In Southern and Appalachian cooking, "pot likker" (or "pot liquor") refers to the nutrient-rich, flavorful liquid left after simmering greens such as collards, turnips, mustard, or kale. Often 'sopped up' with cornbread, it’s a beloved staple of Southern cooking.
We used to have a restaurant in town that had the best 'pot liquor' in their greens - I'd drink it from the bowl after all the greens and bacon was gone. I've only known it to be called that.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
We used to have a restaurant in town that had the best 'pot liquor' in their greens - I'd drink it from the bowl after all the greens and bacon was gone. I've only known it to be called that.
Pronunciation
[POT LICK-er]
/ˈpɒt ˌlɪkɚ/
Meaning & Usage
- The liquid left from cooking greens (noun)
At the dinner table
Mae:
Don’t pour out that juice!
Earl:
That’s pot likker - save it for the cornbread.
variations: pot likker
★ "Pot likker" is packed with nutrients and flavor from the greens. Southern cooks traditionally serve it with cornbread for sopping. It’s an example of how nothing goes to waste in Appalachian and Southern kitchens. ★
Origin and Etymology
From the older English word "liquor," meaning simply "liquid." In Southern and Appalachian kitchens, the phrase "pot liquor" came to refer specifically to the cooking liquid from greens. The pronunciation "pot likker" reflects regional speech and appears in Southern cookbooks, oral histories, and foodways throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
Usage Notes
"Pot likker" is central to traditional Southern and Appalachian cooking, especially in households where greens were a staple crop. The liquid concentrates the nutrients, fatback, smoked ham, seasoning, and minerals from the greens, making it prized rather than discarded. Modern recipes sometimes call it "greens broth," but in the South the older name remains culturally significant.
Common with collards, turnip greens, mustard greens, and kale.
Often served with cornbread for soppin’ the last drops.
Used as a base for beans, stews, and soups in mountain kitchens.
Spelled "pot likker" to reflect authentic regional pronunciation.
Both are correct; "pot liquor" is older, while "pot likker" reflects Southern/Appalachian pronunciation.
Is it healthy?
Traditionally considered the most nutritious part of the greens because it holds the vitamins and minerals released during cooking.
What’s it used for?
Sopping with cornbread, drinking straight, or using as a base for soups and beans.
Does every kind of greens make pot likker?
Yes - any long-simmered leafy greens will create it.
How to Cite This Page
APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, December 9). Pot Liquor. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/pot-liquor
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Pot Liquor." HillbillySlang.com, 9 Dec. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/pot-liquor.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Pot Liquor." HillbillySlang.com. December 9, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/pot-liquor.
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Created by a true, actual, proper, real-life hillbilly, HillbillySlang is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more...
We used to have a restaurant in town that had the best 'pot liquor' in their greens - I'd drink it from the bowl after all the greens and bacon was gone. I've only known it to be called that. 
