flipCollard Greens with Smoked Ham Hock and Pot Likker
Collard Greens with Smoked Ham Hock and Pot Likker
Why this dish? Abbey Lincoln grew up in a large family in rural Michigan before Chicago, nourished by the Southern cuisine her family had brought with them. Collard greens simmered with smoked pork were the most everyday, economical, and unifying dish of this soul food tradition that she shared.
Large dark green leaves cooked for hours with a piece of smoked pork until tender and melting, bathed in a rich broth that is salty, bitter, and deeply savory.
You see, in our house we never threw anything away, especially not the juice. My mother would drop those big leaves into the pot with a piece of smoked ham hock, and it would simmer all afternoon while we sang at home. The secret, child, is patience and the pot likker — that broth, we drank it with a spoon, it was our strength. When you've known hunger, you learn to make a feast out of next to nothing.
- •Collard greens — one large bunch (base vegetable)
- •Smoked ham hock or pork shoulder — one piece (smoking and fat)
- •Onion — one (aromatic)
- •Water — enough to cover (broth (pot likker))
- •Salt, cider vinegar — to taste (seasoning)
Collard Greens with Smoked Ham Hock and Pot Likker
Large dark green leaves cooked for hours with a piece of smoked pork until tender and melting, bathed in a rich broth that is salty, bitter, and deeply savory.
Why this dish? Abbey Lincoln grew up in a large family in rural Michigan before Chicago, nourished by the Southern cuisine her family had brought with them. Collard greens simmered with smoked pork were the most everyday, economical, and unifying dish of this soul food tradition that she shared.
You see, in our house we never threw anything away, especially not the juice. My mother would drop those big leaves into the pot with a piece of smoked ham hock, and it would simmer all afternoon while we sang at home. The secret, child, is patience and the pot likker — that broth, we drank it with a spoon, it was our strength. When you've known hunger, you learn to make a feast out of next to nothing.
Ingredients (period version)
- Collard greens — one large bunch (base vegetable)
- Smoked ham hock or pork shoulder — one piece (smoking and fat)
- Onion — one (aromatic)
- Water — enough to cover (broth (pot likker))
- Salt, cider vinegar — to taste (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Collard greens (or kale if unavailable) — 800 g (base vegetable)
- Smoked ham hock (or smoked pork belly) — 350 g (smoking and fat)
- Onion — 1 large, sliced (aromatic)
- Broth or water — 1 liter (pot likker)
- Cider vinegar — 1 tablespoon (brightens bitterness)
- Salt, pepper, pinch of cayenne — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Sauté the onion, then add the smoked pork and cover with water or broth. Simmer for 45 minutes to flavor the liquid.
- Wash the leaves thoroughly, remove the tough stems, and cut into wide ribbons.
- Add the leaves to the pot, cover, and simmer gently for 1 to 1½ hours until very tender.
- Shred the meat, adjust salt, add vinegar and a dash of cayenne.
- Serve the greens with a ladle of their pot likker and cornbread for sopping.
How it was made : This technique comes directly from the kitchens of the American South, where enslaved people and their descendants made the most of the humblest cuts of pork and hardy greens. The long simmering tenderizes the tough leaves and concentrates the flavors in the pot likker, which was considered especially nourishing.
The contemporary twist : Serve the pot likker separately in a small bowl like a consommé, with a crouton of grilled cornbread floating on top.
Sources : Jessica B. Harris, High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America (2011) · Edna Lewis, The Taste of Country Cooking (1976)
Abbey Lincoln · Charactorium
