Chef notes
Fiery cayenne, spicy jalapenos and hot black pepper add serious spice to these tender, slow-cooked collard greens.
Technique tip: Use a large pressure cooker to expedite the tenderizing of the ham hocks.
Swap option: If you prefer to use turkey instead of ham, substitute 6 smoked turkey wingettes and 1 turkey butt.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds collard greens, rinsed
- 1/2 cup chicken base, preferably Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base
- 2 smoked ham hocks and 2 smoked ham shanks, split in half
- 1 cup diced white onion
- 1 medium white onion, quartered
- 1/3 cup diced fresh jalapeño peppers
- 3 whole dried cayenne peppers
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1-3 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
Preparation
1.Wash and stack several fully opened collard leaves on a large cutting board. Cut off and discard the thick end stems and any discolored leaves. Cut the leaves crosswise into 2-inch wide strips (or squares for bite size pieces.)
2.In a large, heavy stock pot (about 7-quarts) fill half full of water and stir in the chicken base to dissolve. Add the meat, onions, peppers and all of the other ingredients except the greens. Cover and cook over medium heat until the meat is just tender.
3.Taste the resulting broth to ensure it is to your liking (add additional bouillon paste, salt or black pepper to desired taste).
4.Add the collard greens and cover. Stir every few minutes, or until greens have wilted down, then slow boil for 90 minutes.
5.Remove the lid and increase the heat to medium-high to bring to a slow boil for a few minutes to reduce the cooking liquid (be careful not to let the liquid evaporate completely). Remove the cayenne peppers and discard, Adjust the seasoning, if needed, and serve.
