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collard greens and turkey in white bowl

Pressure Cooker Collard Greens

You want fast, delicious greens on a weeknight, then go for the instant pot and make these pressure cooker collard greens.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Pressure Release: 15 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Soul Food, southern
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 170kcal
Author: Marwin Brown

Equipment

  • pressure cooker

Ingredients

  • 3-4 bunches Collard Greens
  • 1 pound smoked turkey butts
  • 2 medium Onions sliced
  • 1 cup Cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup Bourbon
  • 1 tablespoon Salt
  • 1 tablespoon Pepper
  • ½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 quart Stock
  • 4 cloves Garlic diced
  • 1 teaspoon black garlic salt optional
  • ¼ cup maple syrup

Instructions

  • Heat Instant Pot on saute settings (High) and once display reads “Hot” add olive oil and brown the smoked turkey about 2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
  • Add the sliced onions and saute 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, plus half the spice mix (salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes). Mix well.
  • Add the chicken stock and deglaze the bottom of the pan by scrubbing the bottom with a wooden spoon.
  • Add the bourbon, cider vinegar, maple syrup, and the remaining spices including the black garlic salt if using. Mix well.
  • Add the collard greens then top with the smoked turkey. You’ll likely need to press the greens down a bit to make room which is ok. Everything will reduce during cooking. Close the lid and pressure cook for 25 minutes then allow the collards to release naturally.
  • Remove the lid. Mix the ingredients well and adjust for seasoning.

Video

Notes

The pre-packaged store-bought greens are pre-washed, but I prefer to give them a wash of my own just to be sure.
Obviously, you can use fresh unpackaged collard greens. Note cook time may vary a little bit depending on how you cut them. The bigger the leaf the longer the time needed.
The cider vinegar adds a bit of acidity which helps break down the greens. To balance against the acidity plus the natural bitterness of the greens I add maple syrup as a sweetener. Plain sugar or brown sugar could be used for the same purpose. I prefer maple cause it has a bit more flavor complexity and it’s liquid making it more easily and uniformly dispersed throughout the pot vs having sweet spots here and there.
Bourbon sounds like a weird ingredient for collard greens, but it adds depth, complexity, and marries well with the maple.
Use your smoked meat of choice. This recipe calls for smoked turkey. I used butts or tails, but necks or wings are great. Likewise, smoked ham hocks or pork neck bones are great.
Make it a Southern recipe menu by serving these pressure cooker collard greens with fried chicken, Mac and cheese, and hot water cornbread.

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 1675mg | Potassium: 346mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3874IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 197mg | Iron: 1mg
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