Bourbon Collards

A cup of your favorite bourbon cooked down in these collards makes them too good to be true.

Bourbon Collards
 
Makes About 12 Cups
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups sliced sweet onion
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 (1-pound) bags chopped, cleaned fresh collard greens
  • 1 cup bourbon
  • 2 (32-ounce) containers vegetable broth
  • 2 ham hocks
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • Cornbread, to serve
Instructions
  1. In a large Dutch oven, cook oil, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper over medium-high heat until onion is softened. Gradually add collards; stir to combine and cover until collards begin to wilt, 5 to 7 minutes.
  2. Add bourbon, scraping browned bits from bottom of pot with a wooden spoon. Increase heat to high, and add vegetable broth and ham hocks; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer and cover until collards and ham hocks are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  3. Uncover and cook until liquid has reduced by one-third, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  4. Remove from heat; remove ham hocks and let stand until cool enough to handle. Remove meat from ham hocks and discard bones. Stir ham and vinegar into collard greens. Serve with cornbread.