Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

southern turnip greens

(1 rating)
Recipe by
J. White Harris
Gallatin, TN

I’ve eaten turnip greens all my life and this recipe makes absolutely the best tasting turnip greens that I’ve ever put in my mouth. Good turnip greens with tasty Pot Liquor helps round out the menu on any Southern table. My family really likes these greens. I adapted the recipe from one the Loveless Cafe in Nashville uses.

(1 rating)
yield 4 to 6
prep time 20 Min
cook time 4 Hr
method Stove Top

Ingredients For southern turnip greens

  • 2 lb
    turnip greens
  • 3 to 4 slice
    smoked bacon
  • 1 md
    onion, chopped
  • 4 clove
    garlic, minced
  • 5 oz
    country ham, diced
  • 1/2 tsp
    crushed red pepper
  • 2 tsp
    dark brown sugar
  • 1/3 c
    apple cider vinegar
  • 6 c
    water
  • 2 Tbsp
    salt

How To Make southern turnip greens

  • 1
    Wash the greens, trim any bad spots, roughly chop, and set aside.
  • 2
    Give the bacon a rough chop and put into a large stockpot over low heat for 5 minutes before adding chopped onion. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until onions are translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
  • 3
    Add diced ham, crushed red pepper, brown sugar, vinegar, and water and bring to a boil.
  • 4
    Add cleaned and chopped greens. (Note: add water if needed so the liquid meets the surface of the cooked greens in the pot.) Simmer for approximately four hours, stirring occasionally and adding extra water if needed. Once greens are fully cooked and tender, taste for seasoning and add salt if desired.
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