Collard greens and soul food/southern cooking??

Question

I have been involved with many different races and my fiance is black. We usually cook stuff like porkchops, mac & cheese and rice or change up the meat to hamburger steak. This weekend I asked him if he wanted something different cause we were going to the grocery store (we live together) he said he wanted some black eyed peas....I was like....WHOA!!!! But I asked my mom and she told me how to cook them and my fiance loved them...I also fixed some corn bread, bbq ribs, mac & cheese and deviled eggs, his response was dang now I know you can cook soul food this needs to be a every Sunday thing. Long story I know but next week he wants collard greens but neither one of us know how and my mom only cooks them outta the can. So please help me. I need a good recipe. Also any other recipes for soul cooking...please let me hear them. Thanks!!

Answer 1

1/2 pound smoked meat (ham hocks or smoked turkey wings, but ham hocks are the most traditional)
1 tablespoon House seasoning, recipe follows
1 tablespoon seasoned salt
1 tablespoon hot red pepper sauce
1 large bunch collard greens
1 tablespoon butter
In a large pot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil and add smoked meat, house seasoning, seasoned salt and hot sauce. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 1 hour.
Wash the collard greens thoroughly. Remove the stems that run down the center by holding the leaf in your left hand and stripping the leaf down with your right hand. The tender young leaves in the heart of the collards don't need to be stripped. Stack 6 to 8 leaves on top of one another, roll up, and slice into 1/2 to 1-ince thick slices. Place greens in pot with meat and add butter. Cook for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done taste and adjust seasoning.

House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Answer 2

This would be the recipe he would like. Guaranteed.
2 - 3 medium smoked ham hocks or 2 pounds smoked pork neck bones
5 pounds of collards or several large bunches (If you can't get them fresh, frozen will do.
2 teaspoon of salt
My favorite way to cook collard greens is very simple. I take 2 or 3 smoked ham hocks and put them in a large (6 quart) pot of water. Bring the water to a rolling boil and let it boil for about 1 1/2 hours. Add more water as it boils down. The idea is to boil the ham hocks until they begin to fall apart. You should always cook pork very thoroughly and use proper food handling techniques. You want the ham hocks to be falling apart before you add the collard greens.
Take the collard greens and separate the leaves (if fresh) . Now rinse each leaf individually under cold running water. After you rinse the collard greens thoroughly, stack several leaves on top of each other. Roll these leaves together. Then slice the leaves into thin strips using a cutting board and large knife. Rolling them together speeds up the process as you are slicking through several leaves at once.
Next, add your collard greens to the pot. Since this is a lot of collards, you will need to add them until the pot is full. Then allow them to wilt as they cook - then add more. Add you salt, cover and cook for thirty minutes on medium heat. Stir every few minutes to distribute the smoked meat taste evenly. Taste to confirm they are the tenderness you prefer. Serve with your favorite meat dish such as chitterlings. Eat the ham hocks or neck bones right along with the collards.

Answer 3

I've tried collards in different restaurants...
Some places make them smoky and savory (which I like)
other places like adding a lot of sugar (which is kind of gross to me)

Along the smoky and savory route...
The best recipe I've found is Alton Brown's recipe from the food network. I was surprised the smoked turkey wings were so good since I'm used to using ham hocks. Also, it had a minimal amount of ingredients which makes it easy

If you live near a Trader Joe's, they sell fresh bagged, trimmed and cleaned collard greens. I still dunk them in water to rinse them off, but it sure beat stemming and cleaning full leafs.

1 quart water
1 1/2 pounds smoked turkey legs
2 pounds stemmed collard or turnip greens
1 teaspoon salt, plus extra if desired
1 teaspoon sugar

Place the water and turkey legs in an 8-quart pot over medium-high heat. Cover, bring to a boil, and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, remove any large stems from the greens and wash them thoroughly; do so in a sink with at least 5 inches of water. Moving the leaves around in the water and allowing them to sit for a few minutes to allow the sand or dirt to fall to the bottom of the sink. Once clean, chop pieces in half. You should have 2 pounds of greens once they are stemmed. (Weigh the greens after stemming, but before washing.)

