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5 from 9 votes

Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey

These collard greens with smoked turkey are tender and full of flavor! Everything you love about Southern-style greens, minus the pork!
Prep Time25 mins
Cook Time3 hrs
Total Time3 hrs 25 mins
Course: Sides
Cuisine: Soul Food/Southern
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 513kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds fresh collard greens see notes below for cleaning/chopping
  • 1 pound smoked turkey necks, legs or wings
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter divided
  • 1 large white onion diced
  • 2 tablespoons garlic paste
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 4-5 cups chicken broth low sodium
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • hot sauce for serving

Instructions

  • Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large stockpot and sauté the onions, garlic and red chili flakes over medium heat, until the onions are fragrant. 
  • Add the smoked turkey meat to the pot and brown it on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
  • Add the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and half of the chicken broth to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then add half the greens and return the smoked turkey to the pot.
  • Place the remaining greens on top of the smoked turkey then add the apple cider vinegar, worcestershire sauce and sugar. Add the rest of the broth, cover the pot and simmer over low heat for an hour and a half.
  • Remove the turkey and use a fork to break the meat up (skip this step if you're using necks). Discard any bones or cartilage and return the meat to the pot. Stir and taste the greens then stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. 
  • Cover the pot again and let the greens simmer for another 2 hours (3 hours for super-tender greens). Turn the burner off and let the greens rest for 20 minutes - this gives the flavors time to settle. Give the greens a final stir and serve with a few drops of hot sauce.

Notes

  • Refer to the instructions further up in the post for cleaning and chopping the greens.
  • Keep the flame low while cooking your greens.
  • It's ok if the broth doesn't cover the greens at first because they'll cook down. You don't need a lot of liquid - just enough to keep a simmer.
  • Skip the shredding part if you're using turkey necks because they don't contain much meat. They're mainly used for flavor!
 

Nutrition

Calories: 513kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 945mg | Potassium: 884mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 8881IU | Vitamin C: 64mg | Calcium: 637mg | Iron: 3mg