Y’all making authentic Southern Mustard Greens is a straight up art, and I’m here to teach you down home Mississippi skills straight from my mama. She slowly braises the greens in a smoked turkey flavored pot liquor with a kick of spice until they become the soul food meal of your dreams. My family’s mustard greens recipe definitely understands the assignment.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:
“3rd time making these and they are always amazing! ”
—JERROD L.
What Are Mustard Greens?
Mustard greens are much lighter green than collards. They are thinner and more tender, and shrink to a much smaller amount during cooking so plan accordingly boos. Different from the texture of my Creamed Spinach, Turnip Greens, this Braised Cabbage, or Collard Greens, these are a must try. As for flavor, mustard greens are quite peppery and lively in flavor, while collard greens tend to be strongly leaf-flavored and bitter.
Southern Mustard Greens Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Stock: Or you can use chicken bouillion cube too.
- Smoked Turkey Leg: I have also used smoked turkey necks with great success. You can substitute the smoked turkey for ham hock.
- Granulated sugar: Or brown sugar.
- Worcestershire sauce: or soy sauce.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Red wine vinegar also works.
- Red pepper flakes: Cayenne or even hot sauce also works.
- Garlic Powder: This gets those aromatic vibes in the mix.
How To Clean Mustard Greens
Mustard greens, like most other fruits or vegetables, should be thoroughly washed before use y’all. You need to make sure all that dirt, grit, and grime is long gone! If you don’t properly clean your greens, y’all are just asking for a gritty texture and a dirty aftertaste.
First, fill your sink with lukewarm water to loosen up any grit. Toss the turnip greens in and let the leaves open up. Let them hang out for a minute, then start swishing them around and gently scrubbing with your hands to loosen the dirt.
Once they’re looking good, lift the greens out, drain the dirty water, give the sink a quick rinse, and refill with fresh lukewarm water. Repeat the process until those greens are squeaky clean and ready to go.
How To Cook Mustard Greens
Step 1: After cleaning, After they’ve been cleaned, prep your greens by tearing the leaves from the stems, rolling them up tightly, and horizontally cutting them once. You should be left with medium-sized strips.
Step 2: Add the turkey to a large pot along with enough water to fully submerge the turkey then cover with a lid. Cook over medium high heat until the turkey is just about tender which should take about forty-five minutes.
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Step 3: Add both the greens and about 4 or 5 additional cups of water (or enough to just barely cover greens) to the pot. Cover and cook your greens for about an hour or until they are tender and flavorful. You will have most of the water evaporate leaving the pot likker.
The BEST Southern Mustard Greens Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Ingredients
- 3 lbs mustard greens about 5-6 medium sized bunches
- 1 smoked turkey wing or leg, extra meaty
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp seasoned salt
- 2 tsp worcheshire sauce
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes you can go down on this to 1/2 teaspoon if you like less heat.
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
Instructions
- Start by pulling and tearing greens away from stems. Take a hand full of greens, roll them up and cut the rolls horizontally once resulting in medium size pieces.
- Next, add greens to empty clean sink and wash them removing all grit, sand and debris thoroughly with cold water until water becomes clear.
- Next rinse the turkey very well then add to a large pot along with the chicken stock and enough water to fully submerge the turkey then cover with a lid. Cook over medium high heat for about 45 minutes or until turkey is almost tender.
- Once turkey is almost tender, add greens then add about 4 or 5 additional cups of water or enough to just barely cover greens to the pot. This will become your pot likker.
- Add all ingredients to the pot and cook while covered for about an hour or until completely tender and excess water has cooked down level with the greens. Most of the water should be gone.
Notes
How to Store Mustard Greens
Transfer your greens to an airtight container and pop in the fridge along with that pot liquor (that delish juice at the bottom of the pot) How Long Will This Southern Mustard Green Recipe Last In The Fridge? Stored properly in the fridge, your mustards will stay pretty tasty for up to 4 days. Can I freeze Collard greens? Absolutely boos! You can freeze the greens in a heavy duty plastic bag for up to 3 months. Be sure to leave a little air space in whatever storage container you choose.Nutrition
TIP: If you have a lot of water left, remove the lid and allow the greens to continue to cook until the excess water has cooked down level with the greens. Most of the water should be gone.
Recipe Tips
- Pick Them Right!: To pick wonderful greens at your local grocery store or farmer’s market, be sure to pay close attention to the leaves. They shouldn’t be too tough y’all. You want to make sure that the leaves are easy to pull away from the stem and tear/cut later when preparing them to cook.
