REC~~Vicki's Southern Tomato Gravy

Was sharing this with a friend who had it at my house and wanted the recipe, so I thought I'd share it with you, also. I like to serve this when I have a smoked ham, because the ham drippings makes the very best gravy. It's great with rice or buttermilk biscuits. Hope you enjoy!

Vicki's Southern Tomato Gravy
1 16 oz. can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand in skillet
1 16 oz can diced tomatoes
3-4 TB dark broth from smoked ham or
3 TB bacon drippings
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
green onions, both green and white parts, sliced or 1 med. sweet onion

Add ham broth(or bacon drippings) to skillet--brown onion, then add both cans of tomatoes, crushing the whole tomatoes carefully with your hand, or in a blender. You can also puree the diced tomatoes if you wish, but we like them as they are.
Simmer the tomatoe gravy for 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. We like lots of freshly ground pepper with this. Some like to add flour to thicken, but this isn't the way most "old-time" southerners do, lol. This just gets better the next day...love a ham biscuit with the tomato gravy!!
♥Vicki

Vicki thanks for posting this recipe. It sounds really good

Toni

I absolutely love this on biscuits!

Star, That makes too of us, I always associate tomato Gravy with pasta.

Now this is going to sound like a dumb question, is this served like chipped beef which I serve over toast or biscuits?

What else would you serve with this?

Thanks so much Vicki, You are contributing some very different and unusual recipes. ~Janie~

Toni, you are most welcome!

Maddy, Amen! I grew up on this stuff, except my Mother canned her own tomatoes. She didn't add the ham broth or green tomatoes, though, which to me makes it, and which always wins raves for me.

Star, yes, it is acceptable with the bacon drippings as long as you are using a good quality smoked bacon, and you don't burn the drippings. Many people make this mistake of frying their bacon on too high of heat, and then it won't flavor the gravy properly. However, the dark, rich ham broth really gives it the best flavor, pared with the green onion and lots of fresh pepper...that really puts this over the top(and is my secret to what many say is the best they've had). I grew up on the bacon version though, lol.

Janie, my friend, it is really up to you, but I always serve it with white rice, to top it just as you would any gravy. And I always have buttermilk biscuits to serve with it also--and yes, I split my biscuit, and ladle the gravy right over it, lol. It is great with ham or pork roasts, and I usually have greens or green beans, or baby limas with it. I'm glad you are interested in what I'm posting, and hope you enjoy this if you try it! Big southern hugs to you all!
♥Vicki

In my comment to Maddy, I meant green onions, not tomatoes, although I love a good fried green tomato!! Going for that first cup of coffee now, but it probably won't help, lol...can't seem to type lately!

Thanks Vicki for your fast response. I will give this one a try. The fresh Jersey Tomatoes will be in soon ~Janie~

Vicki, thanks for your recipe. I was raised eating canned tomatoes on white rice, but have never thought about making them into a gravy. I'll definitely be trying your recipe.

Vicki,thank you so much for sharing this recipe.It looks delicious. I love Southern cooking.
Rosie

Janie, Jerusha3, & Rosie,
You ae all most welcome!! We southerners love our "mater gravy", lol, and I hope you enjoy it if you try it. Take care! ♥Vicki

bump

Thanks Vicki:
I am realy going to try this,I love tomato'sI think it would be realy good on rice,
Ada

Vicki,
this is something I grow up on along the way my mom did it is different she would put a pork roast in the oven then pour purred(?) tomatoes over the roast and bake it then take the roast out and then make the gravy very good meal
roxie in oh

Ada,
I hope you enjoy it if you try it! It is amazingly simple to have such great,(IMHO)flavor. The friend I mentioned who wanted my recipe runs a restaurant here, so I was very flattered, but the hightest praise I got was when my daughter wanted to bring her bf home for dinner, and of all the many things I make...she said, "Mom, please, please make some tomato gravy." Sometimes it's the simplest dishes that leaves the greatest impressions, lol. Hugs to you, Vicki

Roxie,
that does sound good, too!! I've smothered pork chops with it too...so many ways of using it....my favorite is with ham biscuits though, dipped in the gravy, with a little grated cheddar melted over it, lolol! Hugs to you, my friend! Vicki