- 1/2 cup peanut oil
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 to 1 cup water (may add more if roux gets too thick)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (or about 1 1/2 cups diced fresh tomatoes, seeds and all)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- dash red pepper flakes or hot sauce
In large skillet (not cast iron) heat oil, then whisk in the flour. (This is your roux.) Keep whisking over medium heat so oil and flour mixture bubbles a little and thickens. Let the oil and flour cook until it gets thick and starts to get a light yellow color. (If you don’t let it cook long enough and it stays white it will taste like flour.) Whisk in the water now and keep whisking until the roux is nice and creamy thick. If it’s too thick and and seems more like a paste, add more water.
Now, dump in the tomatoes and continue to stir. Let this simmer slowly together for a few minutes, then taste and add the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Some folks like to dice up a little onion and add to the mix in the beginning steps. Some folks like to add milk or broth instead of water. This is the simplest recipe here, so you can tweak it however your little ol’ heart desires! Serve over homemade buttermilk biscuits or anything else you want.
Tomato gravy is always a treat around here. In case anyone is not aware why you don’t make it in your cast iron skillet – the acid from tomatoes will take the “seasoning” right out of your cast iron. There is probably a more universal term than seasoning, I’m from the DDDEEEEEEPPPPPPP south and that’s all I’ve ever heard. It means everything will stick in your skillet just like when it was new.
I’m from the deep south as well and we ALWAYS make this when we cook fried fish. In a little bit of the oil the fish was cooked in fry up a chopped onion and then proceed with the recipe as above. This is served over cooked grits along side hush puppies.
Another Southerner here, and we are big fans of tomato gravy! We serve it over meatloaf and white rice. I sometimes add a squirt or two of ketchup just to give it some extra flavor.
Now I know why mine tasted like red flour. lol
Will this work as well with cornstarch instead of flour?
Kimberly, no, this won’t work right with cornstarch. Cornstarch is for when you want to thicken something and leave it clear – it doesn’t brown and cook the same as flour, nor does it make the same styles of gravy. It is better suited to a gravy along the style of gibblet gravy where you want the sauce more translucent.
This has been one of my favorites since I was a child, and I have made it for my family for years. Great way to use up fresh tomatoes.
My grandma use to use bacon grease, instead of peanut oil. Yummmmm!!
Good recipie but its not “southern style”. Most people make this with bacon grease and they do use a cast iron skillet. The bacon and the tomatos is what really gives it the kick. My granny has used cast iron skillets for all kinds of dishes all my life. Not to say you have to use it but it doesn’t hurt anything if you do. IMO, tomato gravy tastes better in the cast iron.
Yes, thats why Mississippi is one of the fatest states but we sure do eat good.