Billy's Favorite Smoky Collard Greens

In the rural South they grow more collards than they can eat. I end up with tons of them. As a Northener I have always been baffled their high eatin’ status. In truth too, lots of folks confess to disliking them. I cook them anyway with chicken broth, vinegar, smoked sausage, bacon, ham, whatever I have, including boiling them in plain old water with some salt. This recipe was such an unusual break from the Southern norm I had to try it. I have never thought about using onions, garlic or liquid smoke and never dreamed of molasses and sugar. Collards are bitter so people disguise their servings with the brine from pickled peppers (hot or mild-“pepper sauce” as they say) and a dose of the peppers. These are delicious without the pepper sauce. Not sweet, easy to make and no one will ever guess they are healthy without the usual greasy flavorings. Very rich and mellow with a satisfying “sneaks up on you” garlicy aftertaste. Thanks Billy, I finally found a way to make collards that I actually like instead of just endure. I’ll never go back!

These are greens with a slightly sweet taste, which is different. I first made them with fresh collards, which was very time-consuming to rinse, trim and chop them. So I made them again using 2 boxes of frozen chopped collards, which I thawed first. That was so much simpler and quicker!! Both times I simmered them at least 45 minutes (30 min. wasn't long enough).

O.k I cooked these greens on Saturday for my Sunday dinner (always cook Sunday dinner on Saturday), and they were the BOMB !!! For those of you that don't know what that means...it was great. I used fresh greens, and I made enought so that we can have some for Mon. & Tues. I still added smoked turkey, not much. Every year my family has a Christmas party, and this is the dish I'll be bringing.

GREENS ARE TO BE PICKED OR CUT OFF THE STEM. WASHED VERY CLEAN (EVEN WHEN PURCHASED PRE- CLEANED). PUT IN A POT WITH ONIONS, SEASONINGS, A GOOD SMOKED PIECE OF MEAT SUCH AS HAM OR HAM HOCKS, SUGAR IF COOKING COLLARDS TO CUT THE BITTERNESS, AND COOKED SLOW ON A FLAME FOR AT LEAST 3 HOURS REPLACING THE WATER AS IT BOILS DOWN. AFTER THE GREENS ARE COOKED THEY ARE TO BE ABLE TO SIT REFRIDGERATED OVERNITE AND REHEATED WHEN READY TO BE SERVED. THIS PROCESS ALOWS FOR THE FLAVORS TO HAVE SET IN JUST LIKE YOU WOULD WITH A GOOD CHILI, POT OF WHITE BEANS OR SOUP. THAT IS THE BASIC WAY THAT MOST AFRICAN AMERICANS COOK GREENS. BELIEVE YOU ME NO ONE IS GONNA WANT TO THROW THEM OUT COOKED THIS WAY! NO, THEY ARE NOT FAT FREE BUT IF YOU DRAIN THEM BEFORE SERVING YOU GET THE FULL FLAVOR OF THE DISH AND NOTHING MORE. THEY ARE HEALTHIER THAN ANY CARB YOU WOULD SERVE WITH THEM. LIUID SMOKE MAKES FOOD LESS AUTHENTIC.

Great recipe. I couldn't believe I didn't have ham hocks or neck bones or any meat in it. It was a little sweet so I would cut down a bit on the sugar and molasses or else add a little vinegar. But really good and healthy, too.

I LOVE Greens! I usually just cook em in salted water, but this way gives em a real down home quality and a real good flavor! It's so easy too, I rate it 5 stars!

I didn't think this was too sweet. I did really like it though. To me, greens are plain simple down-home food - nothing fancy. Some folks don't like greens, but they should eat them anyway cause they're good for you. I've had greens cooked with meat, and thought they were sort of greasy. I like these a lot better.

Yum. My 5 year old really liked these. The blend of sweet and smoky pretty much disguises the bitterness of the greens. I used canned collard greens because I was short on time and it was still very good. A TBSP of liquid smoke is quite a bit. Next time I will put about half that amount in.

Excellent basic collard greens recipe. Don't worry that the greens will be sweet because of the molasses and brown sugar- all they really do is cut the bitter taste of the greens, resulting in smooth-tasting collard greens. There is nothing fancy about this recipe- it's just a really nice, basic way to cook your collard greens for an everyday meal. I only rated it a "4" because the recipe should indicate that the stalk of the greens must be removed prior to cooking- a greens newbie would probably think the stalks are to be left attached, like with swiss chard.

This recipe is ok. I made it for thanksgiving and the rating wasen't that great. It was a little too sweet but different.

There are rare moments for the daughter of a great cook when her mother tries something she's made, has seconds and demands the recipe....these greens provided me with one of those rare moments. I will say that Momma did suggest one thing that took it over the edge...after she had her first bite she said, "These need some butter! I always butter my greens." Momma IS always right....try it yourself! I almost forgot...I didn't have molasses so I simply left it out since other reviewers had stated they thought it a bit too sweet....but I myself am rarely offended by extra sweetness....I also doubled the garlic. I used fresh garlic and diced it pretty small.

pretty good, but alittle salty.

