Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs Fresh Turnip Greens, thoroughly washed and chopped
  • 1 (about 1 lb) Smoked Ham Hock
  • 1 large Yellow Onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 4 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock, low sodium preferred
  • 2 cups Water
  • 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 tsp Brown Sugar, packed
  • ½ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • To taste Kosher Salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp Cooking Oil (if using bacon instead of ham hock fat)

Instructions:

  1. Thoroughly rinse the turnip greens multiple times in cold water to remove all grit. Shake off excess water and roughly chop them into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
  2. In the Dutch oven, sauté the chopped onion in a splash of cooking oil (if using bacon, render the fat first) over medium heat until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Place the smoked ham hock directly into the pot. Pour in the chicken stock, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
  4. Once boiling, begin adding the chopped greens in batches, pushing them down into the liquid. They will wilt down significantly.
  5. Reduce the heat immediately to the lowest setting (a gentle simmer). Cover the pot partially, leaving a small gap for steam to escape.
  6. Simmer for 2.5 to 3 hours, stirring gently every 30-45 minutes. Add small splashes of water if the liquid level drops too low. The greens are done when they are very tender and deep olive green.
  7. Carefully remove the ham hock. Taste the pot likker—it should be savoury and slightly tangy. Season generously with salt and pepper.
  8. Once the ham hock is cool enough to handle, pull off the skin and discard any large pieces of bone/gristle. Shred the tender meat and return it to the pot.
  9. Let the greens rest off the heat for 10 minutes before serving hot with an extra drizzle of the pot likker.