I love cooking; it is a stress reliever for me. When I purchased my Cooks Essential Electric Pressure Cooker, I just could not stop cooking. I made soups and stews at first especially since the Connecticut winters require me to have comfort food while snowed in. Recently, I ventured out to my favorites "Southern Food" and Collard Greens is top on the list. Now I want you to keep in mind the below are guesstimate measurements and optional. I can honestly say I have never seen my Mom, Dad, Aunt or Uncle use a measuring spoon. When I know I am cooking for someone who does not eat pork, I always substitute with smoked turkey. Many people believe the flavors are better the next day, so I cook my smoked meat (Ham Hocks) the day before.
4-6 Ham Hocks (smoked) (washed thoroughly)
2tbsp season salt
2tbsp greens seasoning
2tbsp black pepper
4-5lbs Collard Greens (washed/cut)
Turkey) in the bottom of Pressure Cooker, fill with water just enough to cover the meat. Toss in all the above seasonings or whatever seasonings you want to substitute, you know what you like. Close the lid of your pressure cooker and seal according to your manufacturer directions. Place washed Ham Hocks (Smoked
Set the timer of your pressure cooker to 45 minutes and go on about your business. Time’s up!!!
Release the pressure according to your manufacturer instructions (please be safe). They smell good don't they? The meat is falling off the bone. This is where you can season to taste before adding your Collard Greens - be careful, it's hot!
Same-Day Collard Greens: place the Collard Greens in the pressure cooker on top of the already cooked Ham Hocks (Smoked Turkey), fill pressure cooker to the top the Collard Greens will cook down but remember they do not absorb water so do not add any more liquid. Put the top down, seal according to manufacturer instructions and set the timer for 8 minutes. Time’s up!!
Release the pressure according to your manufacturer instructions (please be safe). Still smelling good, I love the smell of Southern Cooking reminds me of my Dad. (My mom didn't cook much).
Sir the Collard Greens, you can see they cooked down. They are not quite done; I just wanted you to stir them and get a sense of how done you want them to be. Don’t forget to taste them, especially since you know the meat is done. After stirring, close the lid yet again and seal according to manufacturer instructions and set the timer for 10 minutes. Remember no more liquid. Time’s up!!!
This is done, I like my Collard Greens to have some firmness, my daughters likes them a little more cooked but since I'm the cook, she has to live with it.
Next Day Collard Greens: this is my method because I want to get the excess fat off. I know Ham Hocks are not healthy but mentally I feel better because I am removing some fat. Once the Ham Hocks are done, let them cool, remove the pot insert from your pressure cooker, cover and place in fridge.
The next day Collard Greens method is my Sunday dinner method, I refuse to be in the kitchen cooking all day. Okay so it's the next day I pull the insert out the fridge, I scrap the solidified yellow fat off the top and discard. Yes, I know this does not make it any healthier but AGAIN it makes me feel better. If you are using Smoked Turkey this is not a necessary step. I place the pot insert back into the pressure cooker and set the timer to warm while I rewash my Collard Greens. **Note Collard Greens do come already cut up the name escapes me but you can find them in your produce section of your grocery store, I would rather wash and cut my own but not everyone has the time. But trust and believe in a pinch I have used them. My girlfriends and I buy loads of Collard Greens and have a wash and cutting parties (Adult beverages required), we bag them up, divide them and put in freezer. We use to parboil them prior to freezing so it didn’t take as long to cook but with the pressure cooker parboiling is no longer required.
The Ham Hocks (Smoked Turkey) should have liquefied by now, take one more taste test and season accordingly, now you are ready to load the Collard Greens into the pressure cooker. Fill the Collard Greens to top, they will cook down and REMEMBER Collard Greens do not absorb water so don't add any more liquid. Put the top down, seal according to manufacturer instructions and set the timer for 8 minutes. Time’s up!!!
Release the pressure according to your manufacturer instructions (please be safe). Still smelling good, I love the smell of Southern Cooking reminds me of my Dad, my Dad is from Saluda South Carolina. He always had either the stove top pressure cooking going or something in the slow cooker. My mom didn't cook much and I don’t think my siblings and I minded much.
Sir the Collard Greens, you can see they cooked down. They are not quite done; I just wanted you to stir them and get a sense of how done you want them to be. After stirring, close the lid yet again and seal according to manufacture instructions and set the timer for 10 minutes. Remember no more liquid. Time’s up!!!
