Collards with Smoked Ham Hocks & Sweet Onions

Collards can be quickly sautéed so they stay slightly firm or slow-simmered until they’re very soft. Here, they’re cooked to a perfect in-between stage and classically flavored with smoked ham and sweet onions.

PREP TIME: 30 minutes

FUNCTION: Sauté (Normal); Steam

CLOSED POT TIME: 15 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes

RELEASE: Quick

SERVES: 6 to 8

• 6 slices hickory-smoked bacon, chopped
• 8 ounces smoked ham, diced
• 2 large Vidalia or other sweet onions, peeled, quartered, and thinly sliced (3 cups)
• ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 2 to 2½ pounds fresh collard greens, washed, dried, and coarsely chopped (16 cups)

PREP

Select sauté on the Instant Pot® and adjust to normal. Add chopped bacon to pot. Cook and stir bacon for 5 to 10 minutes or until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer crisp bacon to paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Add ham and onions to the pot; cook and stir for 5 to 6 minutes or until onions are limp and ham is browned. Press cancel; cool slightly. Add vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce; mix well. Select sauté and adjust to normal. Push collards into pot a batch at a time, waiting until one batch wilts down before adding another. Press cancel. When all collards are in the pot, secure the lid on the pot. Close the pressure-release valve.

COOK

Select steam and adjust cook time to 8 minutes. Once cooking is complete, use a quick release to depressurize.

SERVE

Using a slotted spoon, transfer collards to a serving dish; sprinkle with reserved crisp bacon bits.