Slow Cooker Southern Collard Greens are just as good as they are made on the stove top in that big ole pot…
Every holiday I’m so excited because I get to get in the kitchen and whip up a big menu of delicious dishes for us to munch on. This Thanksgiving my kid and I came up with a Thanksgiving menu together like we always do. But this year the kid was required to stay with me in the kitchen from start to finish!
My mom yelled “My grandbaby’s too young to be cooking!”
My response – “When is my child gonna learn how to cook momma? When she’s 30???”
Geez…
You know how grandparents are…. They will spoil the grandkids rotten until no return….. Well, I refuse to cook for this child on a daily basis once she is considered an adult, and has to go out into the world. I think it is good to teach the child how to be self sufficient, so adulthood is not a big slap in the face when I push my birdie out the nest….
SLOW COOKER SOUTHERN COLLARD GREENS – QUICK OVERVIEW
If you’re looking for an easy, hands off way to make classic Southern collard greens, this slow cooker method delivers tender greens with deep flavor and minimal effort. And here’s why..
- Cook Time – Low and slow for tender, flavorful greens.
- Flavor Profile – Savory, smoky, and rich without bitterness.
- Best For – Holidays, Sunday dinner, or make ahead Southern sides.
Anyway, back to the food…
Every holiday or Big Sunday Dinner requires every pot, pan, and cooking device to get the meal cooked. Even with a double oven in my kitchen, I still need more kitchen gadgets. So I have learned to improvise with some of our traditional dishes by using the slow cooker.
Over the years, I have grown to love slow cooker southern style greens. If this was a hidden jewel, I sure didn’t know about it. Because my mom and granny let those greens cook low and slow in a big pot on the stove top as long as I could remember.
I thought if people can make pies and cakes in a slow cooker, why can’t I cooked greens low and slow in the slow cooker??
WHY THE SLOW COOKER WORKS FOR COLLARD GREENS
Collard greens are naturally tough and benefit from long, gentle cooking. Using a slow cooker allows the leaves to soften gradually while absorbing the flavors of the seasonings and broth. Unlike faster stovetop methods, slow cooking helps mellow bitterness and creates tender greens with a deep, savory taste.
HOW I MAKE THESE COLLARD GREENS
I make sure my greens are super clean after several rinses (because you don’t want bugs and dirt in your greens). Then, I place just a few ingredients in the slow cooker (because that’s all you need for good greens), and let them cook “low and slow”.
All you need is smoked turkey wings, chicken stock or broth, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. That seems simple enough to me.. Right?
After letting the greens cook, they come out tender and full of flavor from the broth and smoked turkey wings. This year the greens were so good, I caught my kid sneaking some of the greens a few times when she thought I wasn’t looking…. Ha!
FAQs
Yes. Pre-washed, chopped collard greens work well and save time. Just check for any thick stems before adding them.
Absolutely. Collard greens store and reheat very well, and many people find the flavor improves after sitting overnight.
Yes. Let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to several months.
MORE SOUTHERN SIDE DISHES
These slow greens pair perfectly with other classic Southern sides, especially for holidays and Sunday dinners. Serve them alongside these warm sweet buttery Cornbread Muffins or a pot of these flavorful Black Eyed Peas for a comforting, traditional meal.
MORE COMFORTING SOUTHERN SIDES
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Slow Cooker Southern Collard Greens
Ingredients
- 3 bundles of fresh collard greens
- 4 large garlic cloves finely chopped or pressed
- ½ of a medium onion diced/chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 smoked turkey wing (Separated or cut in half)
- 5 cups chicken stock (Or 5 teaspoons of Knorr chicken bouillon granules and 5 cups of water – this is my preferred method)
Instructions
- First, cut up the greens. Do this by removing the stem that runs down the center. You can do this by holding the leaf in the one hand while tearing the leaf off the stem with the other hand. (You can also cut the leaf away from the stem by using a knife to cut the leaf away while laying the collard on a cutting board).
- Stack about 7 leaves on top of one another, roll up the leaves, then slice the leaves into ½ inch thick slices.
- Wash the greens thoroughly. I like to rinse the greens several times to ensure they are clean.
- Place half of the smoked turkey wing at the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Place half of the greens in the slow cooker. Place the other piece of the smoked turkey wing on top the greens. Top these greens with half of the seasonings and onion.
- Place the other half of the greens in the slow cooker. Top the greens with the remaining seasonings and onion.
- Add the chicken stock, broth, or water to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours until greens are tender. Turn off slow cooker.
- Remove smoked turkey wings and shred meat. Add the meat back into the greens, and discard the turkey wing bones (or you can use the bones to make a stock).
Notes
Please note that I am not a nutritionist, and the nutritional information is an estimate only. It varies based on the products and brands used.
Thanks for stopping by! Welcome to the Savory Spicerack! In my kitchen, there is no such thing as a bland meal. Each of my creations are just the way food should be – packed with flavor and created with love.
Looks very good! Loves what you combined together. Will surely try this out
Fantastic tip on the timing – so helpful!
This is a seriously good greens recipe that is darn healthy to boot.
Thanks so much Mr. Brandon. Happy to hear you like the recipe 🙂
What a great dish to cook in the slow cooker, so tasty and good for you too. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much Sarah 🙂
This sounds like a delicious side dish! Love that it is cooked in the slow cooker to free up some space during the Holidays 🙂
It sure is Donna!
Looks so good! That’s how my grandmother and Mother cooked theirs, minus the slow cooker. I agree kids should learn how to cook.
Yep I just took that old school recipe and threw it in the slow cooker. Yes these kids need to know how to take care of themselves so they are prepared for the grown up world 🙂
The turkey added to the greens would be great!
The turkey gives the greens such a great flavor addition with each bite!
Thanks so much! I love greens too!
I rarely see collard greens on blogs, but they were cooked for many meals when I lived in the South. Yours look great, and I love how they aren’t limp and wilted. They still have some crispness.
I love my greens this way!
That recipe looks perfect for the “after” holidays diet. After all that heavy stuff a good amount of greens is so welcomed! Lovely!
It definitely is! Thanks!
I have never tried or cooked collard greens. I do see them in the store. I just might have to give them a try now that I see this.
I think you may enjoy them!
I have never tried cooking them in the slow cooker, I can’t wait to try this weekend!
It makes life so easy!!! Hope you enjoy!
We never tried to cook greens in slow cooker! Thanks for the great idea!
Wish you a wonderful rest of the week!
Gloria & Emanuele!
This is definitely a first Sharee, quite creative.
I thought so too, then I opened up Pinterest and boom! Slow cooker greens were everywhere! HA!
I never thought to make these in the slow cooker! Love anything that frees up space on the stove during the holidays. They look delicious! Love the pieces of shredded meat scattered throughout.
Tara, making these in the slow cooker has definitely saved me a few times! Yes the meat helps it to be a meal in itself if you pair it with cornbread. Happy cooking! Thanks for stopping by!
We call those -get ready to hear another funny word- “Seskoula” here in Greece:) Pronounced similar to Dracula:) And yes, they’re delicious. We never had them with meat before though, adding turkey and stock sounds fantastic and makes for a full meal, instead of using them as a plain side. Thank you for the fantastic idea Sharee!
Sending you lots of hugs!
xoxoxo
Thanks for sharing that info! Yes our Southern way to make them is to add smoked meats. And it can definitely be a meal as we add cornbread to eat with eat it! Thanks for stopping by! Happy cooking!