- Select The Right Meat: When selecting smoked turkey, you should really be able to smell that great smoked scent outside of the package. They should also be nice and meaty.
- Leave the Stems Out: I find stems to be too tough in my pot of greens. Totally up to you but I suggest leaving them out.
- Adjust Your Liquid: Making greens can be a little intuitive. Make sure you add more liquid if the pot is looking dry.
- Take Your Time: Mustard greens take time to make. Clean those greens with care. Braise those greens with care.
Serving Suggestions
- Low-key Sunday Supper: Make these smothered pork chops, mustard greens, candied yams and hot water cornbread.
- Easy Comfort Meal: Nothing says comfort like buttermilk fried chicken, Southern baked mac and cheese and black eyed peas. And don’t forget the Southern cornbread and sour cream pound cake.
- Easy Weeknight Leftovers: Heat up your mustard green leftovers and serve up a simple main like fried chicken gizzards or salmon croquettes and make some scalloped corn and butter swim biscuits.
- Small Thanksgiving Spread: Make this roasted turkey breast along with oyster dressing, candied sweet potatoes and Jiffy cornbread. And don’t forget the Southern sweet potato pie boos.
Recipe help
Mustards can have a slightly bitter bite sometimes boos. If you taste a leaf and it’s more bitter than usual, just add a pinch of baking soda (no more than 1/2 teaspoon) to the simmering water to tone it down. The other ingredients in this recipe also work wonders—like the sugar, vinegar, and smoked meat—all of them help balance out that bitterness and bring extra flavor y’all.
Listen boos, if you let those greens go too long, the pot liquor will leave the pot all dry with your greens sticking to the bottom of the pot. Make sure you are paying attention. If you notice the pot is drying, add more liquid in.
pinterest 
facebook 
twitter 
email
I followed this recipe to the letter. It was amazingly delicious. This will make a big hit for Thanksgiving
I mixed kale grown in our garden with fresh mustard greens. It was the most delicious dish I’ve ever made with greens. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
I actually lice Mustards with 1 or 2 bunches of Turnips !! Oh my, talking about good and tasty , but don’t forget the onions!
Jocelyn,
Would it be possible if you mixed collard and mustard greens together? I have had both on their own made with ham hocks, and they were really good. Just wondering if they work well together.
Yes, you must try mixing g 1 bunch of collars and 1 bunch of mustard greens together. It is very delicious and as Tony Tiger says “They’re Great! I usually cook the greens mixed using smoked turkey necks or smoked ham hocks.
Oh Jocelyn, You were not kidding! These Mustard greens are wonderful…they remind me of how my grandmother made them with one exception, she used ham hocks more than turkey wings…but as she would say just depended on what looked good at the grocery store. She was like a whirlwind in the kitchen when making dinner, boom boom and dinner was on the table- A BIG dinner with many side dishes. My granddaddy like lots of veggies and sides or it was not supper. I watched her to learn and tried to help, but she was not big on letting us “cook”, she said she was afraid we would get burned or hurt and she would never forgive herself. Baking was ok but not cooking. I also did NOT know the difference (from a cooking standpoint) in Mustard greens verses Collards, I always thought mustard greens were a stronger taste wise than Collards, so I tend to pick up collards first, but glad to know I was SO wrong! I love them both so whatever was on my plate I was happy to eat them! Yours DO have more zing to them and depth of flavor so I am thrilled to get your take on how to best make them. And we’d say in the south…You put your foot in em’ …. so they have to be delicious!
BTW have you ever made spinach with onion and an scrambled egg in them? That is how my grandmother made them so we would EAT spinach. To this day, it is one of favorite ways to eat it. She sauteed the diced onion and added the spinach until wilted. Then added in a beaten egg and cooked it up like a scrambled egg, sometimes added cheese too. Added seasoning and boom was very kid friendly! We all ate it.
I’m so so glad you enjoyed them. I actually love these better than collards truth be told. Also I’ve never had the spinach with the scrambled egg in there.
There’s, your comment makes for an awesome Foodie story! Share it to friends, I really enjoyed reading it.
My dad always made mustard greens with Italian sausage, we are Italian and I loved them, so today I’m making them with the sausage
Great recipe!!!! Thanks for posting.
I’ve never had greens made with smoked turkey. It sounds amazing.
What a robust and flavorful recipe! Looking forward to enjoying this again later this week! Delicious!
Can you believe I’ve never had mustard greens? This recipe definitley has me interested in trying. Smoked turkey flavor sounds perfect!
I love mustard greens. Thanks for sharing the authentic recipe. I will give a go to mustard greens alone. Those corn breads look so drool worthy!