I will readily admit that we eat some strange things here in the South. Today’s dish just might stump every single one of my Southern friends. It’s different. It’s tasty. It’s probably not all that good for you, so proceed with caution if you are watching your cholesterol. I might need to have a disclaimer on my blog about not being responsible for food that could be hazardous to your health. 🙂
If you eat at Cracker Barrel, you will be fine with this one. I’m just not sure how many Southerners have had anything like it.
Grits and tomato gravy.
Oh yeah, we do sawmill gravy too. That white gravy with sausage or bacon grease. This one is totally different.
Ever hear of it?
It might be a one and only family dish for us. My parents BOTH grew up on this stuff, but then again, they are both from Florida, so someone out there just may have had this too. Another one I grew up on. I love this stuff. Served over grits is my favorite way to eat tomato gravy, but we have also been known to have it over biscuits or rice.
OK, so get ready for a weird one. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. 🙂
First, my mom browns up some sausage in one of her black skillets. Leave the sausage drippings in the skillet. I warned you! I’m sure this is pork sausage. Bacon also works just as well. Bacon drippings do the same thing.
Add a tablespoon or 2 of flour into the sausage grease and stir in well.
It makes a roux and will thicken the gravy. Are you salivating yet? OK, maybe not yet.
She uses her quart jars of tomatoes and depending on how much she wants to make, she will pour 1/2 jar or less into the skillet. One whole quart jar would make a ton of gravy. So, if you don’t have homemade canned tomatoes, then just use a small 15 oz. can of diced or chopped from the store canned tomatoes, it should work well too.
Stir it all together and simmer a few minutes. She adds a little salt and pepper and even adds a pinch of sugar sometimes to cut the acidity of the tomatoes. That’s it, just simmer for about 10 min. or so, until it thickens up. That sausage grease is what gives it so much flavor.
It will look like this.
Spoon out some cooked grits and ladle a healthy serving of tomato gravy and it’s a delish meal. It’s great for breakfast, but we are known to eat it for dinner sometimes. I have to admit, I love it!
I mix it up really well with the grits and add an English muffin with homemade strawberry jam.
So, what do you think? Have we lost our minds on this one or have ANY of you ever heard of tomato gravy??
My parents both grew up with their mother’s making it for the family and so did we.
Yum, it’s good!
Anyone brave enough to try this one?? 🙂
I love tomatoes and grits but am not a fan of tomato gravy…I’m from MS so I’ve grown up with it as well…I can eat milk gravy with a spoon though and love to dip my chicken fried steak in it too!! 🙂
You know, I’ve heard of it most of my life, but never tried it. I dunno. It just doesn’t sound very good to me. Tomatoes, yes. Gravy, yes. Together? Not so much.
I’ve got to go visit Patsy Sue Horton Dodd. We have something in common. Middle names and maiden names.
Oh my, yes. I am very familiar with tomato gravy. Made with home canned tomatoes, store bought tomatoes and even fresh tomatoes. Grits are good just about any way you cook them. Great recipe, Rhoda.
Oh we do eat some crazy things, but they are soooooo GOOD!!
Blessings,
Linda
Oh yeah we eat tomato gravy here to just NOT on grits. Never heard of that one before. 🙂 We love tomato gravy!!!! We put it on biscuits or serve it over rice. Been awhile since we had tomato gravy! I might need to make some soon! lol
I haven’t had it in years..now I’m salivating…!! My great-aunts in Alabama made tomato gravy and I love it!! Great comfort food..my granny also made it with fresh stewed tomatoes from her garden..nothing better! Thanks for reminding me …going to have to make some now!!! Happy Thanksgiving!!
Miss Bloomers
Kinda like ketchup … but not so vinegar-y. I’ve got to make it!
I fail every time at making grits (lived almost my whole life in Upper Michigan)… so I’ll try it on something like a pasty.
We have cheese grits, biscuits, and tomato gravy Christmas morning. It is by far my favorite part of the day- with everyone gathered around the table.
I am always telling ppl about how good it is, but they never quite understand! Thanks for sharing!!
Never heard of this one, may have to try it, though! I’m a Georgia girl, but never cared for grits- I know, I know…. Anyway, our family breakfast special growing up was chocolate gravy and biscuits- that was always our treat when spending the night at Nanny’s house- yummmm! I still love it!
I live in SC but I didn’t grow up eating tomato gravy. It was after I moved to the Low Country that I was introduced to tomato gravy. It is delicious and I have not made it in a while, but I think I’m going to make some for dinner tonight!
My mother always made tomato gravy and meat cakes. We are from northeastern Pennsylvania. We had it a lot especially end of summer when there were lots of tomatoes to be used up b4 the first frost. The tomato gravy doesn’t have to be high fat and high calorie. I modified my mothers tomato gravy recipe and it is a very healthy recipe now. Her meatcakes I make with ground turkey breast and it all goes so well with mashed potatoes (made with skim milk and olive oil)
I live in the south but grew up in Pennsylvania. At home we occasionally had tomato gravy but served it over macoroni & cheese and fish. Deee-licious!
It’s a North Alabama thing (or family thing) with us, too. Home canned tomatoes are the best for the recipe for sure!!!
Oh yeah! Grew up on this dish-a Florida baby!!!!
I’m from So. Florida and I never heard of it, but it sure does look good.
My beloved Mamaw made tomato gravy every winter here in Texas. We grew up thinking it was a German thing, though we never ate it at breakfast. Our version is made with tomato paste/sauce and served over white bread and with deer backstrap and mashed potatoes. I think of it every year when my husband goes hunting!
Thanks for sharing!
Carol
antiquetexan.blogspot.com
Oh my gosh…haven’t had grits and tomato gravy in years…but grew up on it in north Florida! (Tallahassee and Monticello) Also, had lots of fun summer days at Wakulla Springs. I lived in Birmingham during my high school and college years…great place…have good friends there. I enjoy your blog and wish you the best!
Tomato gravy is the best.. My grandmother made it for my mother growing up, so my mother made it for me…. Haven’t been brave enough to serve to my children, but i am going to try.. Thanks for sharing…. Going to do the dressing recipe also that you shared on here of your mom’s. I do make it, but it needs to be perfected. I think your mom’s recipe will do that.. Happy Thanksgiving..
Love it! We grew up eating it all the time, generally for supper with biscuits or occasionally cornbread! It was always so good on a cold winter evening. I have to say the grits and tomato gravy was a new one on me.. we ate grits all the time but never with tomato gravy, but how could it be bad!
Rhonda, I was born and raised in Florida so tomato gravy was an everyday meal for us. Since there were nine children, a host of nieces and nephews, and always visitors in the house, my mother would make up a large cast iron skillet of tomato gravy and a pan full of biscuits – and grits on the side. I was always just happy with the gravy and biscuits. I just never learned how to cook but I am going to try your recipe. So happy to see so many southerners out there!!
Brenda