In a large stock pot or Dutch-oven (preferred) add 2 tablespoons of bacon grease (or butter or oil) and heat over medium heat. Once melted and hot, add 1 cup of diced onion with a bit of salt and pepper. Sauté the onion over medium to medium-high heat until it starts to turn translucent, about 6-7 minutes.

Add 3-4 cloves of minced garlic and mix, then place the two ham hocks into the pot and give them a short sear for a minute or two. Now add just a bit of the stock, 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper. Stir and allow the seasoning to bloom in the bacon grease for a minute. Adding a few splashes of the stock will help keep the garlic from burning.

After a minute or so, pour in the rest of the 4 cups of chicken stock. You want to cover the pork shanks here, so add more stock or water until they’re just covered. Bring the stock to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer.

Cook at a simmer for 35-45 minutes to start tenderizing the ham hocks. While these are cooking, get to work on the collard greens.

I like to start by removing the stems on collards. Take each leaf and either fold it in half and slice off the stem or lay flat and slice down each side of the stem. The stem tends to go almost all the way to the top of the leaf, just a few inches shy. Removing these first will reduce the total volume of the 3 pounds worth of collards when you wash them.

Fill a very large mixing bowl with water, or alternatively, thoroughly clean your sink with soap and water, rinse completely, and then fill the sink with water. Place the leaves into the water, in batches if necessary, and use your hands to give them a good shake up and down and side to side. Repeat this process with fresh water until you see no dirt or debris at the bottom of the bowl or sink. No need to dry the leaves.

Take a small bundle of leaves, maybe 5-6 at a time, and roll them lengthwise tightly like a cigar. Using a knife, cut the rolled collard greens roughly an inch wide. When the ham hocks have finished simmering, you can remove the lid and start tossing the greens into the pot as you cut them.

Like spinach, collard greens shrink a lot as they cook, so add as many chopped collards as you can at a time. For me, they usually shrank just enough that I could add some, roll and slice some more, and add the next batch as the previous batch shrank just enough. Repeat this process until you use all the collard greens.

Once all the collards have been added to the pot, add 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and stir well to combine. If needed, add a little more water or stock until the greens are just covered.

Bring the mixture to a boil again, stirring frequently. Partially cover the pot and reduce to a simmer once again. Allow the collards to braise in the pot for another 1 ½ - 2 hours.

Check on them occasionally to see how much the liquid has reduced and give it a stir. After at least 1 – 1 ½ hours you can give them a taste with the liquid and adjust the seasoning if needed, adding more salt or red pepper if you want it spicier.

Once they have braised for a good 1 ½ - 2 hours, remove the lid and pull out the ham hocks with tongs. Set them aside for a few minutes until they’re cool enough to handle.

When cool enough, the pork should easily come off the bone. Remove the skin and fat and give the meat a rough chop and then add it back into the pot and stir.

If there is still a good amount of liquid at this point, remove the lid and let it simmer for another 30 minutes and up to an hour. I recommend braising the collard greens for at least 2 hours and up to 3 hours total.

Once fully cooked the collards should be dark green and have a little liquid left, but not soupy. I like to use tongs or a mesh strainer to remove the collard greens from the pot. Reserve the pot liquor and serve the collard greens hot or warm. Serve with a bit of potlikker, vinegar, and/or hot sauce on the side.