Let's keep this short and simple: These Pressure Cooker Collard Greens with Smoked Ham Hock are tasty, easy, and belong on your table as soon as possible. Thankfully, with 5 minutes of prep + some pressure cooker magic, they can be. According to my fella, these Pressure Cooker Collard Greens are "delicious and porky and spicy and vinegary." Is vinegary a word? It doesn't matter - he's spot on.
Pressure Cooker Collard Greens with minimal effort
Collard Greens are surprisingly easy to prep. After washing, a quick rough chop is all they need. I don't ever bother separating the stem (the firm middle part) like I generally do with other leafy greens because the pressure cooker should tenderize everything. The ham hock pops right in with the collards and should fall apart from the bone with minimal effort, post-pressure-cooking.
Let's talk about ham hock for a moment
Smoked ham hocks are surprisingly easy to find, wrapped in plastic and tucked in with the other pork products, at most grocery stores. In my experience, these pre-packaged ham hocks are usually sub-par and if you buy them I feel confident you'll want to chuck them straight from your pressure cooker into the trash. Do yourself a favor and buy a ham hock from a reputable butcher and ask them to split it in half for you so you can better access all the meaty goodness, once cooked. For those who are strict Paleo, make sure to ask your butcher how the meat has been cured as pork products sometimes contain added sugar.
Which pressure cooker do I use?
I personally use an Instant Pot Ultra 6qt, but these Collard Greens with Smoked Ham Hock can easily be made in other electric pressure cookers as well. The reason I mention this is because there are often small variations in machine cooking times. When I first developed this recipe, I utilized a Cuisinart electric pressure cooker and found that this collard greens recipe cooked perfectly with only 15-minutes of high-pressure cooking time. That sounds great at first, however, it also meant that more tender greens and vegetables that I used in that machine were easily overcooked in mere minutes. I actually prefer that my Instant Pot cooks things slightly slower as I find that I am able to cook a wider variety of food in it to my liking.
An update to this recipe
When I switched over to an Instant Pot, I realized that a 15-minute high=pressure cook time from my original recipe was not enough to adequately tenderize the greens and ham hock, so I've redeveloped this recipe to suit my new machine.
What does this mean for you?
As with all pressure cooker recipes, you'll want to take into account how quickly and intensely your own machine cooks when determining how long to cook collard greens. If you were making this with the same Cuisinart model (CPD-600) electric pressure cooker I used to use, I stand behind a 15 minute cook time, as that has consistently worked well for me. If you're using an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker, then based on my experience, your collard greens will likely take longer to cook. I find that 35-minutes of high-pressure cooking, followed by 15-minutes of natural pressure release in my Instant Pot is spot on for perfectly tender collard greens and fall-off-the-bone ham hock.
What should I serve these Collard Greens with?
- As a side to these Pressure Cooker Boneless Beef Ribs with Carolina Gold Mustard BBQ Sauce or this Spicy Red BBQ Sauce
- As a side to this Crispy Oven-Fried Fish -- Don't forget a side of Brown Butter Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread too!
- As a side to this Grilled Skirt Steak with Avocado Chimichurri Sauce
What tools do I need to make this recipe?
- An electric pressure cooker
- A cutting board
- A chef's knife for chopping the collard greens
- A small knife for separating the meat once cooked
- Measuring cups and measuring spoons
- A meat thermometer
- A fork to assist you in shredding the meat
Are you looking to upgrade to your cooking tools or replenish your pantry? Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.
A note for special diets
These Pressure Cooker Collard Greens with Smoked Ham Hock are gluten-free, grain-free, and fit Keto, Paleo, and SIBO diets.
Pressure-Cooker Collard Greens with Smoked Ham Hock
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 portions 1x
- Category: Side Dishes
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: Southern
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These Pressure Cooker Collard Greens with Smoked Ham Hock take only 5 minutes of prep time before cooking in your Instant Pot to tender perfection.
Ingredients
- 1 lb collard greens, roughly chopped
- 1 ½ lbs smoked ham hock (around ½ lb meat after discarded bones, tendon, skin)
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth (refer to the recommended minimum liquid for your machine and adjust if necessary)
- 1 ½ tbsp sriracha (PaleoChef makes a Paleo version)
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp garlic oil (may sub 2 garlic cloves, minced)
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- ½ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to your electric pressure cooker, taking care that the ingredients do not surpass your fill line. If your machine is smaller, you may need to adjust the amount you cook at once.
- Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes (see notes below).
- Once the cooking time has completed, natural release the pressure for 15 minutes. Then safely quick-release the remaining pressure.
- Test the temperature of the ham hock with a meat thermometer. It should have reached a minimum of 165 degrees F, but will likely end up around 200 degrees F.
- Separate the meat from bone on your ham hock. This can usually be done easily with a small knife. Discard bones, tendons, and excess skin. Shred the meat and combine back into the pot with the collard greens. Serve hot.
