red eye tomato gravy recipe

Anne story

Anne: My daddy was a good southern country cook. Nothing fancy, just good southern comfort food. Momma was a good cook but being from the back hills of Kentucky, she cooked differently, so daddy did most of the cooking. I’m sure that’s where I got my love for cooking. He taught me how to cook at an early age, and by 10, I was cooking breakfast and supper meals. Everything had a purpose and a story attached. It was either growing up in the depression or the Korean War. Cooking was no different. Many of the things he cooked were what they had available at the time.

One of my favourite dishes was red eye gravy, but I didn’t like it too well as a kid. It was always strong tasting and real salty. Daddy loved tomato gravy, and we had a variation of it quite often. Momma couldn’t make it, she boiled a can of stewed tomatoes, and that’s what it tasted like. She didn’t know how to make red eye gravy either, probably cause she didn’t like it, so daddy made both.

I knew how to make biscuit gravy at an early age, but red eye gravy and tomato gravy intrigued me, and daddy was always telling me why and showing me how. Daddy didn’t have any problem mixing stuff together and making his own concoctions. You just had to know Cecil to understand.

One time he was making red eye gravy, and it wasn’t going to be enough, so he dumped a can of tomatoes in it, and red eye tomato gravy was formed. It was a big hit. Fast forward to the 70’s, I’m grown and married, and we were struggling. I cooked a lot of the same stuff I grew up on. We ate a lot of tomatoes and okra, tomatoes and black eyes, tomatoes and cubed hot dogs…whatever. And if we had baked ham…red eye gravy.

Over the years, I ventured to make dad’s red-eyed tomato gravy, never anything special, kinda.. meh. But fast forward 40 years, and ole Clem has become a decent cook. I understand basic seasonings, how and when to use them. What my two Grannies, my momma, and my daddy taught me how to cook has become of paramount importance to me on many levels. It keeps me connected not only to my past but to them. Some of you won’t understand the significance, but many of you will know exactly what I mean.

So, today, I’m going to share with you Cecil’s red eye tomato gravy recipe. If you try it, let me know how it turns out.

Ingredients:

• Sliced hog jowl
• Whole yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cold coffee
• 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes (sliced or diced)
• Sliced garlic
• 1/4 stick real butter
• Seasoning blend (such as Nature’s seasoning)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large skillet, fry the sliced hog jowl until crispy, ensuring that there is a fair amount of almost burnt residue.
2. Using the bacon drippings, saute the finely chopped onion until softened.
3. Add the minced garlic and saute for another minute.
4. Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the onion and garlic mixture and stir until the flour turns a deep golden brown.
5. Add the cold coffee to the skillet and stir until the mixture starts to thicken.
6. Add the can of fire-roasted tomatoes to the skillet and mix well.
7. Add the sliced garlic, 1/4 stick of real butter, and seasoning blend of your choice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Do not add water, as it will dilute the flavor. If needed, add more tomatoes to achieve the desired consistency.
9. Simmer the mixture to allow the flavors to meld.

For the hot water corn pones, here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

• Martha White cornmeal mix
• Boiling water
• Softened Crisco (or substitute butter or bacon grease)
• Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the Martha White cornmeal mix and a pinch of salt.
2. Add the softened Crisco (or substitute) to the mixture and stir until well combined.
3. Slowly pour in boiling water, stirring continuously, until the mixture forms a thick batter.
4. Drop spoonfuls of the batter into a hot greased skillet or griddle.
5. Cook the corn pones until golden brown on both sides, flipping them once during cooking.
6. Serve hot with butter and syrup or honey, if desired.