Prepare this easy Slow Cooker Collard Greens recipe for a delicious side. These collards have a smoky ham flavor and a great broth!
Collard greens are a southern style recipe with amazing smoke flavor. These greens go amazing with Slow Cooker New Years Day Black Eyed Peas, Pork Chops and much more!
Collard greens need quite a bit of time to soften up and that’s why making them in the crockpot is the best! While they cook, a wonderful broth (pot liquor) is formed from the flavors of the bacon, ham, and spices. This broth is wonderful with the greens and some people even drink what’s left in their bowl.
What are collard greens?
- Collard greens are a leafy dark green vegetable.
- Have a very tough stem that travels up the entire leaf and needs to be removed before cooking.
- Collard greens are in the same family as cabbage, kale, mustard and turnips.
How to make the best collards greens:
- Fresh Collard Greens – These should be dark and vibrant green. Trim off the stem and tear into strips.
- Crumbled Bacon and Bacon Grease – Yes! I add a touch of bacon drippings to my collard greens. My mom would always cook with bacon fat and it really steps up a recipe.
- Ham Hocks or Shanks – This is where the smoky element comes in and I shred the meat off the bone and put it into the finished collard greens.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Just a touch of vinegar adds tanginess and depth of flavor.
- Brown Sugar – This gives the greens a slightly sweet flavor and the helps flavor the broth.
- Seasonings – Salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Chicken Broth – This is the moisture for this recipe. You can use water here but be sure to add more salt to taste if needed at the end of the cooking time.
How long do I cook collard greens in the slow cooker?
- 4 hours on HIGH
- or 7 hours on LOW
Can I use mustard, turnip or kale greens in this recipe?
Yes! It is sometimes hard to track down collard greens. Use the same amount of these greens instead.
I can’t find a ham hock or shanks, what can I use instead?
- Smoked turkey wings, drumsticks or necks
- Kielbasa
- Diced or sliced ham
Can I use bagged greens?
Yes, about two pounds is just the right amount for this recipe.
Can I use canned collard greens?
- You can but will need to alter the recipe.
- Canned collard greens are fulled cooked and sometimes already seasoned. You can add bacon, brown sugar, vinegar, and red pepper flakes to them to make them even better. I would skip the ham hock for it needs more time than canned greens to cook.
- To heat canned collard greens in the crockpot: Add 2-3 cans to a slow cooker (add any extra seasonings if desired) and heat on HIGH for 1.5 – 2 hours.
What goes good with Collard Greens?
- Slow Cooker Black Eyed Peas – Brings good luck in the new year.
- Cornbread – Make a big pan or muffins
- Pinto Beans – A great alternative if you don’t like black-eyed peas.
- Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese – My recipe is made with cream cheese
- Crockpot Smothered Pork Chops – Plenty of gravy on these
- Steamed White Rice – the easiest side dish ever
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Slow Cooker Collard Greens
Slow Cooker Collard Greens with bacon, ham hocks, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar.
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Servings: 8
Calories: 355kcal
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients:
- 8 cups collard greens (2 large bunches, remove ribs and stems and discard, rip the greens into bite sized pieces)
- 2 ham hocks or shanks
- 12 oz. package bacon sliced and cooked, drained (save the bacon drippings)
- 3 Tbsp. bacon drippings (grease) (from above bacon) optional
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
Instructions:
- Add the collard greens to the slow cooker.
- Add the ham hocks or shanks on top of the greens.
- Add the cooked bacon, bacon drippings, brown sugar, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker.
- Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 7-8 hours or until tender. Try to keep the lid on the entire cooking time or they won't tenderize.
- Remove the ham hocks or shanks and shred any meat you can find on them. Add the meat to the greens and stir.
- Serve with the broth (pot liquor) and your other favorite southern dishes.
How to Video:
Recipe Notes:
I can’t find ham hocks or shanks, what can I used instead?
- Smoked turkey wings, drumsticks or necks
- Kielbasa
- Diced or sliced ham
- You can but will need to alter the recipe.
- Canned collard greens are fulled cooked and sometimes already seasoned. You can add bacon, brown sugar, vinegar, and red pepper flakes to them to make them even better. I would skip the ham hock for it needs more time than canned greens to cook.
- To heat canned collard greens in the crockpot: Add 2-3 cans to a slow cooker (add any extra seasonings if desired) and heat on HIGH for 1.5 – 2 hours.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 847mg | Potassium: 351mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1841IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
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I made these collard greens using smoked Turkey legs. This is my FIRST effort in making collards so I was nervous. I received lots of compliments as it was quite delicious. I didn’t change anything. I did follow the in-recipe link for crockpot Black eyed Peas as the main dish. Overall, both recipes were bang on point!
I plan on keeping some of the stems that are in the beg of greens – do I need to lengthen the cooking time and if so do I need to add more broth?
I woud cook for one hour longer and add a touch more broth.
The recipe looks great! My only suggestion is for the fresh greens is to wash the greens 3 times in salted water to get rid of any dirt and/or bugs. I was taught this and have done it my whole adult life. Nothing quite like biting into sand!
Wow. First timer here. I get it. These are really quite tasty!!
Made these today… first time making homemade collard greens… absolutely DELICIOUS!!! I will be making them on the regular now..
Hi, I gave this 4 stars just because I have not tried this yet. I have bones and pieces left from a country ham that I will be using. Any suggestions on using this? I will omit the salt. Thanks for any help or suggestions you can give me. Hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year.
What are the instant pot directions ?
Love your recipe with bacon grease and apple cider vinegar. Amazing!
I bought bagged collards and followed the recipe but they turned out really salty. I pored off the liquid and rinsed them & then our water in. They tasted fine, but what did I do wrong?
This recipe seems salt-heavy; ham, bacon, chicken broth (if processed version is used), and salt are all significant sources of sodium. I use low sodium chicken broth or my homemade broth, reduce the amount of bacon, and skip the salt. I don’t want salt to overwhelm the incredible flavor of collards.