Notes
From September 10, 2020: This recipe was originally created using a Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker (CPC-600), which in my experience, cooks at a slightly faster rate than some Instant Pot models. The revised recipe (above) takes into account a longer cooking time (35 minutes + 15 minutes natural release) required for the Instant Pot Ultra 6qt model. Please note this difference in cooking power when considering an adjustment of cooking time for your particular machine.
Nutrition note: Only the meat from the ham hock is used in the final result of this collard greens recipe, discarding any bones, tendons, and excess skin. Most ham hocks that I purchase are around ⅓ meat to ⅔ discarded pieces, so I have estimated that ½ lb of meat is used in the final result of this recipe for nutrition purposes below.
Nutritional information on Whip & Wander is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 180
- Sodium: 311 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 43 mg
Marcie says
Yum! We haven't had ham hock in forever! This looks like such a tasty recipe!
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
Looks like a great dish to warm up on cold spring days! Collard greens have to be prepared & seasoned well for me to enjoy them and I bet they are delicious with smoked ham hock!
Paula @ I'm Busy Being Awesome says
This looks delicious! Definitely a recipe worth a try
Elaine @ Dishes Delish says
I simply adore ham hocks!! And I really like collard greens. It's so nice to see that you can cook them in a pressure cooker and not make them mushy. Your dish looks so delicious and flavorful!!
georgie says
hack hock is so good! and the older I get, the more I start to like eating collard greens! looks great, is there an option for non pressure cookers?
Whip & Wander says
You can definitely cook them in a large pot of water on the stove, but they take considerably longer this way. I would bring the ham hocks and seasonings to a boil in water and then lower the heat to medium and simmer for a good hour or more before adding the greens. I've heard the slow cooker is a great way to make these as well, though I haven't tried that yet.
Heather says
I've always been too scared to try collard greens, but I love smoked ham so I may give this a go!
Whip & Wander says
I thought the same thing before I tried making them the first time, but I love them. So quick, easy, and tasty! I hope you give them a go!
Susie says
I am obsessed with my Instant Pot right now... and I have ham in my fridge. I think I will pick up some greens and give these a try!
Whip & Wander says
I hope you do! Such a great way to use up leftover ham if you want to sub for the ham hock.
Stephanie@ApplesforCJ says
I don't eat collard greens often but I did Enjoy them the few times I did. I'm liking the addition of sriracha in these. Will have to give that a try!
Ben Myhre says
I still have ham leftovers! I was going to do bean soup, but I think I might have to make this.
Whip & Wander says
That's an awesome way to use up ham leftovers!
Anna says
What a great idea to use pressure cooker for the greens! My other half loves ham hock, so this recipe will be perfect for him! Thanks for sharing!
Whip & Wander says
Thanks! My other half does too, which is why he goes crazy for this dish.
Sam says
My boss bought Collard greens and asked if I could cook them. I said sure what do you want me to cook them with?
" Whatever your southern Ancestors whisper to you" 🤣 He is lucky I am in a small town with one store or I could have had SO much fun with that. I think your recipe will serve quite well. Thank you
Whip & Wander says
Wonderful! I hope you enjoyed this recipe, Sam!
Kitty says
I love everything ham! Now, collards are something I don't do too often. Will have to give them another go!
Whip & Wander says
I hope you do. They're so easy and tasty!
Andrea says
I've never had ham hock before, what an interesting recipe!
Denay DeGuzman says
What a delicious healthy dinner! I'm looking forward to making this when my parents come to visit. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Whip & Wander says
Awesome! I hope you all love it. Have fun 🙂
Annie Cho says
I love how healthy this looks! I actually don't know how to cook collard greens, other than sauteeing, them, so this is helpful!
xoxo
Annie
Soniya says
This looks so delicious ? it's beens years I have eaten collard greens and I loved the combination of ham with it.
Michelle Barsness says
Yummy! I love collard greens with ham hocks. What a great idea to make it in a pressure cooker. Thanks for your tips on where to get a great ham hock.
Sophia says
This dish looks amazing. I love my greens and I love mixing things up. I will have to try this and let you know how it goes. Thanks for sharing!
Ayanna @ 21FlavorsofSplendor says
I love collard greens and never thought to cook them in a pressure cooker. I usually use smoked turkey pieces and will try it this way the next time I make them.
Whip & Wander says
Yum, smoked turkey sounds great too! I hope you love these.
Chelsea says
MMM! I love love loooove ham hock and this looks SO good. I need a pressure cooker in my life!
Whip & Wander says
I really love mine - especially in chillier months when I want something hearty.
Nellwyn says
Ham hock is so yummy but it definitely has to come from a good butcher as you say. It's recipes like this that make me think I really need to get a pressure cooker.
Whip & Wander says
I get a ton of use out of mine in the chillier months for roasts and heavy dishes, but still find use for it in the summer for dishes like this that pair well with whatever we've grilled that night. I hope you give pressure-cooking a go!