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.
Video
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
Can I use a different green than collards?Yes you can use Mustard, Turnip or Kale greens instead of collard greens in this recipe.Can I use bagged collard greens?Yes, use about 2 pounds of bagged greens 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.