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Printable recipe below! Y'all have been asking for a tomato gravy recipe, and today we're making it happen! This video shows you how to make a classic, homemade tomato gravy, perfect for topping biscuits, rice, or cornbread. And we're pairing it with a grilled cheese sandwich.
Used in this video:
Blackstone griddle: https://blackstoneproducts.com/products/iron-forged-36-griddle-airfryer-combo
DJI Mic 2 https://amzn.to/4ewAHAw
Cowboy Hat: Chazhatz.com
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Printable Recipes:
https://kentrollins.com/blogs/cast-iron/perfect-grilled-cheese
https://kentrollins.com/blogs/vegetables/tomato-gravy
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0:00
Y'all been wearing me out about making
0:03
some tomato gravy.
0:07
Y'all be telling me, "Come up with a
0:08
recipe, Cowboy Kent. We need some tomato
0:11
gravy. We put it over them cat head
0:13
biscuits that you make in that video."
0:15
I've even had people tell me they pour
0:16
it over rice. [music]
0:17
They pour it over cornbread. But, I'm
0:19
thinking if I'm going to make tomato
0:21
gravy and I'm going to cowboy it up, I'm
0:23
going to think [music] it.
0:24
Tomato gravy is sort of like tomato
0:27
soup. And what goes best with tomato
0:29
soup? A grilled cheese sandwich.
0:32
Did someone say cheese?
0:35
>> Yes, ma'am. Grilled cheese. Hey.
0:38
I happen to be a cheese connoisseur.
0:40
>> Yes, ma'am. You are.
0:41
>> I heard grilled cheese and I've got some
0:43
tips for you, Kent, to make the best
0:45
grilled cheese ever. And we've got our
0:46
griddle here. We'll be making it up
0:48
today with your tomato gravy.
1:02
>> [music]
1:10
>> So, before we go any further, I just
1:12
wanted to take a second and read a
1:13
letter that we got from a fan.
1:15
>> There we go.
1:16
Kent, I hope you and Chantel are doing
1:18
great. I recently watched your chicken
1:20
pot pie video and really enjoyed how you
1:21
incorporated the quiz. It was such a fun
1:24
and engaging touch. I teach 7th to 9th
1:27
grade students with multiple
1:28
disabilities or as I like to say
1:30
different [music] abilities. We're
1:32
always looking for me meaningful,
1:33
calming, and engaging ways to support
1:35
our students. One of my students is
1:37
non-verbal and can sometimes hurt
1:38
herself when she becomes frustrated.
1:40
[music] We've discovered that your
1:41
videos have a wonderful calming effect
1:44
on her. It's been such a gift to see how
1:46
quickly she settles down watching them.
1:48
>> [music]
1:48
>> Adding the quizzes is an even bigger
1:50
blessing. It allows me to give her
1:52
regulated and engaged to keep her
1:54
regulated and engaged while also giving
1:56
me a natural way to assess participation
1:59
and learning with all students. Thank
2:01
you for creating content that's not only
2:02
enjoyable but genuinely helpful in ways
2:05
you probably never imagined. You're
2:06
making a real difference in our
2:08
classroom. Sincerely, Jamie. [music]
2:11
Good.
2:13
Uh
2:14
Thanks, Darlene, so much. I always tell
2:17
you folks, you never know who you're
2:19
going to reach. So, always make sure
2:21
you're reaching out the best you have to
2:23
give to them. Yes, [music] and for all
2:24
of you who are working hard and thinking
2:27
that you're not being acknowledged,
2:29
teachers, doctors, nurses, truck
2:31
drivers, wherever you're at, you're
2:33
doing a good job. Keep doing what you're
2:35
doing because you never know Yeah. how
2:37
it's going to help somebody.
2:38
>> That's right. So,
2:40
back by popular demand
2:42
>> is our cowboy cooking quiz.
2:44
And remember, we'll reveal the answers
2:47
at the end of the show.
2:50
>> [music]
2:51
>> What was the name of the cook's helper
2:53
on the trail?
2:55
Was it
2:56
Little Mary?
2:57
Sue Chef?
2:59
Ted?
3:00
Prep cook tomato gravy. Now,
3:04
there's this and there's this.
3:06
Now, I'm going to always go with this,
3:08
but better than this is what?
3:11
Home grown right out of the garden. You
3:13
know, for years and years when I was
3:14
little, I'd hear old women in the
3:17
kitchen or some old timers saying, "Boy,
3:19
I like me some mater gravy." And I'm
3:21
thinking, "Why would you want to eat
3:23
mater gravy?"
