Homemade Southern Collard Greens with Ham Hocks

Growing up, I thought collard greens came from a can. It wasn’t until I visited my college roommate’s family in Georgia that I tasted the real deal – slow-cooked collard greens with a ham hock simmering away in the pot. The smell alone filled the entire house, and that first bite changed everything for me.

Now I make them at least once a month, especially when the weather turns cool. The best part? They’re actually pretty simple to make. You just need a little time to let everything cook down together. The ham hock does most of the heavy lifting, turning ordinary greens into something your family will ask for again and again.

I know collard greens can seem intimidating if you’ve never made them before. But trust me on this one – if you can chop an onion and turn on a stove, you can make this recipe. No fancy techniques required.

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What Kind of Collard Greens Should I Use?

Fresh collard greens are always your best bet for this recipe, and you’ll find them in bundles at most grocery stores year-round. Look for leaves that are dark green and firm without any yellowing or wilting – those are signs they’re past their prime. If you can only find collard greens with really thick, tough stems, don’t worry, you can just cut those out and use the leafy parts. Some people like to include the stems for extra texture, while others prefer to remove them completely, so it’s really up to your personal preference. And if fresh collards aren’t available, you can use frozen in a pinch, though you might need to adjust your cooking time since they’ll already be partially cooked.

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Options for Substitutions

This classic Southern dish is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Smoked ham hock: If you can’t find ham hocks, try smoked turkey wings, turkey necks, or even thick-cut bacon. For a leaner option, use a meaty ham bone. Each will give you that smoky flavor, though the cooking time might vary slightly.
• Collard greens: While collards are traditional, you can use mustard greens, turnip greens, or kale. Keep in mind that kale cooks faster, so reduce the cooking time by about half.
• Chicken broth: Water works just fine here, especially since the ham hock adds plenty of flavor. You can also use vegetable broth if that’s what you have on hand.
• Creole seasoning: Don’t have Creole seasoning? Make your own with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and black pepper. Or use Cajun seasoning as a direct swap.
• White onions: Yellow or sweet onions work equally well in this recipe. The flavor difference will be minimal once everything cooks down together.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with collard greens is not cooking them long enough – these greens need a full 2 hours of simmering to become tender and develop that rich, deep flavor, so resist the urge to cut the cooking time short.

Another common error is forgetting to taste and adjust the seasoning at the end, since the ham hock adds saltiness that varies depending on the brand, so always check before serving and add more Creole seasoning or a pinch of sugar if the greens taste too bitter.

Don’t skip the step of removing the thick stems from the collard leaves, as they stay tough and chewy even after hours of cooking – just fold each leaf in half and slice along the stem to remove it quickly.

Finally, make sure you’re adding the greens in batches and letting each batch wilt down before adding more, otherwise you’ll end up with a pot that’s overflowing and greens that cook unevenly.

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What to Serve With Collard Greens?

Southern collard greens with ham hocks are perfect alongside classic comfort foods like cornbread, which is ideal for soaking up all that flavorful pot liquor at the bottom of your bowl. I love serving them with mac and cheese, fried chicken, or baked chicken thighs for a real soul food feast. Black-eyed peas or candied yams make great side dish companions if you’re going for a full Southern spread. For something lighter, cornmeal-crusted catfish or pork chops pair really well with the smoky, savory flavors of the greens.

Storage Instructions

Store: These collard greens actually taste even better the next day after all those flavors have had time to mingle. Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just make sure to store the ham hock with the greens so they stay moist and flavorful.

Freeze: Collard greens freeze really well, which makes them perfect for meal prep. Let them cool completely, then portion them into freezer-safe containers or bags with some of the cooking liquid. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Reheat: Warm up your collard greens on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. You can also microwave them in a covered dish, but the stovetop method helps keep that nice texture. Add a splash of chicken broth if they seem a bit dry.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 400-500
• Protein: 35-45 g
• Fat: 18-24 g
• Carbohydrates: 40-50 g

Ingredients

For the ham hock:

• 3/4 lb smoked ham hock (adds rich, smoky flavor to the broth)

For the greens:

• 1.75 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup white onions (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp Creole seasoning (I use Tony Chachere’s)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• sugar to taste (balance the heat and bitterness)
• 3 lb fresh collard greens (stems removed, leaves roughly chopped)

Step 1: Prepare the Collard Greens and Start the Ham Hock Broth

• 3/4 lb smoked ham hock
• 3 lb fresh collard greens

While you’re preparing ingredients, start the ham hock cooking since it needs the most time.

Place the smoked ham hock in a large pot and cover it with water, then bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium and let it simmer for 45-60 minutes until the meat is very tender and begins to fall apart—this builds the flavorful broth base for your greens.

Meanwhile, wash the fresh collard greens thoroughly in cold water, rubbing the leaves between your hands to remove any dirt or grit.

Continue rinsing until the water runs completely clear.

Remove the tough center stems from each leaf and roughly chop the greens into bite-sized pieces.

Set aside.

