2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons bacon drippings
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Water
Dash of sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Add flour to hot bacon drippings and cook for 2 to 3 minutes while stirring steadily. Season to taste with salt and pepper as the mixture cooks. Stir in tomatoes and add dash of sugar. Cover over low heat until mixture thickens. Depending on how juicy the tomatoes are, water may need to be added to thin the gravy to the desired consistency. This recipe is a favorite summer breakfast item in many parts of the Appalachians.
TIP: Canned tomatoes may also be used. A variation is to sauté diced onion in the bacon drippings before adding the tomatoes.
TP
—Celebrating Southern Appalachian Food written by Jim Casada and Tipper Pressley
I did not grow up eating tomato gravy, in fact I had never even heard of it till I started writing this blog. I’m sure glad folks told me about it because we just love it.
I’ve always thought tomatoes go well with breakfast, especially biscuits and eggs, but I didn’t grow up eating them with breakfast.
Back in the day when I worked at Lake Logan one of the perks of being employed there was getting to eat meals in the kitchen.
Us boathouse attendants would go in the backdoor of the kitchen and get a plate and take it back to the boathouse to eat and then return the dishes later on. Funny how smells come immediately to mind. Just typing about the backdoor to the kitchen immediately brought the smell to my brain and the face of Mary Ann who managed the kitchen to my eyes.
One of my cousins would always get a slice of tomato to eat with her fried egg, bacon, and biscuit. One day I decided to do that too and realized the flavors go so well together.
My brother Steve spoke with our aunt who lives close to Lake Logan. She and her family are okay, but many in that area have lost not only their homes but their lives. Please continue to pray for all those suffering and those giving aid in many various ways. *Edited to say: And please pray for Florida which is about to get hit with another hurricane.
Last night’s video: Mowing, Planting, & Helene Power Outages.
Tipper
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I grew up eating tomato gravy for breakfast, especially in summer when we had more time in the mornings. Fresh garden tomatoes or home-canned were used. Daddy always made it, he added milk to his.
We had biscuits to crumble but we wanted to eat them with butter and jelly. We most often put chunks of light bread in our bowl and put the gravy over that.
When any of us went down home and stayed overnight Daddy always fixed tomato gravy for us as long as he was able.
Yes, ma’am. Mama made “mater gravy” a lot. Of course, I didn’t care for it then, like I do now. Thanks for sharing! Still praying for the folks out west – saw some of the damage last week. So sad! 🙁 God Bless them all!
We have relatives and friends in Florida in the predicted path of Hilton. There is still water and debris all around some of them from the last storm.
I like a couple of slices of tomato with my biscuits and gravy. Notice I typed biscuits. My wife tries to limit me to one biscuit. She’s a hard woman to live with sometimes. I’ve endured 60 years with her so I guess I’ll keep her awhile longer in spite of her rules.
My mom made tomato gravy and milk gravy all the time with biscuits. Nothing beats homemade gravies, and homemade biscuits for that matter. Sadly, I don’t do well with making homemade gravy, but my brother does. I guess he just has the knack for it. He cooks very similar to how my mom cooked, and it’s always a treat to eat at his house. I feel like it brings me closer to my mom, who’s been gone almost 25 years this Dec.
Continuing to pray for everyone affected by Helene and now praying for FL.
My mother made what she called “thickened tomatoes”. At the time I wouldn’t eat it so I wasn’t interested in how it was made. I do remember her stirring cold milk into flour then pouring the slurry into a pan of bubbling tomatoes. I don’t know if she used bacon drippings but I know she kept them handy.
I was a child then but I am far past that now. I eat many other things I loathed as a child. I think its time I tried tomato gravy, don’t you?
Howdo Tipper and all. Tomato gravy is wonderful. It also reminds me of stewed tomatoes. Grandma, mom and I have made them over the years. It’s very easy. Take a quart of can tomatoes. Make sure they are squished up good. Put them in a baking dish. Drop bread crumbs (break up light bread into small pieces) into tomatoes, about 3/4 quart. Take a spoon and mash the bread in the tomatoes. Dopple with butter and sugar to taste. Bake in the oven about half hour on 350°. It should come out like tomato pudding. It’s so good. Most of us along the New River in Galax/Fries area now have power. We are so blessed and thankful for the power company folks and the linemen and volunteers that have helped us get back on our feet. The upper side of Grayson county is still struggling. Please continue to pray for them. So much to pray for but thank you in advance.
Yes, pray for us in Florida. We are right in Milton’s path, as we all continue praying for the devastation there!