WONDERFUL!! This is my done, I like my Collard Greens to have some firmness, my daughter likes them a little more done and since I'm the cook, she has to live with it.
You can continue to cook depending on how tender you like your Collard Greens. Transfer your Collard Greens to your serving bowl.
Enjoy!!!
4-6 Ham Hocks (smoked) (washed thoroughly)
2tbsp season salt
2tbsp greens seasoning
2tbsp black pepper
4-5lbs Collard Greens (washed/cut)
Turkey) in the bottom of Pressure Cooker, fill with water just enough to cover the meat. Toss in all the above seasonings or whatever seasonings you want to substitute, you know what you like. Close the lid of your pressure cooker and seal according to your manufacturer directions. Place washed Ham Hocks (Smoked
Set the timer of your pressure cooker to 45 minutes and go on about your business. Time’s up!!!
Release the pressure according to your manufacturer instructions (please be safe). They smell good don't they? The meat is falling off the bone. This is where you can season to taste before adding your Collard Greens - be careful, it's hot!
Same-Day Collard Greens: place the Collard Greens in the pressure cooker on top of the already cooked Ham Hocks (Smoked Turkey), fill pressure cooker to the top the Collard Greens will cook down but remember they do not absorb water so do not add any more liquid. Put the top down, seal according to manufacturer instructions and set the timer for 8 minutes. Time’s up!!
Release the pressure according to your manufacturer instructions (please be safe). Still smelling good, I love the smell of Southern Cooking reminds me of my Dad. (My mom didn't cook much).
Sir the Collard Greens, you can see they cooked down. They are not quite done; I just wanted you to stir them and get a sense of how done you want them to be. Don’t forget to taste them, especially since you know the meat is done. After stirring, close the lid yet again and seal according to manufacturer instructions and set the timer for 10 minutes. Remember no more liquid. Time’s up!!!
This is done, I like my Collard Greens to have some firmness, my daughters likes them a little more cooked but since I'm the cook, she has to live with it.
Next Day Collard Greens: this is my method because I want to get the excess fat off. I know Ham Hocks are not healthy but mentally I feel better because I am removing some fat. Once the Ham Hocks are done, let them cool, remove the pot insert from your pressure cooker, cover and place in fridge.
The next day Collard Greens method is my Sunday dinner method, I refuse to be in the kitchen cooking all day. Okay so it's the next day I pull the insert out the fridge, I scrap the solidified yellow fat off the top and discard. Yes, I know this does not make it any healthier but AGAIN it makes me feel better. If you are using Smoked Turkey this is not a necessary step. I place the pot insert back into the pressure cooker and set the timer to warm while I rewash my Collard Greens. **Note Collard Greens do come already cut up the name escapes me but you can find them in your produce section of your grocery store, I would rather wash and cut my own but not everyone has the time. But trust and believe in a pinch I have used them. My girlfriends and I buy loads of Collard Greens and have a wash and cutting parties (Adult beverages required), we bag them up, divide them and put in freezer. We use to parboil them prior to freezing so it didn’t take as long to cook but with the pressure cooker parboiling is no longer required.
The Ham Hocks (Smoked Turkey) should have liquefied by now, take one more taste test and season accordingly, now you are ready to load the Collard Greens into the pressure cooker. Fill the Collard Greens to top, they will cook down and REMEMBER Collard Greens do not absorb water so don't add any more liquid. Put the top down, seal according to manufacturer instructions and set the timer for 8 minutes. Time’s up!!!
Release the pressure according to your manufacturer instructions (please be safe). Still smelling good, I love the smell of Southern Cooking reminds me of my Dad, my Dad is from Saluda South Carolina. He always had either the stove top pressure cooking going or something in the slow cooker. My mom didn't cook much and I don’t think my siblings and I minded much.
Sir the Collard Greens, you can see they cooked down. They are not quite done; I just wanted you to stir them and get a sense of how done you want them to be. After stirring, close the lid yet again and seal according to manufacture instructions and set the timer for 10 minutes. Remember no more liquid. Time’s up!!!
WONDERFUL!! This is my done, I like my Collard Greens to have some firmness, my daughter likes them a little more done and since I'm the cook, she has to live with it.
You can continue to cook depending on how tender you like your Collard Greens. Transfer your Collard Greens to your serving bowl.
Enjoy!!!