Pretty good! My first time making it and I was impressed at how simple and economical it was. Taste quite close to the collard greens I get at my local Jamaican restaurant. I ended up tossing my finish collard greens (drained) with some Quinoa that had been also cooked with onion, garlic,a dash of ground cumin, a dash of ground pepper, and adobo sauteed in extra virgin olive oil. Delicioso!

good recipe--loved the liquid smoke effect! I tried broccoli greens instead--we have plenty in the garden--worked out well!

the sweetness was a bit different, but still very good. i added tabasco to mine and had to cook them for a longer than the 30 minutes required (more like 45-55) to reach desired tenderness. over all though, they were very flavorful and a huge hit at the dinner table.

I love collards, but this recipe was awful. Back to the usual, collards sauteed with olive oil and garlic.

This was excellent. I recently went to a vegan restaurant and had some collards, and could not figure out how they got the smokey flavor that I love. This recipe seemed like the best vegan one on the site, and I thought it was excellent! A couple notes: I used about one pound of greens (just one bunch, i don't believe I weighed it), but kept the other stuff the same. I cooked them for the time said, but I definitely recommend making this the day before, letting it sit in the fridge for flavor and texture, and heat it up with some butter/margarine and salt. This way the flavor really soaks in, and the greens aren't as crunchy. (I kinda like em mushy!)

This recipe sounds good. However, can someone tell me what liquid smoke is? Where would I find this in the grocery store? Is it only at specialty stores?

These are excellent! I recently made them for a potluck and everyone loved them but kept asking if I had stopped being a vegan. They just couldn't believe these were meatless. I've used this recipe for turnip, dandelion, and mustard greens as well. I've sent tons of people to this website just because of this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing!!!

I enjoyed the collard greens. The "first-timers" enjoyed them more after adding tobasco sauce to them.

this is what I was looking for; a vegetarian version of a collard green recipe; I used less water; just enough to have some cooking juice

My first try at fixing greens n eating them. Have a lot of kale n collards in thje garden to use so this recipe came in handy as it was what I was looking for. One not using hamhocks. Thankyou will use again

I cut the molasses completely out, added smoked paprika(my new fave spice), loads of onion and garlic, and vegetable broth instead of water.

Being a vegetarian, this is great for using up all the collards from our CSA.

Cheap, tasty, and healthy. What more could you want? I'd never had collard greens before and I wanted to try them for their health value, w/out all of the meat. These were fantastic! Very similar to boiled cabbage w/ a wonderful barbeque smell. Thanks!

wonderful recipe...i substitued smoked paprika for the liquid smoke and it was just as good. thanks for a greatgreens recipe .

I haven't cooked collards before, but I have tons in my garden. I didn't find this recipe too sweet at all, but then I had 2 pounds of greens AFTER trimming them. I used the whole tablespoon of liquid smoke -- I put in half at first, but found I wanted more smoke flavor, so put in the rest. Really good!

This recipe was the best collard greens recipe I ever tasted. I agree, the liquid smoke is what made it work so well, and I also did not find it too sweet- the "sweetness" offset the slight, natural bitterness of collards beautifully, where there was no bitter taste left at all. This will work for any greens recipe. I will be using this recipe from now on, it's that addictive!

this was more like soup, although the flavor of the collards greens was good. This was my first attempt at collards and would not make this one again - try a different recipe.

my favorite greens receipt of all time!

This is an excellent recipe ... I followed it exactly, other than cutting it in half (there is just two of us)... I didn't find them overly-sweet at all, and didn't think the liquid smoke was too much ... I thought it was right on ... we don't eat pork, so cooking with ham hocks and all that is not an option ... this was perfect ... thanks!

Ok, but pretty bland.

Like others, I grew up on collard greens with turkey/ham hocks. Now that I'm eating healthier this was a GREAT alternative for me. I cooked these collards last night (March 9th) and enjoyed it immensely. Even though I had no molasses on hand they turned out wonderful. My meal plan last night was: Grilled Tilapia, Buttered Corn and Billy's Favorite Smoky Collard Greens. I loved the greens and I only cooked mine for 20 minutes to perserve some of the vitamins. I loved the liquid smoke addition. Thanks for this recipe!

The greens were good, but I think that the ingredients were drowned by the "water to cover" part. I used more of the smoke than called and still tasted very little. Collards dont sit flat and therefore I used a a lot of water to cover them. I will try this again by maybe doubling the other ingredients besides the greens and the water. Thanks!

I cooked the collard greens for the first time. I followed the recipe except for the molasses I didn't have. I added a pinch more of the brown sugar and two extra dashes of the liquid smoke. I also made some cornbread which he mixed with the greens the way he use to eat it when he was growing up. I am Hispanic and my husband is Afro-American. He enjoyed it and is looking forward to having the leftovers after work.