Hi Tipper and family, Sure love y’all. Never had nor prepared tomato gravy. It sounds delicious. Love to eat breaded or stewed tomatoes as a side dish for dinner, supper or whatever meal, also love it with cottage cheese for my main dish or even a side. Easy and quick to prepare. If I do the stewed/breaded dish, besides adding a bit of sugar, I’ll put a dash of apple cider vinegar. Can’t hardly tell you what that does but on my taste buds it’s delicious too. Y’all, thanks for all you are doing for the storm people, no matter what they do. Your rewards in Heaven will be beyond imagination. God bless y’all today, tomorrow and always. I am continuing in prayer always, Jennifer, South Mississippi. ♥️♥️♥️
We had tomato gravy pretty often but Mama made it with tomato juice but no tomatoes. Mama made the big cathead biscuits and they were so good with the gravy or with butter and a slice of tomato or jam and butter. My brothers would eat biscuits cold with catsup and my son likes it too. My whole family loves tomatoes and we would have them at every meal when they were in season. So sad for the storm victims but hopefully help will get to everyone soon.
I know my husband will love this and so will my daughter. I haven’t made it before but I will try it. I love when you put recipes on here cause I do save them even though I have your wonderful cook book to.
Not a gravy fan myself but hubs loves sausage gravy and biscuits and my dad loved red-eye gravy and other kinds!
So amazing how you are using your platforms to help with relief!!! If not for survivors, the victims would have no relief.
I love tomatoes but have never eaten tomato gravy.
Tipper, I have certainly been praying and will continue for all those areas affected by Helene. Our state Disaster Relief team is assisting South Carolina Disaster Relief with shower/laundry, clean up and recovery, and feeding. They are working out of Spartanburg, SC. Our pastor says Craig Campbell is on site and we are praying for all the people there and other areas affected.
My grandma made tomato gravy. She would make the gravy, pour it over biscuits and fry some fatback to go with it. I remember how good it was. I have never made it but just thinking about it sure takes me back to my youth.
Some of the members of my home church went up to Cragmont in Black Mountain, NC to help with serving meals to the storm victims and workers. Some folks from Louisiana brought equipment in for food prep and they served or sent out 6,000 meals for a few days to try to help. I can’t even imagine but I saw the video and it was wonderful to see folks coming together. Let’s all keep praying and doing whatever we can to help. It is so appreciated.
Gloria, I have said this before, my favorite breakfast of all is homemade biscuits, fried fatback and milk gravy made using the fatback grease. My family called this gravy “hunky doo” gravy. A good slice of home grown cantaloupe to go along with it and it would be hog Heaven and I would be the hog. We ate this several times a week year round (except for the cantaloupe) when I was growing up. Back then we never ate cereal or toast, the loaf was saved to make sandwiches for Daddy to carry to work and cereal was too expensive. We had our own 500lb or more hog we would butcher each year along about Thanksgiving, making this a cheap breakfast.
I’ve had mater gravy before and I love it! My paternal great aunt made the best!!!!!! I’ve not tried my hand at it tho. I made chocolate gravy over the weekend. It was my paternal grandmother’s recipe. And boy was it yummy!!!
Mom made tomato gravy but it was different than your recipe. She used bacon grease to brown the chopped tomatoes lightly breaded with flour before adding milk to make a thick creamy gravy. I don’t think she ever sweetened the tomato gravy. I love to slice a big tomato to eat with my breakfast of scrambled eggs and grits.
I see pictures and videos of the damage caused by the hurricane and can’t imagine what it looks like in the eyes of the residents. God bless them all!
Miller Gravy comes from my family in Indiana:
2 large ripe tomatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tblsp sugar
salt and pepper.
Stir and let sit .
Serve over boiled red potatoes. Heaven, but with all that nightshade family, it does make the arthritis kick up a bit.
Growing up we had tomato gravy with biscuits and ham. It was so good.
I’m in SW Fl and we are trying to prepare for what looks to be another devastating hurricane. Most of our coastal families are just now recovering from Ian and Helene. Please keep us all down here in prayer.
I’ve never had tomato gravy. I do eat tomato slice on my biscuit, egg and whatever meat I’ve made to go with it to make a breakfast biscuit.
Hmmm what’s the line between tomato gravy and tomato sauce? And how much does it matter, I wonder. A silver lining in the present cloud of trouble is the caring and the helping becoming visible. I write it that way because it is always there but usually is behind the scenes; doesn’t make dramatic news like catastrophe. And the world does not know how much it is upheld by prayers.
Tomato gravy was common in our part of Eastern Kentucky; however, sliced tomatoes with breakfast was pretty much a staple in our home. So many great memories of breakfast with my grandpa when there were only the two of us on the farm. And certainly, special memories when I went downstairs to eat and it was fresh biscuits, white gravy, sliced tomatoes, and fried chicken …… how I miss those times!
Love tomato gravy! My grandmother often made it for Sunday supper when we would often have an all vegetable meal. Rice, field or lady peas, cornbread or biscuits and tomato gravy!
Continuing to pray for the people, workers and volunteers in the affected areas.
My mama used to make this but she added milk instead of water and she poured it over elbow macaroni. I never cared for it with the macaroni, but my mama loves it this way. I love tomatoes and think I would like it with water so you could taste the tomatoes better. When we have good tomatoes, I always slice one up for breakfast with my Hubby’s eggs and toast. I also just love a big, thick slice on a biscuit with butter. Now that’s a yummy breakfast to me! Continued prayers for everyone! Hope everyone stays safe today.
