Equipment
- Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- Wooden spoon
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- – Can opener
- Colander
- Measuring cups and spoons
- – Ladle
Ingredients
- 3-4 smoked ham hocks about 2-3 pounds
- 3 cans 14.5 oz each collard greens, drained
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Add ham hocks to the pot and brown on all sides, about 8-10 minutes total. This step adds extra flavor to the final dish.
- Pour in chicken broth and water, ensuring ham hocks are completely covered. Add bay leaves and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours until ham hocks are tender and meat easily pulls away from the bone.
- Remove ham hocks from the pot and set aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones and shred into bite-sized pieces. Discard bones, skin, and excess fat.
- Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer and return 4 cups to the pot. Reserve any extra liquid for thinning if needed.
- Add drained canned collard greens to the pot along with shredded ham, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Bring mixture to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld and liquid reduces slightly.
- Remove bay leaves and taste for seasoning. Add salt as needed, keeping in mind that ham hocks are naturally salty.
- Serve hot with cornbread, rice, or as a side dish to your favorite Southern meal.
Notes
Ham hocks can be quite salty, so taste before adding additional salt The longer cooking time allows flavors to develop fully If using low-sodium canned greens, you may need to add more salt Fresh collard greens can be substituted but will require longer cooking time The dish will thicken as it cools due to the natural gelatin from ham hocks