Slow Cooker Collard Greens and Potlikker with Pork
Southern soul food soup built on smoky pork hock, tender collard greens, and their savory potlikker broth. Onions, carrots, and garlic form the base, enriched with black-eyed peas, optional ham, and bacon drippings. Tangy apple cider vinegar and optional Creole seasoning add depth. Serve hot with pepper sauce and vinegar at the table. This version uses a slow cooker for hands-off cooking that develops deep flavors over hours, perfect for feeding a crowd with minimal active time.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups onion, chopped
- ½ cup carrot, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 32 ounce salted chicken stock or broth
- 4 cups water
- 2 pound fresh collard greens, choppedmustard greens or turnip greens1:1dietary:green-swap
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- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 large smoked pork hock, meatysmoked turkey leg1:1dietary:meat-swap
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- 15 ounce black-eyed peas, canned, undrainedcannellini beans or pinto beans1:1dietary:legume-swap
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- ½ cup ham, chopped(optional)
- 1 tablespoon bacon drippings or butter(optional)olive oil or lard1:1dietary:cook-fat
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- Creole or Cajun seasoning, to taste(optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes(optional)
- hot sauce, for serving
- hot peppers in vinegar, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Heat butter in slow cooker on browning setting or in separate skillet.
- 2
Saute onion, carrot for 4 minutes until softened.
- 3
Add garlic, saute 1 minute.
- 4
Pour stock and water into slow cooker.
- 5
Add half the greens with salt and pepper, toss to coat.
- 6
Cover and continue on saute setting until slightly reduced.
- 7
Stir in remaining greens and repeat reduction step.
- 8
Add vinegar and stir greens.
- 9
Nestle pork hock into center of pot.
- 10
Cover, switch to HIGH, cook 1 hour.
- 11
Stir, reduce to LOW, cook 4 to 5 hours until greens and meat are tender.
- 12
Remove pork hock, cool until handleable, pick meat from bone, chop and return to pot.
- 13
Stir in chopped ham if using, bacon drippings, and black-eyed peas.
- 14
Cover and heat through until warmed.
- 15
Taste and adjust with Creole seasoning and salt as needed.
- 16
Serve with red pepper flakes and hot sauce at table.
Tips
Sauté greens in two batches to allow each batch to reduce and concentrate flavor before adding all liquid.
Pick pork hock meat during the last hour while soup finishes cooking to ensure it shreds cleanly and stays warm in broth.
Set out vinegar-based hot peppers and sauce at table so guests customize heat and tang to taste.
Good to Know
Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate in airtight container up to 4 days. Reheats well on stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, adding water if broth has reduced.
Prepare through sauteing vegetables and add to slow cooker insert up to 12 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate insert. Add stock, water, and greens just before cooking. Alternatively, cook soup 1 day ahead, cool, refrigerate, and reheat gently before serving.
Ladle into bowls. Serve with cornbread or crusty bread. Pass hot sauce, vinegared peppers, and extra salt at table. Pairs with collard green side dishes or simple salads.
Common Mistakes
Add all greens at once to avoid overcrowding early on; add in batches so broth reduces and flavors concentrate.
Remove pork hock too early to avoid meat drying out; leave in until last hour and shred while warm to preserve moisture.
Substitutions
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FAQ
Can I make this on the stovetop instead of slow cooker?
Yes. Saute vegetables, add stock and water, bring to boil, add pork hock, greens, and vinegar. Reduce heat to low simmer, cover, and cook 2 to 3 hours until greens and pork are very tender, adding greens in batches as they wilt.
What if I don't have a pork hock?
Use smoked turkey leg, bacon, or ham hock in equal amount. Cooking time may shorten slightly. Vegetarian option: skip meat and use vegetable broth with extra salt and vinegar for depth.
How long does potlikker soup keep and can I freeze it?
Refrigerate up to 4 days. Freezes well up to 3 months in airtight containers or freezer bags. Thaw overnight in fridge and reheat gently on stovetop, thinning with broth or water if needed.