Southern Style Collard Greens

Ingredients

• 4 batches of fresh collard greens (about 3 - 4 lbs)
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• Two medium smoked turkey wings, ham hocks or pork shank
• 11 cups of water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional) The smoked meat may be enough.
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

Instructions

1. 1
   Put 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot. Once the oil starts to ripple, carefully add the water. (Step back a little, in case the oil pops.) Add 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Let it come to a boil.
2. 2
   Make several cuts into the meat. Add it to the boiling water, cover and let cook on medium high heat for 30 minutes. The meat will start to spread where the cuts were made and the water will turn into a broth.
3. 3
   In the meantime, remove the collard leaves away from the stems. If you see any thick veins in the leaves, pull those out too. Rip the collards into smaller leaves. Wash them in cold water to get rid of any dirt or insects. Drain the excess water.
4. 4
   After the meat has cooked for 30 minutes, add the collards into the hot broth. They will cook down, so don't worry if it seems like you're shoving too many in the pot.
5. 5
   Use a large fork to make sure all the leaves are under the water. Cover and continue to cook.
6. 6
   After 20 minutes or so, you'll notice that the greens have shrunk. Add salt, the rest of the pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Move greens around with a fork. If it seems like you don't have enough liquid in the pot, you can add chicken broth or more water to cover the greens.
7. 7
   Turn down the heat to medium low and let cook another 15 minutes.
8. 8
   Take out one leaf and let it cool. Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly.
9. 9
   Note: The broth that's left over is known as "potlikker." Some people use it to make soup, to dip cornbread into or to drink.