In Southern soul food, the flavorful cooking liquid left from simmered greens is called potlikker.
Potlikker, also spelled pot liquor, is the broth remaining after greens such as collards, turnip greens, or mustard greens have been cooked. It absorbs flavor and nutrients from the vegetables, seasonings, and often smoked pork used in the pot. Traditionally, people may drink it directly or eat it with cornbread.
The term describes a liquid, not a particular vegetable or sauce recipe. Potlikker is therefore different from gravy, which is usually thickened and served over food. The dish is especially associated with Southern rural cooking, where cooks valued using every part of available ingredients and treated the cooking broth as food rather than waste.