How Much Chicken Broth for Collard Greens? The Perfect Ratio for Delicious Southern-Style Greens

Collard greens are a classic Southern side dish, packed with flavor and nutrition. Slow simmered with smoked meat or seasoning, vinegar, and broth, collards transform from tough and bitter to tender, savory and delicious The ratio of chicken broth to greens is key for properly braising the greens until perfectly done Use too little and you’ll end up with undercooked, chewy greens. Too much and you’ll dilute the flavor. So how much chicken broth do you really need for collard greens? Let’s take a closer look.

What Are Collard Greens?

Collard greens are a leafy green vegetable in the Brassica family along with kale, broccoli, and cabbage. The dark blue-green leaves grow from a thick stem on the collard plant. Collards have a slightly bitter, robust flavor when raw. But when slow cooked as Southern collard greens the flavor mellows into something more complex earthy and savory.

Collard greens are highly nutritious, packed with vitamins A C, and K as well as minerals like calcium iron, and potassium. Historically, slaves in the American South grew collards in their small garden plots to feed their families. The greens became a staple side dish across the South, simmered for hours with smoked pork for flavor.

How to Prepare Collard Greens

Before cooking, collard greens need to be washed thoroughly to remove any dirt or grit. Give them a good soak and swish in water, changing the water a few times until no sediment remains. Drain well. Next, remove the tough stems which run down the center of each leaf. Fold or roll the leaves and slice away the stems with a knife. Stack several leaves and slice them into ribbons. The greens will cook down significantly, so start with a large amount, around 2 pounds or 1-2 bunches before prepping.

How to Make Southern-Style Collard Greens

There are a few basic components that go into authentic Southern-style collards.

• Smoked meat – Traditionally salty pork like ham hocks or bacon. This can be swapped for smoked turkey.
• Onions – Yellow or white onions sautéed until soft.
• Seasonings – Vinegar, red pepper flakes, garlic, and black pepper.
• Broth – Chicken broth provides a rich base.

The greens are braised in the broth along with the smoked meat until completely tender, usually 1-2 hours. Towards the end, the pot likker (cooking liquid) is highly flavorful and often enjoyed alongside the greens over cornbread.

How Much Broth for Collards?

When making collard greens, you want enough chicken broth to submerge and braise the greens, allowing them to become completely tender. But too much liquid can water down the flavor. The perfect broth to collard ratio is:

2-3 cups chicken broth per 1 pound of raw collard greens

Since collards cook down so much, you’ll want to start with at least 1 pound, or about 12 cups chopped.

• For 1 pound collards, use 2-3 cups broth.
• For 2 pounds collards, use 4-6 cups broth.

If needed, you can add more broth as the collards cook down. Taste and season the pot likker throughout cooking. The flavor should be deeply savory, salty, and slightly spicy. If it tastes flat, add more broth, vinegar, garlic, pepper flakes or salt.

Collard Greens Cooking Times

Properly braised collard greens take 1-2 hours to become fork tender. Follow this timeline:

• Sauté onions, garlic – 5 minutes
• Add collards and broth to pot, bring to a boil – 5 minutes
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer – 45-60 minutes
• Uncover, simmer until tender – 15-30 minutes more

The wide range accounts for differences in maturity of the greens. Young, tender collards may only need an hour start to finish, while mature collards require longer.

Sample Collard Greens Recipes

To see broth to collard ratios in action, here are a few delicious collard greens recipes to try:

Simple Collards with Chicken Broth

• 2 pounds collards, washed and chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Sauté onion until translucent. Add garlic and pepper flakes, cook 1 minute more. Add collards and broth. Simmer uncovered 45 minutes, then uncovered until tender, 15-30 minutes more. Season with vinegar.

Smoky Collards with Ham Hocks

• 2 pounds collards, washed and chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 oz smoked ham hocks or bacon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Sauté onion in bacon fat until soft. Add collards, broth, garlic and ham hocks. Simmer covered 45 minutes, then uncovered until tender. Remove ham hocks, chop meat and return to pot. Season with vinegar before serving.

Easy Crock Pot Collards

• 2 pounds collards, washed and chopped
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 ounces smoked turkey neck or wings
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low 6-8 hours until greens are tender. Remove turkey meat from bones, chop and return to pot. Season with vinegar.

The crock pot method requires less broth since there’s less evaporation.

Tips for Flavorful Southern Collards

• Seek out young, tender collard greens for quicker cooking times. Mature collards take longer to tenderize.
• Cook low and slow. Long braising results in silky greens.
• Add vinegar and hot sauce at the table to brighten the flavor.
• Enjoy the nutrient-rich pot likker! Dip cornbread or pour it over rice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use water instead of broth for collards?

Yes, you can use water to braise the greens. However, chicken or vegetable broth adds much more flavor. Using all water will result in bland tasting greens. Aim for half broth, half water if substituting.

Do you really need meat for collards?

The smoky, salty flavor of ham hocks, bacon or turkey lends complexity. For vegetarian collards, add smoked paprika, soy sauce or liquid smoke. Saute mushrooms or diced tomatoes for umami flavor.

How do you make collards less bitter?

Overcooking helps mellow bitterness. Cook at least 1 hour, tasting periodically until pleasantly tender. Add a pinch of sugar or baking soda to the pot. Season aggressively with pepper sauce, vinegar, garlic and salt to balance flavor.

Can you freeze cooked collard greens?

Yes, collard greens freeze well for 3-6 months. Portion into freezer bags or airtight containers. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating on the stovetop with a bit of broth or water.

What goes well with collard greens?

Traditional accompaniments include cornbread, black eyed peas, fried chicken, ham, potato salad, hot sauce and vinegar.

Make the Best Southern-Style Collard Greens

When prepared with the perfect broth to greens ratio, collard greens transform into the delicious Southern staple loved across the South. For flavorful, tender collards, allow 2-3 cups of chicken broth per pound of raw collard greens. Low and slow braising for 1-2 hours results in the quintessential pot of hearty greens. The pot likker is liquid gold – be sure to enjoy a spoonful alongside the collards. Now go relish those greens!