Once the turkey legs have simmered for 10 minutes, add the greens, salt and sugar, reduce the heat to low, cover, and allow to simmer gently for 45 minutes or until the greens are tender. Move the greens around every 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and season with additional salt, if desired. Serve immediately.

Answer 4

Collard greens are easy,remember when bought fresh-----wash thoroughly, and then a gain just because.Take some bacon or pork salt--dice then--fry slow to get the drppings--remove them from skillet(pot)--add about 1/2 cup water to the drippings--take well rinsed greens and chop them up small---put them a little at a time in your pot(low fire)---stir when they wilt down-and all fit in the pot---put your meat back in(use the lid on to cook down) and stir around good.Please soak the greens and rinse several times---the grit will give you a fit.You will need less salt if you use the salt pork---it don't take much.Now do you up some cornbread,pork chops and sweet tea---let's eat.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

You need to listen to "ricnnl", cause that is definately the southern way to cook greens! No special sauces, seasonings, etc, that's just the way people who are not from the south cheat!! :))) And seriously - wash, wash, and wash again. You won't believe how the dirt and sand can stick to the leaves!!

Answer 7

This website will get you started: http://www.soulfoodcookbook.com/

Try the Hoppin' John. Excellent stuff!

Answer 8

"Southern Greens" - 6 servings

1/2 lb. country ham
3 cups water
1 1/2 lbs. turnip greens, kale, mustard greens or collard greens
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Corn bread (optional)
White vinegar (optional)

1) In 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, heat ham and water to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 30 minutes.
2) Meanwhile, wash greens well under running cold water. Trim and discard ribs and stems; drain greens. Add greens, salt and pepper to saucepan.
3) Over medium-high heat, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 30 minutes or until greens are tender. Drain greens, reserving liquid. Cool greens and ham until easy to handle. Cut up greens and ham; stir together and heat through. Serve liquid with corn bread; serve greens with vinegar. Yields 5 cups.


"Hocks and Black-Eyed Peas" - 4 servings

4 smoked pork hocks (about 3/4 lb. each)
8 cups water
1 1/2 cups dry black-eyed peas
1 large onion; sliced
3 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1) In 6-quart Dutch oven or large pot, combine hocks and water. Over high heat, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 2 hours.
2) Stir black-eyed peas into hock mixture. Add onion, parsley, cumin and cayenne.
3) Over high heat, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until hocks are fork-tender and peas are tender, stirring occasionally and adding more water as needed.
(TIP: Substitute one 10 3/4 oz. can condensed chicken broth for 1 cup water.)


"Hoppin' John" - 12 servings

1 lb. dry black-eyed peas
8 cups water
1/2 lb. bacon; diced
1 medium onion; chopped
1 clove garlic; minced
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup raw regular rice

1) In 5-quart Dutch oven or large pot over high heat, heat peas and water to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 1 hour. Do not drain.
2) Stir in bacon, onion, garlic, bay leaf, salt, red pepper and pepper. Over medium-high heat, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes or until beans are tender.
3) Stir in rice. Cover and simmer 15 minutes more or until rice is done. Serve immediately. Yields 11 cups.


"Fried Okra" - 4 servings

1/2 cup white cornmeal
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 egg
2 tbsp. milk
1 lb. okra; cut into 1/2" slices
1/4 cup bacon drippings or salad oil

1) Combine cornmeal, salt and pepper on waxed paper; beat egg and milk in pie plate. Toss okra in egg mixture. With slotted spoon, remove okra to cornmeal mixture; coat well with cornmeal mixture.
2) In heavy 10" skillet over medium heat, in hot bacon drippings, cook okra 3 to 4 minutes until tender and golden, stirring often and adding more drippings if necessary. Drain on paper towels. Yields 2 cups.