Collards are one of the south's signature vegetables and most folks around here cook them for hours on top of the stove and season them well with fat back or ham hocks.  Some southerners, including my mama, take the stewed collards and drain off the pot liquor, then fry them inside a cast iron frying pan with some fat back grease.

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By all accounts collards can take hours to cook....until now!  The Instant Pot can reduce all that cooking time to just 35 minutes!  Who knew?  This pot has totally changed the way I cook collards and all for the better!

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I use fresh collards for this recipe and they cook up nice and tender in just 35 minutes.  Once they are done, I drain them (just like my mama does) and toss the collards into a cast iron pan to cook for just about five minutes using a little fat back grease; however, this part is totally optional because you can simply eat them right out of the pot with all the delicious pot liquor and tiny bits of ham.  Served alongside homemade corn bread and you have a meal!

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I have one of the larger Instant Pots, so depending on the size you have, adjustments may be made to fit.

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Ingredients

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24 oz chopped fresh collards

2 chicken bouillon cubes

4-5 cups water

4 oz country ham pieces

pinch crushed red pepper