I stated in another issue of “Blind Pig and the Acorn” that I had never heard of tomato gravy. I spoke to my mother after that and asked her if she had ever heard of it. She said her sister’s husband used to make it, but she didn’t care for it. My uncle was from West Virginia. I like tomato soup with toasted cheese sandwiches, and I like fresh tomatoes, but my two youngest children do not like tomatoes in any form. I enjoyed watching your video last evening. Sad to see our gardens and foliage dying off. Prayers are still going up for everyone affected by Hurricane Helene.
Didn’t grow up eating tomato gravy, but I can relate to what you mean about smells. When my family was building our house on Eagles Nest Mountain, we spent some time at the Piedmont Hotel and cabins in Waynesville, NC. In the summers, they’d hire students from Western Carolina to wait tables, clean rooms, and such. Oh, the food they’d fix and the smells that permeated the whole area! I can still smell the bacon and sausages and the butter! The Piedmont is gone now (replaced by a whole crowd of golf condos) as is our house on the mountain (burnt into the ground), but the memories of the smell of ground, moss, and giant ivy covered in morning dew and the smells of cooking and baking coming from the Piedmont kitchen make me smile and tear up to this day.
We tried it recently after watching your video and it was good, but we both decided we like biscuit gravy better. We like a slice of tomato on the side, though!
Well, here we go again. Milton is knocking on our door and it will barge on in on Wednesday. But, we will be ready for it . To us misplaced mountain people, we endure every year about this time. We never get used to it because no two storms are alike. We get alert every time the weather person tells us there is something brewing of the coast of Africa or in the gulf. Most folks look forward to Halloween and Thanksgiving We do too, but we also know that this is also know this is hurricane season till the end of November.
By the way, Debbie . If tomatoes tasted like dirt , I’d eat dirt by the spoon full.
Wingmender-I am praying for you all!!
i hate to hear you being teased about that. it could possibly be hereditary. a lot of people think cilantro tastes like soap. i like cilantro and my twin sister does not….genes must have gotten twisted !!!
my mother used to “extend” canned spaghetti sauce with flour, i just now realized where she got that from! i grew up putting flour in my spaghetti sauce until somebody pointed out it was awful…
I have never heard of tomato gravy. As a kid I would go out to the garden in the morning, get a tomato and eat it on the porch. Great breakfast food!
I’ve never had tomato gravy but it does sound tasty. Occasionally I’ll order sliced tomatoes as a side when eating breakfast out. You’re right, they do pair well with breakfast.
Prayers continue for those impacted by the storm.
I have never heard of tomato gravy or ate tomatoes at breakfast. Even though things are pretty much back to normal for me, it is hard for me to be real happy when I think of the ones that still do not have their power back on or have damage to their homes. The destruction in NC is more than my mind can comprehend. I know there are more areas than NC. I can only pray, but want to do more. Now Milton is going to hit Florida, as I commented yesterday, one email friend and member of the BP&A and probably more are in the path of this Hurricane. I am and will continue to pray for all of the ones that are suffering because of these Hurricanes.
Thanks for all prayers and concern from our BP&A friends. We’ve invited several family members and neighbors to hunker down with us as Milton does his thing Wednesday and Thursday. They will bring their pets, too, of course. I”ll grill some burgers in advance. Trees might fall but none should hit our place. I decided to forgo sandbags for the entry doors. I can’t lift and load them, much less unload and place them.
Gene-I am praying for you and your neighbors!!
I’ve not tried tomato gravy but imagine I would like it. Your video last night was so enjoyable. I hope your new plantings do well. I’m continuing in prayer for all of the Hurricane victims! My heart breaks for them. I’m praying for all who are helping. God bless you and yours❤❤
My Grandmother made the best tomato gravy when I was growing up. It was delicious! We had it either at breakfast or supper. Instead of water, she used milk which made a very creamy and delicious gravy. Sometimes she would make sausage patties in the same iron skillet she used for gravy making. When the patties were done, she set them aside and sautéd up some scallions and sweet Vidalia onions in the sausage grease. Then she would brown the flour until it smelled like roasted nuts, pour in the milk and stir like crazy. Once the gravy was smooth as silk, she added the tomatoes. And yes, she also added a little sugar – which she added to all of her tomato sauces. We either had it over biscuits or cornbread and sometimes, just over toasted bread. It was a delicious and hearty way to start and/or end the day.
I grew up eating tomato gravy. We would eat it over rice with some form of fried meat. SO good!!!
Continuing to pray for all affected by Helene.
I have been teased all my life because I don’t like tomatoes. They taste like dirt smells to me. I make and eat wonderful things from them. I make our own ketchup, salsa, spaghetti sauce, chili sauce, and pizza sauce, and even tomato soup….but still cannot eat a tomato. I try every year..and still the same, dirt. I have heard of tomato gravy, but never eaten it. I’m just not sure about that. Lol
Many continued prayers for our Appalachian communities. It’s so very hard to see the utter devastation and not cry your eyes out. One cannot wrap their minds around it. Thank you for all you do Tipper and family!
May the Lord bring comfort to the broken hearts!