Viola Davis' controversial collard greens ingredient is puzzling the internet

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Last night, during the Golden Globes, actress Viola Davis let viewers in on the secret ingredients she uses to make her collard greens. "I use smoked turkey, chicken broth, and my special barbecue sauce," Davis said while recounting an anecdote about Meryl Streep telling her that no collards recipe tastes good unless it has ham hocks. 

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Anyone familiar with the art of making collard greens knows that there are plenty of ways to add rich flavor to the dish, which often features pork. But... BBQ sauce? 

The people of the internet were perplexed by Davis's recipe. 

"I have to say, I've never added BBQ sauce to my collard greens...but I'm intrigued!" Monique Kilgore, author of the cooking blog Divas Can Cook, said in an email. Kilgore has a "Soul Food Collard Greens" recipe on Divas Can Cook that includes a turkey leg, chicken broth and hot sauce. Kilgore wrote that her grandmother used to make collard greens almost every Sunday. 

And yet, the idea of putting BBQ sauce in collard greens doesn't seem outrageous to Kilgore. "I can totally see how BBQ sauce would work in collard greens, especially if it's a southern, vinegar-based BBQ sauce," Kilgore said, explaining she loves the "tang" that vinegar gives collard greens. 

She pointed out that whatever seasoning used, home cooks shouldn't skimp on thoroughly washing the collard greens while prepping them. "All the flavor in the world isn't going to make a difference if they are full of that gritty dirt," Kilgore said. 

No word on what brand of BBQ sauce Davis uses, so proceed with caution, home cooks. 

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