Southern Tomato Gravy
Southern tomato gravy has its roots in Appalachia, where the cold winters require produce to be put up when it's ready. Summer tomatoes in the garden mean canned tomatoes for the winter pantry. Ronni Lundy, one of the founders of the Southern Foodways Alliance and part of the hillbilly diaspora, says that "tomato gravy is a quick winter fix intended to remind you of the sharp tang of the summer garden."
But you don’t have to wait for cold weather to make tomato gravy. Fresh, ripe tomatoes make for tasty gravy, too. Just don’t confuse this with the meaty, long-cooked tomato sauce that some Italian-Americans call gravy. Southern tomato gravy, like most traditional gravies, gets thickened with flour. The ragu dubbed gravy by early immigrants gains viscosity during the hours-long simmer.
Historically made with the flour-thickened drippings from cooked meat, gravy offers some extra flavor from a handful of pantry ingredients. In Appalachia tomato gravy usually started with a dollop of bacon grease from a can on the back of the stove. It made simple foods like cornbread or biscuits taste better. Our version gets even more flavor with the non-traditional addition of celery and jalapeño.
What You'll Need
Ingredients
For the shopping list
- 2 slices of bacon, chopped*
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño, finely chopped (remove the seeds and white membrane for less chile heat)
- 3-4 medium tomatoes, chopped or grated*
- 2 tablespoons of All Purpose flour
- Pinch sugar
- To taste black pepper, freshly ground
- *you can use just bacon fat or olive oil; substitute about 2 cups of canned, crushed tomatoes
Equipment
From the kitchen
- Large Skillet
- 1 Chef's Knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- Measuring Spoons
"Got tomatoes? Make gravy!"
~ Jim Dixon, founder Wellspent and Real Good Food
What you'll have to do
Step 1
Cook the bacon in a bit of olive oil until lightly browned. Add the onion, celery, and pepper with a good pinch of salt and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
Step 2
Add 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for about 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes and a pinch of sugar.
Step 3
Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the gravy gets thick. Taste and add more salt and black pepper as desired.
Shop this recipe
Out of stock
Olive Oil
Novo Frantoio
Tuscany - Italy
Out of stock
Salt, Herbs, & Spices
Italian Fine Sea Salt
Trapani - Sicily
More recipes
Sicilian-style Onion Jam
Add extra flavor to almost anything with Sicilian cipollata, a sweet and sour onion jam.
Maque Choux
This Louisiana classic (pronounced mock shoe) makes a great side dish for any meal.