3:24
Well, I think as time progressed and
3:26
went on through there, and there was a
3:27
lot of gardens in my country at the
3:29
time, there's nothing better than going
3:31
out there and just picking you a fresh
3:33
grown tomato. First thing we got to do,
3:36
we got us a cast iron skillet over there
3:38
heating on that Blackstone. We just need
3:41
to take the core out of this, but you
3:43
want to make sure it's good and ripe. I
3:44
bought these at the grocery store, let
3:46
them sit out there on the counter about
3:47
5 days I did to even soften up some
3:50
more. So,
3:51
I really think beefsteak maters is the
3:53
best. Handy dandy hash knife, Duke. Is
3:56
that all right with you? Just cut them
3:57
in half. We just got to make these into
3:59
bite-size pieces.
4:01
However you want to do that.
4:04
Because they're not going to end up that
4:05
way. I just need them that way in the
4:07
skillet to start with.
4:16
Well, fry [music] me up six pieces of
4:18
bacon. Might have been five, I didn't
4:19
count them, but the more the merrier.
4:21
But, save that bacon grease. If you do
4:23
them in the house in the skillet, just
4:24
save it cuz we've got to have it two
4:26
times in this recipe. And I got me some
4:28
butter. I'm going to meet y'all over at
4:30
the Blackstone. We going to get after
4:31
it.
4:36
Skillet is hot.
4:38
We're going to add some butter.
4:41
Remember that bacon grease I told you
4:43
think about saving?
4:44
We're going to add a little of it in
4:45
here with it.
4:47
I'd say about that much. And I know a
4:49
lot of you are already thinking in your
4:51
little brain,
4:54
"Tomatoes,
4:55
acid, cast iron. Oh my gosh, he's
4:59
messing up." This skillet's nearly as
5:01
old as I am, okay? Might even be a
5:02
little bit older. This thing is well
5:04
seasoned. If you have well seasoned cast
5:06
iron, I've never had no problem with it.
5:09
But, make sure after you cook anything
5:11
acidic in cast iron, you clean it really
5:13
well, you dry it really well, and you
5:15
re-season every trip, every time.
5:22
When I was doing a little research on
5:24
tomato gravy,
5:26
there was even some folks said they
5:27
would cook these for a little while and
5:28
then run them through the blender. But,
5:30
I like them little bits of tomato left
5:32
in my gravy when I'm in there. So, we're
5:34
going to stir them around till they get
5:36
pretty softened.
5:37
And then we're going to take out that
5:39
magical tool that everybody loves to
5:40
drag out of the kitchen from one time to
5:42
the other. A tater masher, come mater
5:44
masher today it did. So, no seasoning on
5:47
them, no nothing yet. Cook them down.
5:50
Probably take 4 to 5 minutes to get them
5:51
good and tender. We'll give them a good
5:53
mashing. We'll be good to go.
6:08
So, when you're cooking these and you
6:09
got your tater masher in there,
6:11
you make them whatever size you want it
6:14
to be. If you want to over rise them to
6:15
where it's pure white, you do that. I
6:17
like to leave mine where the texture is
6:19
a little bit bigger pieces. I like to
6:21
see them in that gravy. Next,
6:24
sorry Mage, but them is going in the
6:25
bacon, buddy.
6:27
Whoop, that piece fell. Can you handle
6:29
that?
6:29
>> [clears throat]
6:30
>> He said, "I got you, Dad. I can do it."
6:32
Give that a stir. Make sure it is
6:34
incorporated well.
6:36
In go some garlic. And I like to mix
6:38
this around a little bit. Don't eat up
6:40
in the same spot every time. A little
6:42
coarse ground black pepper.
6:44
Some of our original seasoning because I
6:46
really like this on homegrown tomatoes.
6:48
It's got a little citrus base to it
6:50
there. So, it's just going to bring out
6:52
some more flavor in there.
6:55
This is the base
6:57
for tomato gravy.
7:00
But, if you're making gravy, what's one
7:01
thing you got to have and it's spelled r
7:04
o u x? Hyphenated.
7:06
>> that's not Wait, is that how you spell
7:08
it?
7:08
>> Roux.
7:09
r o u x? I thought there was an e in
7:10
there. No? After we're going to ask the
7:12
viewers.
7:13
>> [laughter]
7:14
>> I mean, I have no dictionary and you
7:16
know me, Shannon.
7:18
So,
7:19
you can let that simmer along there
7:20
maybe like 2 minutes and just set it
7:22
aside. Grab you another skillet. It's
7:25
time to make the roux, however you spell
7:27
it.
7:39
What was the item that was used to carry
7:41
[music] on the wagon.
7:42
Canopy.
7:44
Possum belly, boot, hanger.
7:48
What made lard superior to butter on the
7:50
trail? [music]
7:52
Higher smoke point?
7:53
Easier to churn?
7:55
It didn't spoil as quickly?
7:57
Or it was sweeter? Tomato gravy didn't
8:00
just appear [music] out of nowhere. It
8:01
grew out of two older traditions coming
8:03
together. European gravy making and
8:06
early American tomato growing. By the
8:08
early to mid-1800s, gravies were already
8:11
common in American kitchens. Cooks knew
8:13
how to make a roux with fat and flour.
