Print

Wholesome Southern Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey – Easy One-Pot Recipe

Southern collard greens with smoked turkey - featured image
Print Recipe

These Southern collard greens with smoked turkey are deeply flavorful, wholesome, and surprisingly easy to make in one pot. Tender greens simmered with smoked turkey, aromatics, and a splash of vinegar create a comforting side dish that even skeptics will love.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds fresh collard greens (about 2 large bunches)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
  • 1 pound smoked turkey leg or wing
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  1. Prep the collard greens: Fill your sink with cold water and submerge the collard greens. Swish them around to loosen any dirt or grit, then let them sit for a minute so the sediment settles at the bottom. Lift the leaves out gently and transfer them to a colander. Repeat if they seem particularly sandy. Pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Using your sharp knife, cut out the thick center stems from each leaf. Stack a few leaves on top of each other, roll them up tightly like …
  2. Sauté the aromatics: Place your Dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once it shimmers, toss in the diced onion. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook for another minute until the garlic is fragrant.
  3. Add the smoked turkey: Place the smoked turkey leg or wing into the pot, nestling it among the onions and garlic. Let it sear for a minute or two on each side. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with your wooden spoon.
  4. Simmer the turkey: Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 45 minutes. This allows the smoked turkey to infuse the broth with its rich, smoky essence.
  5. Add the collard greens: After 45 minutes, carefully remove the turkey leg from the pot and set it on a plate to cool slightly. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the collard greens to the broth in batches, stirring gently as you add each batch. Once all the greens are in, stir in the smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
  6. Shred the turkey: While the greens are wilting, use two forks to shred the meat from the turkey leg. Discard the skin and bones. Add the shredded turkey back into the pot and stir to combine.
  7. Simmer the greens: Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let everything simmer together for another 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir occasionally. The greens should be tender but still have a slight chew. The broth should be deeply flavored and slightly reduced.
  8. Finish with vinegar: Just before serving, stir in the apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
  9. Rest and serve: Let the greens sit off the heat for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve hot with a ladle of the pot likker on the side.

Notes

For best results, don’t skip the initial 45-minute simmer for the turkey—it builds deep flavor. These greens taste even better the next day, so consider making them ahead. The pot likker (cooking liquid) is delicious for dipping cornbread or as a soup base. If you’re short on time, you can skip the initial turkey simmer and add greens directly after searing, but flavor won’t be as deep. For a vegetarian version, use 2 tablespoons liquid smoke and vegetable broth instead of turkey and chicken broth.

Nutrition

Keywords: collard greens, smoked turkey, Southern collard greens, one-pot collard greens, healthy collard greens, collard greens recipe, Southern side dish

Find it online: https://cookluma.com/wholesome-southern-collard-greens-with-smoked-turkey-easy-one-pot-recipe/