Zapappy

Name: Southern Collard Greens
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 165 min
Total time: 195 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 meaty smoked ham hock, about 1¼ lb, Rinsed; 8 cups cold water, Cold; 1 large yellow onion, about 2 cups, Diced; 4 large garlic cloves, about 1 tbsp, Minced; 1 tbsp vegetable oil, Vegetable oil; 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, Freshly ground; 2 tsp packed light brown sugar, Packed; 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, Divided; 3 large bunches, about 3 lb as purchased, yielding about 2 lb after stemming, Stemmed and cut into ribbons; ¼ cup plus 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, Divided

Cooking

Ingredients

Smoked-pork potlikker

1 meaty smoked ham hock, about 1¼ lb, Rinsed
8 cups cold water, Cold
1 large yellow onion, about 2 cups, Diced
4 large garlic cloves, about 1 tbsp, Minced
1 tbsp vegetable oil, Vegetable oil
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, Freshly ground
2 tsp packed light brown sugar, Packed
1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, Divided

Collard greens and finish

3 large bunches, about 3 lb as purchased, yielding about 2 lb after stemming, Stemmed and cut into ribbons
¼ cup plus 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, Divided

Directions

Clean and cut the collards

Fill a clean sink or {{tool:large-bowl}} with cold water. Separate the collard greens leaves and immerse them, swishing vigorously to loosen grit. Let the dirt settle, then lift the leaves out rather than draining the water over them. Repeat in fresh water at least twice, or until no grit remains in the bottom of the basin.
On a {{tool:cutting-board}}, fold each leaf lengthwise with its underside facing out. With a {{tool:chef-knife}}, pull or slice away the tough central stem. Stack several leaves, roll them into a loose cylinder, and cut crosswise into 1-inch ribbons. Keep the greens damp while preparing the potlikker.

Build the potlikker

Heat the neutral oil in a heavy 7- to 8-quart {{tool:dutch-oven}} over medium heat. Add the yellow onion and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally with a {{tool:wooden-spoon}}, until softened and lightly golden at the edges. Add the garlic cloves and crushed red pepper flakes; cook for 45 seconds, just until fragrant.
Add the smoked ham hock, cold water, black pepper, light brown sugar, and ½ tsp of the kosher salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Partially cover and cook for 75 to 90 minutes, turning the hock once with {{tool:tongs}}, until the broth tastes smoky and the meat is beginning to loosen from the bone. Avoid a hard boil, which makes the broth cloudy and can toughen the meat.

Simmer the greens

Stir 1 tbsp of the apple cider vinegar into the potlikker. Add the collard greens by the handful, stirring each addition until wilted enough to make room for the next. Once all the greens are submerged, return the liquid to a gentle simmer.
Partially cover and simmer for 35 minutes, stirring and turning the greens with {{tool:tongs}} every 10 minutes so they cook evenly. Uncover and continue cooking for 10 to 20 minutes, until the thickest pieces are completely tender when bitten but the leaves still hold their shape. The greens should be silky rather than mushy, and their aroma should remain vegetal and smoky—not sulfurous.

Finish and season

Transfer the smoked ham hock to a plate. When cool enough to handle, pull off the meat, discarding the skin, bone, cartilage, and large pieces of fat. Shred the meat into bite-size pieces and return it to the pot.
Stir in the remaining ¼ cup apple cider vinegar and ½ tsp kosher salt. Simmer uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes. The finished potlikker should taste smoky, savory, gently hot, and distinctly tart; the greens should be moist and brothy rather than drained.
Using a {{tool:ladle}}, transfer the collards and plenty of potlikker into a warmed serving bowl. Serve hot with buttermilk cornbread, alongside fried chicken, or as part of a plate with black-eyed peas and steamed rice.