How to Make Collard Greens Like a Lowcountry Chef
How to Make Collard Greens
Collard greens are a cornerstone of Lowcountry cuisine, celebrated for their robust flavor, versatility and deep-rooted connection to the region’s agricultural heritage. Thriving in the warm, coastal climate of South Carolina and Georgia, these hearty greens have been a reliable crop for generations. Their slightly bitter edge beautifully complements the savory richness of Southern staples like pulled pork, fried chicken and cornbread, earning them a cherished place on Lowcountry tables. Easy to grow and even easier to love, collard greens absorb the smoky, slow-cooked flavors of the South, turning simple ingredients into soulful dishes. To help you master this classic, we turned to Orchid Paulmeier, owner and executive chef of One Hot Mama’s and the queen of local barbecue, for her expert tips on creating the ultimate collard greens.
1. Wash and cut your greens well.
Collards can be pretty dirty, so be sure to clean them before cooking with them. The easiest way to wash collard greens is to place them in a large rectangular food storage container or baking dish with cold water and let the collards soak for a few minutes to loosen the dirt. Use your hands to swish the greens in the water to remove dirt. Drain the water from the container, rinse the collards, and pat them dry using paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. To cut them, fold each green in half lengthwise, over the stem running through the middle. Use your knife to cut the stems off of the collard greens. Discard the stems. Stack several leaves on top of each other in a neat pile. Starting at the bottom of the leaves, roll them up tightly and slice them perpendicular to the roll into thin strips, also known as chiffonading.
2. It truly needs a smoked ham hock or a turkey leg to give it that extra level of flavor.
Bring water to a boil with a large ham hock or a turkey leg over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and add any seasoning. Simmer for a couple of hours, keeping the meat covered. Transfer the meat to a plate to cool, and once cool, add collards and the meat back to the broth and simmer partially covered for at least 45 minutes, up to two hours for soft collards. After cooking the collards, shred the meat and fry it up to go in the collards for an extra kick.
3. Go low and slow.
As previously mentioned, cooking good collards is a process: a process that’s worth the wait, so don’t rush it. Collard greens are traditionally cooked for extended periods, often several hours, to achieve a tender texture and mellow the natural bitterness of the leaves. This slow-cooking process allows the greens to soften and develop a deeper, more complex flavor.
