Go Back
–+ servings
collard greens with smoked turkey in a white bowl
Print Recipe
4.67 from 3 votes

Collard Greens Recipe With Smoked Turkey Leg

How to make smoked collard greens with a homemade smoked turkey leg. One key tip is to be sure the collards are gently rolled or massaged to tenderize them.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: barbecue side dish, bbq, Christmas, holiday, southern, Thanksgiving
Keyword: collard green recipe, collard greens with smoked turkey, collards recipe, smoked collard greens
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Mary Cressler | Vindulge
Cost: $15

Ingredients

For the Smoked Turkey Leg:

  • 1 ½ pound turkey leg
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons poultry rub

For the Collard Greens:

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar, (white vinegar works well too)
  • ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tablespoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 smoked turkey leg (from above)
  • 1 pound collard greens, rinsed, de-stemmed, massaged for a couple minutes, and sliced 1-2 inches wide strips after

Instructions

For the Smoked Turkey Leg

  • Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees F using fruit wood.
  • Coat the turkey leg with olive oil and poultry rub.
  • Place on smoker until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 2 hours).

Collards Recipe

  • Start by preheating a large stock pot over medium high heat.
  • Add olive oil and the diced red onions and soften for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add apple cider vinegar, chicken stock, salt, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer.
  • Add turkey leg and adjust salt to taste. (You can let this simmer without the greens for up to an hour for more smoky stock flavor if you have time)
  • Finally add the chopped greens into the pot over a simmer and stir to mix. Cover and let simmer for one hour or until the greens are soft to taste. Take care to not let the stock come to a boil, keep the simmer as low heat as possible.
  • Serve in your favorite bowl and add some of the turkey from the leg in your dish.

Notes

Short Cut Tip: You can buy frozen pre-cooked smoked turkey legs or turkey thighs and substitute smoking them yourself.

Nutrition

Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 151mg | Sodium: 1035mg | Potassium: 1009mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3856IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 247mg | Iron: 5mg