Put the smoked turkey in a large pot with 8 cups water. Add the onions, black pepper, sugar, and onion soup mix, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, skimming off any foam from the top of the pot.

Meanwhile, use a sharp paring knife to cut the leaves off the stems of the collard greens and wash them well to remove any dirt or grit. Layer 3 or 4 leaves together, roll up them up like a cigar, then slice the roll along the short side into 1-inch pieces. Repeat until all the greens are cut up. Chop up 1 cup of the most tender stems. Add them all to the pot.

Simmer the greens for about 1 ½ hours, until very tender. Stir in the bacon grease and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Sea­son with salt if needed, but the smoked meat may well be salty enough. Serve as a side dish.