Pot Likker Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is pot likker healthy? ›

Pot liquor contains high amounts of essential vitamins and minerals including iron, vitamin A and vitamin C. Especially important is that it contains high amounts of vitamin K, which aids in blood clotting. Another term is collard liquor.

The concentrated liquid left behind after boiling greens or beans maintains roots deep in Southern culture and cooking traditions. Just like with chicken or beef stock, potlikker layers flavors and can be used as a base for everything from soups to gravies to dressings.

Pot liquor! Or potlikker if you prefer, is not only delicious but also VERY nutritious, loaded with vitamin C, vitamin K and iron. Use it for soup, or cook beans in it, make sauce or gravy. Serve it as the first course in a southern inspired meal.

Potlikker (or “pot liquor”) is simple enough to describe—it's the brothy liquid gold left behind after boiling greens and beans—and its roots in Southern culinary traditions and heritage run deep.

They freeze nicely. I always make a bunch just so I will be able to freeze some for the time when they aren't available at the produce stand. I freeze pot likker and all. I usually just pop the contents into a pot, but I see no reason why they wouldn't microwave fine.

From kale to collards to turnips, we've learned to embrace their nutrient-packed bitterness. So here's a tip: When you're cooking up a big pot of greens, don't toss out what may be the most nutritious part — the brothy water that's left in the pot. Lots of the beneficial nutrients cook out of the greens.

Potlikker — the liquid left behind after boiling collards — is loaded with vitamins and minerals. Plus, it's delicious. To say that potlikker is broth is like saying that wedding cake is dessert.

Unfortunately, nutrients are leached out into the cooking liquid that many people pour down the drain.

MSU Extension recommends storing unwashed greens in moist paper towels and placing in sealed plastic bags in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. They will keep about three to four days.

Although juicing collard greens is not super popular, raw collard greens are a great addition to any juice. They are full of calcium, and folate, and are a good source of vitamin K, vitamin C, and vitamin A. Cruciferous vegetables like collards are also known for their anticancer effects.

What is the history of Potlikkers? ›

It was a staple food eaten by enslaved people in the South, often eaten along with baked or fried cornbread either dipped or crumbled into the potlikker. By the early 1850s, potlikker was a mainstay in Southern diets.

Store cooked (and cooled) collard greens in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat on the stove or in increments in the microwave. You can freeze these southern collard greens in zip-top freezer bags for up to 6 months.

Noun. likker (plural likkers) Eye dialect spelling of liquor.

Pot Likker Soup makes a delicious and filling meal. Made of pot likker (or pot liquor), the cooking liquid from collards or turnip greens, along with other vegetables and ham. This soup is Southern comfort all the way!

Historical Significance

Pot liquor was a critical source of nutrition for the large population of rural poor in the American South where the majority of people, usually enslaved African-Americans, indentured servants and poor European immigrants, could afford little more than one-pot meals.

Be sure you know where and when it is safe to use. Avoid cannabis smoke if possible. Cannabis smoke contains tar and toxins. The safest choice is to use a vaporizer—it delivers the THC in mist form instead of smoke.

The vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber found in collard greens provide significant health benefits. Dietary fiber is important for helping maintain your digestive health. The soluble fiber in collard greens can help absorb cholesterol before it makes its way into your bloodstream, lowering your cholesterol levels.

The greens are loaded with vitamin A, calcium, folic acid and other vital nutrients, making them a wonderful choice to add to lunch and dinner entrees. Great Value Collard Greens, 14 oz: No Artificial Flavors Or Colors.