Fill a clean sink or a very large basin with cool water, then stir in the vinegar and salt to make the wash bath. The water should taste lightly seasoned and gives the leaves a better chance to release hidden grit.

Fold each collard leaf in half lengthwise and pull the leafy part away from the thick center stem. The stem should separate cleanly, leaving two large leaf halves ready for washing.

Drop the leaves into the bath and swish them around with your hands, rubbing the textured surfaces as you go. You'll often see sand and soil loosen quickly and drift to the bottom.

Let the greens soak for 15-20 minutes, scrub again halfway through, then drain and repeat with plain water if the bath still looks dirty. Keep going until the water stays mostly clear, then rinse each leaf front and back under cool water so no grit is left behind.

Tear the cleaned leaves into bite-sized pieces and keep them nearby for the pot. The pieces should be easy to scoop and large enough to stay silky rather than shredded.

Warm the olive oil in a large pot and cook the onions until they soften. They should turn tender and smell sweet rather than sharp.

Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook briefly. Once the garlic smells warm and fragrant, move on before it darkens.

Add the chicken broth and smoked turkey leg, then bring the pot up to a boil. The broth will deepen in color as the smoky meat starts flavoring the liquid.

Pile in the collard greens and lower the heat to a gentle simmer. At first the pot will look very full, but the greens will begin to collapse as they soften.

Cover and cook for 1 hour, stirring regularly as the greens braise. By the end, the leaves should shift to a deep forest green and feel tender, not chewy.

Stir the greens well and taste both the broth and the leaves, adding a little water if the liquid tastes too concentrated. The pot likker should taste savory and rounded, not harsh or overly salty.

Mix in the vinegar and season with smoked salt and black pepper if desired. The final broth should taste brighter, with the smoky richness still leading the way.

Serve the greens with pieces of the smoked turkey leg and hot sauce if desired. The meat should pull from the bone easily, which tells you it has fully flavored the pot.