Daphne---how to cook ham and collard greens

[Mare749]

Daphne, you missed my question the other day when you mentioned cooking ham and collard greens. I was hoping you would share your method and cooking time for this.

Do you use a picnic ham and what kind of beans?

[Gourmet_Mom]

I did answer, but I think it got buried. I'll go get it and paste it here. I'll add further details.

[DFen911]

Well I am not Daphne, but I use 2 ham hocks, 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar, 4 bunches of greens thoroughly washed, 32-48 oz chicken stock, 2 Tbs sugar, 1 sm onion sliced.

Cook the onions down a bit, add hocks and 32 oz of chicken stock and let the hocks cook about an hour, add my greens, vinegar and sugar and more stock if needed and cook about 3-4 hours. Serve with a bottle of tobasco on the table.

[Gourmet_Mom]

Maryann, I missed your question about the ham. I will bake a ham for New Years Day. I use fresh, not smoked ham hocks or country ham in the veggies. I also add smoked sausage to the peas when they are almost done, as well as a few red pepper flakes, just like my daddy did.

Now to add...

For black eyed peas, pour dried peas in a bowl and cover well with water. Sift through peas for rocks and pebbles. Soak over night. When ready to cook, prepare seasoning meat just like for collards. (See below.) Drain and rinse peas and add to seasoned water. Add enough water to cover peas. Add salt to taste depending on type of meat used. Cook until almost tender to taste. Cut a pound of smoked sausage into 1 inch pieces and add to peas. Add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes, if desired. Continue to cook another 15 to 20 minutes until meat is cooked through and peas are cooked to desired consistency. I like mine a little mushy.

After getting your peas on, cook two large bunches of collard. They are HUGE around here. Two will fill my largest stock pot that I use for clam bakes. You may need three or four heads. Now, put three or four inches, give or take, water in the bottom of a large stock pot and add two handfuls of country ham (salt cured), fresh ham hock, or ham bone (country or sugar cured) and boil for about half an hour. Meanwhile, prepare collards. Around here, we get them fresh from the field and they are usually very dirty. So fill the sink with water. Fold the leaf around the stem and holding onto leaf, pull stem to strip leaf away from the toughest part of the stem. Put leaves in sink water and swoosh like you're washing clothes. Remove to a bowl and check water. If there is dirt in there, drain sink and repeat until there is no longer dirt in your water. Around here, this can sometimes take two or three rinses. Add collards to stock pot with seasoning meat. Depending on how salty your meat is, add salt before adding leaves. Add lid and cook for about 10 minutes before rearranging leaves. Cook until fork tender. Using two knives or a large fork and a knife, cut cooked collards to desired consistency. I don't like mine cooked to death or shredded fine. I do it about like a good torn salad?

Finally, just before ready to eat, place a cast iron skillet, preferably, and add a tablespoon of lard or Crisco shortening. Put heat on medium to medium high. Add corn meal to a bowl and add enough warm water to make a thin paste....about like cake batter? When shortening is sizzling hot, add a couple tablespoons at a time to pan to make oval patties. Cook until browned and flip to cook the other side...about five minutes per side? Adjust heat if needed. Remove to a paper towel lined platter. I eyeball these amounts. I would say I use at least two cups cornmeal for the two of us, but then, William LOVES cornbread made this way. Or you could just make the regular box of Jiffy if you prefer that type.

William likes his collards with vinegar....I do not. Your call! I hope this makes sense.

[Mare749]

Thanks Daphne, I can't wait to try this, but I'm still not clear on a few things, so I'll just call you when you get back home from the mountains. Safe travels!

[DFen911]

I am so trying it Daphne's way. I had totally forgotten about black eyed peas.

[Old Bay]

We don't like collards. We cook the black eyed peas (or field peas) and a ham hock (not a whole ham) together until the peas are done. Then we cook , seperatly, mustard or turnip greens in salt pork and its grease (or fat back) until crisp tender and serve with a vinegar hot sauce. Peas--you won't go hungry next year, greens--you will at least have enough money. Happy new year!!

[Mare749]

Thank you Denise and Bill for your methods as well! Can't have too many.

(I must have some southern roots somewhere...)