OK, this isn't quite the traditional recipe but I was looking for one without all the added fat.(I don't care what you say, draining them after cooking with salt pork or ham hocks is still leaving a lot of fat - just refrigerate it and see!) I didn't have molasses,added a few drops of Tabasco and cooked them for an hour. They were excellent! I used the fresh prepackaged collard greens - already cleaned and chopped. Thanks for a tasty, healthy recipe!

Thanks Billy for making me think outside the box about what could be done with a can of greens. The liquid smoke is a brilliant idea. I sauted the onion and garlic and added them to a can of mixed greens along with the liquid smoke, salt, pepper, a pinch of crushed red pepper, and one packet of equal for just a touch of low cal sweetness. I simmered it all for about 15 minutes and they were terrific.

A great healthy and tasty alternative to using ham hocks.

I enjoyed this recipe; it was my first time preparing collard greens. My husband and I liked the flavors! Thank you.

This was excellent! Thanks Billy!!

These were good, although I probably won't make them more often than once a year on New Year's Day! Added 1/2 tsp Creole seasoning, 1 can diced tomatoes (with juice), and 2 Tbsp cider vinegar. Served over brown rice with a recipe for vegetarian black-eyed peas. Thanks!

I grew up eating turnip greens and then I quit eating pork. I could not get the greens to taste right, until I found this recipe ten years ago.

I've made these countless times and they always come out right. You'd swear there was a pig in there, but no, it's a vegan recipe!

It's also good with turnip greens. In any case, the recipe doesn't mention that you want to wash the greens VERY well, pick out the stems, and tear the leaves into manageable bits. If it's too sweet, try it without the molasses, but I think it and the liquid smoke are responsible for the authentic flavor.

I should've known better--I don't like sweet dinner dishes, but I tried this anyway. I was desparate for a recipe for vegan collard greens. Anyway, let this review be a warning for those of you with pickier sweet tooths (teeth?).

This was a very good recipe. I had some diced ham so I added it. My husband really commented very favorably, said it was the best he'd ever tasted. I added the molasses, brown sugar and smoke, after I started cooking....because that's when I came across this recipe. Will definitely use it again.

my first attempt at making this and it was tasty. I wouldn't say it has the same flavor as I remember from growing up, but it was edible and way more healthy. a little salt after prep goes a long way on this side.

Pretty good! I have never had or made collard greens before so was looking for a recipe. I know the ham/smoked flavor is traditional but it's not a favorite flavor of mine-I might leave it out next time. Husband loved it though!

This is a pretty darn good collards recipe. Especially so because it tastes good without a layer of pork grease on the top!

This recipe was a experiment for me, as, northerner that I am, I've never had "greens" before. But, having planted some mustard in the garden, I thought I'd try this recipe with some mustard green. We enjoyed the flavor of this recipe very well. I'm not sure that "greens" will become a staple of our diet, but this was a tasty new trial.

Didn't really light our fire. Used .5 T liquid smoke, but it was still too much for us. Suppose an okay substitution for no ham hocks, but wouldn't make it again. Thanks though

Yum! I added some shredded chicken and the flavor was absolutely delicious. It was gone very quickly. Thank you so much for the recipe!

Yum! I added some shredded chicken and the flavor was absolutely delicious. It was gone very quickly. Thank you so much for the recipe!

I only made a couple of adjustments because I used a pressure cooker. I only added 2cups water/ 1 tbsp chicken bouillon/ 2 tsp red wine vinegar along w/ your ingredients. They were delicious!

The recipe was excellent-after I added 6 cups of chicken brothe instead of water(amnt wasn't indicated.) I also added a splash of apple cider vinegar. Maybe 2 tsp.? Destemmed & cut into 2 in wide pieces. Sautéed in olive oil til wilted. Maybe 4 mins. Then added all ingredients, covered & let simmer for 35-40 mins.(til tender to preference.) Was a hit! Amnt of sugar, liquid smoke, molasses is right on the $. Wasn't too sweet & NO bitterness. Easy as can be. Def give it a try-esp if you aren't a fan of collard greens. May change ur mind!

I'm not a big fan of greens but tried this out on collards and we loved it. It was a little too sweet for us. The second time we omitted the brown sugar and just used maple syrup. Really good.

This is my favorite collards recipe. I don’t like to use pork and you don’t need to for collards. This is a great way to make collards and vegan.

I want to start out by saying that I haven't ever met a vegetable I didn't like. I love spinach and swiss chard and decided to try this recipe as part of a New Year's dinner. I was so turned off that I'm not sure I will ever try collard greens again. To be fair I'll admit that I couldn't find collard greens alone around here so I used a mix with mustard greens and another green mixed in with the collard green but I doubt it made much difference. Everything else for our dinner was wonderful but we threw this out.

This recipe was disappointingly bland. The liquid smoke just does not replicate the rich flavor of real meat. After 40 minutes of simmering the pot liquor tasted like nothing more than a mild vegetable broth. I had to add about 1/4 cup of vinegar to taste any flavor at all.