8:15
In the 1800s, tomatoes become one of the
8:18
easiest crops for families to grow,
8:20
especially in the South and Midwest.
8:22
[music]
8:23
They could be canned at home and once
8:24
tomatoes become shelf stable, they
8:26
started showing up in everyday cooking.
8:28
Tomato gravy likely took shape in
8:30
working-class kitchens where meat wasn't
8:32
always available. Instead of drippings
8:34
from beef or pork, cooks used bacon
8:36
grease or whatever fat they had,
8:38
thickened it with flour, and [music]
8:40
stretched it with tomatoes. By the late
8:42
1800s and early 1900s, versions of
8:45
tomato gravy were showing up across the
8:47
South, often served over biscuits,
8:49
cornbread, rice, [music] or alongside
8:52
simple sandwiches. It also became
8:54
popular during the Depression because
8:56
canned tomatoes were affordable. Bacon
8:58
grease was saved and flour was always on
9:01
hand. Recipes for gravy were passed down
9:03
by watching, [music] tasting, and
9:05
adjusting, which is why no two families
9:07
ever made it the same.
9:12
>> [music]
9:14
>> Hey, before you put anything in that
9:16
skillet, I just want everyone to look
9:17
and I'll pop it up on screen. There's a
9:19
really cool shot
9:20
of the skillet and the flag is um
9:23
reflecting in it. Hey, I didn't get to
9:25
see that. My gosh, and that is probably
9:27
one of the best things I ever seen.
9:29
We're going to make us a roux. Them are
9:31
just sitting over here minding their
9:32
business, thematers. So, we're going to
9:34
sprinkle in a little flour gradually.
9:37
Make sure your spatula has some kind of
9:39
holes in it right here like this.
9:41
That is what you call a anti anti It's
9:44
what you call a anti gravy lumping
9:47
machine. If you think your gravy might
9:49
have some lumps in it, get you one of
9:50
these spatulas and it'll stir out them
9:53
lumps cuz you keep mashing, keep
9:55
stirring.
9:56
Gravy needs to be its own food group
9:58
every day.
10:00
Now, most gravies at this point, where
10:02
would we go?
10:04
Cream, milk, canned milk, something like
10:06
that. Not here because I don't want to
10:08
make this like a a cream white gravy. I
10:11
want to give it some of that red color
10:13
that them maters have here. So, first
10:15
going in some chicken broth.
10:19
And we'll keep stirring.
10:22
Let it come back to a good simmer or a
10:24
boil. Things will thicken up, I promise
10:26
you.
10:30
Gravy's probably the easiest thing in
10:32
the world to make
10:34
as long as you keep your heat regulated,
10:36
but also
10:38
you stir it well.
10:40
And it doesn't take as much flour as you
10:43
think it does when you're going to make
10:44
a roux or something like that. You can
10:46
see how this is thickened up pretty
10:48
nicely already.
10:50
You can use regular salt pepper if you
10:52
want. Me, I'm going to stick with this
10:54
original because it has took place of
10:55
salt pepper in our house.
10:58
Give it a little shaking.
10:59
A lot of people use quite a bit of green
11:03
green. Is that something you can use?
11:05
No, cream.
11:07
In tomato gravy. Me, I'm just going to
11:09
keep it a splash because I'm still
11:12
wanting that reddish color. Oh, this
11:14
one's got a child proof label on it to
11:16
come out in my gravy. So, I'm not going
11:19
to add much and if we have to thin,
11:21
we'll go back with chicken broth.
11:24
We are real close to having a a finished
11:27
product here. Oh my gosh.
11:32
So, we're fixing to do that magic act.
11:34
We are.
11:36
Where we take this pot holder
11:38
and we move this one right here.
11:41
We move this one
11:43
right there.
11:45
In goes the gravy.
11:49
Don't this look good, Mage?
11:52
I mean, it smells amazing.
11:53
>> It is so good. If you've never made
11:56
this, folks, I'm thinking this is going
11:58
to get in your routine and you're going
11:59
to have it a lot of mornings for
12:01
breakfast.
12:03
So, when you get that in there,
12:05
get it all stirred up. We're going to
12:07
let this simmer just a minute. We'll
12:09
taste it and see if it needs any more
12:10
seasoning.
12:12
Then we're going to get the cheese
12:13
connoisseur in here and see if she can
12:14
make us a grilled cheese worthy of our
12:16
tomato gravy.
12:18
>> [music]
12:24
[music]
12:27
>> Why were cow patties sometimes used for
12:29
fuel? They burned hotter than oak. They
12:32
produced little smoke. Wood was scarce
12:34
on the plains. They flavored the food.
12:41
Thanks.
