Recipe Box, Slow Cooker Collards & Conecuh

My sweet neighbor brought me a big bag full, or I should say a “messa” of collard greens last weekend, to thank us for including him on a fishing trip
I have had collards only a handful of times, but do like them
I knew that the secret to collards is cooking a long time, so I got out the slow cooker
Sauteed onion and garlic
Traditional southern collard greens are cooked with bacon, fat back, or a ham hock
I decided to use Alabama Conecuh Hickory Smoked Sausage. Conecuh Sausage is made in Conecuh County Alabama, and is available in a lot of other states. You can see the store locator here or order on line here
Or substitute kielbasa sausage or any smoked sausage
Use a lot of sausage for a main dish or a lesser amount for flavoring a side dish
After a quick stir fry with the onions and garlic, the mixture went into the bottom of a greased slow cooker
While the onions cooked I tore off the leaves from the middle leaf stem
This takes a little time, I can see why people sit on the porch and sip sweet tea doing this task
Fill the cooker to the brim with torn leaves and give it a beer to make everything happy
Top that off with a little chicken broth
Cover and let it go for a few hours. When greens have begun to melt down, give it a stir or two if you’re nearby
Let it cook for a few more hours, stir and serve
This made my snapper fishermen very happy!
Pictured below is simple grilled snapper with butter and blackened seasonings
If you want something a little different see HHjr’s recipe for Brown Sugar Mustard Glazed Snapper here
And his Salsa Topped Snapper here

Collards & Conecuh
Ingredients
- 12-16 cups collard greens*
- 1 cup beer {or chicken broth}
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 large onion sliced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 lb smoked sausage cut into 1/2″ pieces
- salt & pepper
- olive oil
Instructions
- Saute onion in olive oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it begins to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add sausage and cook 1-2 more minutes. Season with salt & pepper.
- Place onion mixture in the bottom of greased slow cooker. Top with collards. Pour in beer and broth. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours, stirring halfway through cooking if possible.
Notes
Serve as a side dish or with rice for a main dish
I readily admit that even though I have lived in the South for years, I grew up in California eating artichokes and avocados, so cooking greens Southern style is a foreign trip for me…but I can proudly say that even a non vegetable eating, Southern born and raised, guest at our house last weekend, couldn’t get enough of these collards, and my son raved and took the leftovers home for his Sunday night supper
What’s growing in your garden?
🍅 🌽 🥗 🍅 🌽 🥗
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Anything in the crockpot always catches my eye! I love the idea of letting something cook all day and it’s ready for dinner! Collards look delish!
They sound delightful! I’ve only had a few times too but have very much enjoyed.
Jenna, I love collards and Conecuh. I am still introducing Alabamians to Conecuh. We grilled the sausage for Memorial Day! With fresh red snapper, you had a winning pair!
Thanks Pam, I was surprised to learn how widely available and popular Conecuh is Pam, my niece in Kansas City can buy it!
I think for Thanksgiving last year (this doesn’t seem right but it was some holiday where it was very weird to eat shrimp and grits instead of a “traditional” food and TG is the only one I can think of!) we had — as mentioned — shrimp and grits. And I decided I’d make something green and southern. Well, I don’t know where I found my collard green recipe but it didn’t sound as good as this and I’m sure it didn’t taste as good. I wasn’t that thrilled. But this actually sounds really pretty darned good and possibly worth another try!
Shrimp and grits sound great for Thanksgiving! I don’t like turkey anyway!!
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Beer on collards? My poor Grandmother would have fainted, dead on the kitchen floor to have the devils’ brew touch God’s gift to the garden!!!! Hahaha! I’m learning just now to cook collards, because I’m very picky about them. I never thought of using the slow cooker, but I like it! You are a collard genius!
😂 I’m sure my recipe will make a lot of collard lovers faint, but I can attest that the guys had seconds and thirds! Must have been the beer!
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What a wonderful idea to make these in the slow cooker and to use the sausage for flavor!
I love collard greens and never made them with sausage…great idea that I will try the next time!
The guys really loved this! >
This looks so good, it’s making my mouth water. :-))
I would never have though of collards and slow cooker in the same though, great idea! Your recipe sounds delish. I have never tried that assuage either, I’ll pick it up next trip to supermarket. Jim loves sausage………
Conecuh is great on the grill, and we use it for a low country shrimp boil too~ thanks Emily! >
We love collards Jenna and just had them last week with leftover pulled pork from Memorial Day! Love the addition of the sausage and your fishermen’s haul 🙂
Hi Jenna,
There is nothing better than a great pot of collards and your recipe looks so good. I wish you lived closer, I would share my garden collard’s with you. Your post is awesome and thanks so much for sharing it with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great day and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
Great recipes! I love dishes which include collards!
Thanks, so easy!! >