saganaki in white baking dish.
    Shrimp Saganaki (Baked Greek Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta)

Reader Favorites

  • Fried catfish filets with tartar sauce.
    Restaurant-Quality Fried Catfish
  • Purple hull peas in white bowl.
    How to Cook and Season Southern Purple Hull Peas
  • Sliced classic meatloaf with tomato sauce on white serving platter.
    Classic Southern Meatloaf with Old-Fashioned Tomato Sauce
  • No beer batter fried fish in paper
    Fish and Chips: No Beer Batter
  • Cream gravy being spooned over chicken fried steak
    Southern Cream Gravy
  • Fried oysters on platter with lemon wedges.
    Crispy Southern Fried Oysters

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and recipes

Contact

  • Contact

Copyright © 2018-2022 SmartyPantsKitchen.com