Southern Turnip Greens
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Try this quick and delicious Southern turnip greens recipe, perfect for Sunday lunch or a potluck.
I love good old-fashioned southern turnip greens. They remind of my grandparents or something we would eat for Sunday lunch. This recipe is so simple, quick, and delicious. Start with a half a stick of butter, throw in your ham hocks, greens, seasonings and chicken stock. Let them cook down for about 20 minutes, and they’ll turn a dark green hue. These are perfect for potluck or any weeknight vegetable recipe. Keep reading to see how I made this simple turnip greens recipe that packed with flavor.
Greens are the ultimate side dish in my opinion. There’s just nothing that greens won’t go along with. Some people prefer some greens over others. However, I’m a big fan of turnip greens.
Cooking Turnip Greens 101
Turnip Greens vs Collard Greens
I personally like turnip greens better than collard greens. They have a milder flavor than collard greens, and don’t have to be cooked down quite a long.
Turnip Greens Nutrition
Turnip greens are obviously packed with tons of vitamins. They have a lot of Vitamin K in them, so be careful if you’re on a blood thinner!
How To Season Turnip Greens
First, butter! Second, ham. Third, chicken broth. Fourth, seasonings! No but really, all of the ingredients combined in this recipe come together and complement each other perfectly. I would like to say that one ingredient is most important, but they all are.
Questions You Might Have:
How do you get the turnip greens clean?
In this recipe, I used frozen. This is my least favorite part of cooking greens. No one wants gritty turnip greens! But, if you use fresh, wash, wash and wash again. I would seriously recommend submerging and washing them at least three times.
Can I substitute the turnips for another green?
Sure! This recipe works with mustards, collards, spinach, cabbage, whatever you want to use.
How to cook out the bitterness?
I cook them in chicken broth and add lots of sugar. It may not be the healthiest option, but who said this was a heathy recipe? Other ways that you can do this is to first boil them in water, then proceed with the broth. You can also add in baking soda.
Can I make this in a crockpot?
Yes! I would add all the ingredients to a large crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours. Shredded the meat once the time is up and add it back to the crockpot.
Do you have to use ham hocks?
No. Any type of ham will work. You could add in thick cut ham or even bacon. Just beware of grease. If you find there is too much grease, you may have to blot or scoop some of the excess of the top.
Equipment You’ll Need:
Pretty much, all you’re going to need for this recipe is a large stock pot. I used my Le Creuset pot, but I’ve linked some lower priced options below. You could also use a deep skillet if you wish. Whatever you choose, make sure that it has a lid!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Turnip Greens:
I used two bunches of fresh turnip greens. I cut them into small little bits, even using the stem. I personally love the stems once they are cooking down.
Ham Hocks:
You can use two ham hocks. You can buy these by the pork in the grocery store.
Butter:
Butter. The start of every good recipe. The first thing you’ll do is melt 4 tablespoons of butter in your pot. You can use salted or unsalted. It doesn’t really make a difference. Just use what you have on hand at home.
Chicken Broth:
You’ll use about two and a half cups of chicken broth. You want your greens to be submerged but not just swimming. Remember if you leave them on the heat for too long, the stock may cook out. So keep a little extra on hand!
Seasonings:
I used my usual blend. Salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and sugar. The best. Not too much, not too little.
Step by Step How to Cook Southern Turnip Greens:
Add your butter to your pot and turn medium/high heat. Once butter is melted, add in your ham hocks. Let it sauté for a few minutes until they start to turn brown.
Cut your turnip greens into little half inch pieces. I cut and use the stems too. Add your chicken broth and seasonings, bring it to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to lowest setting. Remove hocks, take meat off bone and add meat back to greens. Cook for about 15 more minutes then serve. Enjoy!
Southern Turnip Greens
Equipment
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 2 bunches Fresh Turnip Greens
- 2 Ham Hocks
- 2 1/2 cups Chicken Broth
- 4 tbsp Butter
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Pepper
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tsp Onion Powder
- 2 tbsp Sugar
Instructions
- Add your butter to your pot and turn medium/high heat. Once butter is melted, add in your ham hocks. Let it sauté for a few minutes until they start to turn brown.
- Cut your turnip greens into little half inch pieces. I cut and use the stems too. Add your chicken broth and seasonings, bring it to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to lowest setting. Remove hocks, take meat off bone and add meat back to greens. Cook for about 15 more minutes then serve. Enjoy!
Notes
wash your greens!
I literally wash my greens at least three times. This is so important. Nothing worse than biting into gritty greens.Can you freeze this recipe?
Absolutely, add them to a freezer safe bag and store them for up to 6 months. Let them unthaw. Once you heat them back up, they may need some more broth.
Before you go…
Please let me know if you tried this southern vegetable recipe. Do you have other turnip greens recipes that you like? What are they? I want to know! Contact me here or in the comments below! Happy cooking!