Step 2: Build the Aromatic Base

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup white onions
• 3 garlic cloves

Once the ham hock has simmered for 45-60 minutes, heat the olive oil in a separate large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add the diced onions and minced garlic, stirring occasionally until the onions become translucent and soft, about 5-7 minutes.

This gentle sautéing develops the sweetness of the onions and mellows the raw garlic flavor—I like to cook them low and slow rather than browning them, which keeps the focus on the subtle, savory foundation they’ll create for the greens.

Step 3: Combine Broth and Layer in the Greens

• 1.75 cups chicken broth
• cooked ham hock from Step 1
• aromatics base from Step 2
• 3 lb collard greens from Step 1

Pour the chicken broth into the pot with the cooked onions and garlic, then carefully transfer the cooked ham hock to this pot as well.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then begin adding the chopped collard greens in batches—add a large handful, stir it down into the liquid until it wilts, then add another handful.

Continue this process until all the greens are incorporated and submerged in the broth.

This gradual addition ensures even cooking and prevents the greens from becoming matted or clumpy.

Step 4: Season and Simmer Low and Slow

• 1 tbsp Creole seasoning
• contents of pot from Step 3

Once all the greens are in the pot, stir in the Creole seasoning and reduce the heat to medium-low.

Cover the pot and let everything simmer gently for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

The long, slow cooking transforms the greens into a tender, deeply flavorful dish—the collards break down and absorb all the smoky, seasoned broth.

I find that medium-low heat is crucial here; too high and the greens become mushy and lose their character, while a gentle simmer keeps them silky without overcooking.

Step 5: Finish the Ham Hock and Season to Taste

• ham hock from Step 3
• sugar to taste

After 2 hours of simmering, remove the ham hock from the pot and set it on a cutting board.

Once it’s cool enough to handle, shred the tender meat from the bone with two forks or your fingers, discarding the skin and bone.

Return the shredded ham meat to the pot and stir it back into the greens.

Taste the dish and adjust the seasoning—add more Creole seasoning if needed for depth, and stir in a pinch or two of sugar to balance any bitterness from the greens and round out the flavors.

The sugar should be subtle, just enough to enhance the savory notes without making the dish sweet.

Step 6: Serve

Ladle the collard greens into serving bowls, making sure each portion gets plenty of the flavorful broth and shredded ham meat.

Serve hot as a classic Southern side dish, perfect alongside cornbread, fried chicken, or mac and cheese.

Homemade Southern Collard Greens with Ham Hocks

Delicious Homemade Southern Collard Greens with Ham Hocks recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 450 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the ham hock:

• 3/4 lb smoked ham hock (adds rich, smoky flavor to the broth)

For the greens:

• 1.75 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup white onions (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp Creole seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• sugar to taste (balance the heat and bitterness)
• 3 lb fresh collard greens (stems removed, leaves roughly chopped)

Instructions

 

• While you're preparing ingredients, start the ham hock cooking since it needs the most time. Place the smoked ham hock in a large pot and cover it with water, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and let it simmer for 45-60 minutes until the meat is very tender and begins to fall apart—this builds the flavorful broth base for your greens. Meanwhile, wash the fresh collard greens thoroughly in cold water, rubbing the leaves between your hands to remove any dirt or grit. Continue rinsing until the water runs completely clear. Remove the tough center stems from each leaf and roughly chop the greens into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
• Once the ham hock has simmered for 45-60 minutes, heat the olive oil in a separate large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onions and minced garlic, stirring occasionally until the onions become translucent and soft, about 5-7 minutes. This gentle sautéing develops the sweetness of the onions and mellows the raw garlic flavor—I like to cook them low and slow rather than browning them, which keeps the focus on the subtle, savory foundation they'll create for the greens.
• Pour the chicken broth into the pot with the cooked onions and garlic, then carefully transfer the cooked ham hock to this pot as well. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then begin adding the chopped collard greens in batches—add a large handful, stir it down into the liquid until it wilts, then add another handful. Continue this process until all the greens are incorporated and submerged in the broth. This gradual addition ensures even cooking and prevents the greens from becoming matted or clumpy.
• Once all the greens are in the pot, stir in the Creole seasoning and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and let everything simmer gently for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. The long, slow cooking transforms the greens into a tender, deeply flavorful dish—the collards break down and absorb all the smoky, seasoned broth. I find that medium-low heat is crucial here; too high and the greens become mushy and lose their character, while a gentle simmer keeps them silky without overcooking.
• After 2 hours of simmering, remove the ham hock from the pot and set it on a cutting board. Once it's cool enough to handle, shred the tender meat from the bone with two forks or your fingers, discarding the skin and bone. Return the shredded ham meat to the pot and stir it back into the greens. Taste the dish and adjust the seasoning—add more Creole seasoning if needed for depth, and stir in a pinch or two of sugar to balance any bitterness from the greens and round out the flavors. The sugar should be subtle, just enough to enhance the savory notes without making the dish sweet.
• Ladle the collard greens into serving bowls, making sure each portion gets plenty of the flavorful broth and shredded ham meat. Serve hot as a classic Southern side dish, perfect alongside cornbread, fried chicken, or mac and cheese.