Southern Collard Greens

Step 1

Place the smoked turkey necks in a large Dutch oven and add enough water to the pot to cover the turkey. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and boil the smoked turkey for 30 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, remove the tough stems of the collard greens by gripping each leaf by the stem and pulling the leaf up and away from the stem. Roll bunches of leaves up and slice them into about 1-inch ribbons.

Step 3

Place the greens in a large kitchen sink and fill the sink with water. Using two hands, rub and stir the greens around to remove the dirt and grit. Drain the water from the sink and repeat this process at least two more times until the water runs clear.

Step 4

Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and collard greens to the pot with the smoked turkey necks and stir with a wooden spoon. If needed, add more water to the pot until the greens are covered.

Step 5

Add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and sugar to the pot and season the greens with paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked sea salt, cayenne pepper, salt, and cracked black pepper. Stir the greens and bring them to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and simmer the greens for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Step 6

After two hours, check the greens for tenderness. If they aren't silky and melt in your mouth tender, add additional cooking time. Add more seasoning if needed until you are pleased with the flavor.

Step 7

Carefully remove the meat from the bones and discard the bones. The meat should be falling off the bone at this point. Check the pot for small bones that may have broken off during cooking. Serve collard greens hot with a dash of hot sauce if desired!