New Years Collard Greens

made this from a combination of recipes I found. It was my first attempt at making these for our annual "good luck" New Years Day meal. It was a complete thumbs up. Serve with hot or sweet "chow-chow" and you will be in Heaven, Southern Style!!

• Ready In: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 12-15

Ingredients

• 2  bunches  collard greens, washed and cut into pieces, discard middle stems of each green
• 1⁄4 cup white distilled vinegar
• 1⁄3 cup white sugar
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon pepper
• 3 -4  tablespoons bacon fat
• 2 -3  large ham hocks (also you could use a ham bone,pork jowl, 1 pound bacon slices or any other smoked pork product)
• 3  cups water
• 1  large onion, chopped small

Directions

1. Saute your onion in a oversized pot with just bacon fat. Add your smoked pork product and let some of the juices start to flow from it (about 5 minutes worth of cooking).
2. Meanwhile mix water, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper. Pour into pot and stir.
3. Add the greens. Mix up after each handful. Reduce heat as the cooking wilts them.
4. Continue to stir until wilted; then turn to low, cover and let cook for about 1 1/2-2 hours stirring once in a while and tasting to see if you need more salt and pepper.