This pot likker (pot liquor) is so yummy and juicy and it’s better than fondue. It’ll make you want to dip everything inside it, including your cornbread.
I’ll never forget the first time I heard the word pot likker.
It came out of my grandfather’s mouth while we were eating lunch. He’d come in from the fields or hunting or wherever retired farmers spend their time, and we were eating some greens for lunch.
As per normal. Duh.
We were dipping our corn bread into the greens and my papa said….
“This is some good pot likker.”
I was like, “Say what?” You know, to a young teenager hearing their grandfather talk about liquor was a tad disconcerting.
Then he explained what it was. The best part of the greens. The salty porky liquid you can dip your corn bread into.
And I so so agree.
Years later, I visited the famous ‘s in Atlanta, and excitedly ordered their popular dish called “ with Cracklin’ “. Wow-weee. Let’s just say these experiences have made me ‘s #1 cheerleader.
Pot Likker (Pot Liquor) You’ll Love
So you can get pot likker from any way you cook your greens.
Here are two recipes for turnips and collards cooked in the Instant Pot that’ll give you the leftover soup you can dip your cornbread into.
Recipes In The Instant Pot
Green Recipes That'll Give You Pot Likker
These instant pot green recipes will give you the best pot likker recipes around.
This turnip recipe will give you pot likker.
So will this flavorful collard green recipe made in the instant pot.
If you’d rather cook your greens on a stove top pot
If you don’t have an Instant Pot and want to cook your greens on the stovetop, here are some basic rules of thumb.
Ingredients
- Oil (flavorless)
- Turnip greens or collard greens
- Stock, broth, or water
- Ham hock (or bacon, salt pork, or your favorite pork)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- Onion
- Garlic
And now, here’s how to get it on stove top.
Directions
- In a large pot on your stove top, put some oil in the bottom of the pot and cook the onions until they soften, around 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook until you can smell it (about a minute or less).
- Add crumbled bacon or ham hock to the pot.
- Put in a pound of greens and, using tongs, get all the greens coated with the onion, garlic, and oil mixture.
- Pour stock over the greens, cover, and cook for around 45 minutes on medium heat until wilted.
- Dish the cooked greens out with a large spoon or soup ladle and enjoy the excess liquid.
Pot Likker from Collard Greens
Ingredients
- 1 lb collard greens or turnip greens
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 8 pieces crumbled bacon (or ham hock or salt pork)
- 3 cups chicken stock or broth
- pinch pepper
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp oil
Instructions
- In a large pot on your stove top, put some oil in the bottom of the pot and cook the onions until they soften, around 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook until you can smell it (about a minute or less).
- Add crumbled bacon or ham hock to the pot.
- Put in a pound of greens and, using tongs, get all the greens coated with the onion, garlic, and oil mixture.
- Pour stock over the greens, cover, and cook for around 45 minutes until wilted.
- Dish the cooked greens out with a large spoon or soup ladle and enjoy the excess pot likker.
Yum! An old favorite. Love it.