12:43
Thanks so much for letting me be in your
12:44
kitchen. Well, I'm proud and honored
12:47
that you're going to make the grilled
12:48
cheese today. And I know you do love a
12:51
grilled cheese. Well, I really love
12:53
cheese in any form. So, pizza, pasta,
12:56
grilled, however you want to do it. But,
12:58
I'm going to give you a tip to start off
12:59
with.
13:00
I love to use a thick bread with this.
13:03
Texas toast is great. Anything that has
13:06
a little bit of thicker texture is going
13:08
to work better for this. And I also like
13:10
to leave the bread out on the counter,
13:13
maybe 15 minutes or so. Helps dry it
13:16
out. It's going to toast better and it's
13:17
going to hold up a little better. No, I
13:20
never knew that trick. Did you not?
13:22
>> Uh-uh.
13:22
>> Well, you're welcome. Thank you so much.
13:24
>> Now, Kent, I'm going to butter both
13:27
sides of the bread because if you have
13:30
cheese, butter's not going to hurt at
13:32
all.
13:33
>> Make sure you get all the way to that
13:36
outer edge because we want all of this
13:39
toasted well. We're going to just let
13:42
this toast a little bit because what
13:43
this the toasting side's going to end up
13:46
being is the inside of our bread and
13:48
it's important to warm that up first.
13:50
That's way when you put the cheese on,
13:52
it's going to melt a little bit easier.
13:54
>> Sprinkle this top side with a little bit
13:57
of Parmesan cheese.
13:59
>> Mhm.
14:00
You bringing out all the cheesy goodness
14:02
today. I'm telling you.
14:03
>> Wisconsin give us a shout out for more
14:05
cheese. I'm telling you.
14:07
>> cheese professional. Get a spatula
14:09
though and
14:10
press that cheese in a little bit so it
14:12
sticks to that butter.
14:15
Is everybody with me so far?
14:17
>> Me and the pups are.
14:18
>> Okay. I'm thinking I'm thinking some of
14:20
it's brown already. I don't know.
14:22
>> Oh, yeah, yeah. Okay, so see that? It's
14:24
already brown. So, let's flip these
14:27
guys.
14:28
So, we want these cheeses to melt slowly
14:32
and make sure they all get nice and
14:33
melty. So, give yourself be on a low
14:35
heat, maybe medium-low from this point
14:37
on. I'm not a big fan of
14:41
American cheese.
14:42
>> Oh my gosh, Shane.
14:43
>> I'm sorry. But, in this recipe
14:47
But, in this recipe and for a grilled
14:50
cheese, you got to have it because it's
14:51
going to give you that nice melty pull
14:53
that we all love.
14:55
>> So, let's stack that. I've got two
14:57
slices
14:59
per sandwich. All right. But, I'm also
15:03
going to add another cheese. More
15:05
cheese? More cheese. And I'm going to
15:07
add a cheddar. Just a slice of cheddar
15:11
because this is going to give you a
15:12
little more flavor depth. You could use
15:14
anything you want. You could use a
15:17
pepper jack. That would work as well.
15:19
Make sure your Parmesan side is staying
15:23
up because we want that as the outer
15:25
bite.
15:26
Then, on our low heat, we're just going
15:29
to keep cooking this.
15:31
Flip as much as you want. It's not going
15:33
to hurt it.
15:35
And even if If you have a skillet,
15:39
it's a little hard when you've got that
15:40
thicker bread, but if you can cover it
15:42
some way,
15:43
that steam is going to help melt that
15:45
cheddar and that cheese even more. Yes,
15:48
it's a little tricky because these are
15:49
so tall. However, you only want to do
15:52
that on
15:54
Will that work?
15:56
Mhm. Oh,
15:58
look at that.
16:00
>> There you go.
16:01
>> Okay, so
16:02
what that steam is going to do is going
16:03
to help melt that cheese. However, we
16:05
don't want to leave it on there the
16:06
whole time because then it's going to
16:07
make the spread soggy. So, only leave it
16:09
on there maybe a few minutes, then we'll
16:11
remove that, continue flipping, and make
16:14
sure that bread is nice and crispy. But,
16:16
I'm telling you, just a few little tips
16:18
make the best grilled cheese.
16:23
Why did the chuck wagon travel ahead of
16:25
the herd?
16:27
To avoid dust? To stay [music] close to
16:29
injured cattle?
16:31
To protect supplies? Or so it could
16:34
reach camp first and start supper?
16:51
You know, when you make grilled cheese
16:52
or anything that's got cheese in it
16:53
here, all the culinary team pays
16:56
attention. [music] I don't care if it's
16:57
thunder and lightning coming, hurricane,
16:59
they would be here for cheese every day.
17:05
>> [music]
17:24
[music]
17:25
>> What did cowboys call the cook?
17:27
Chef,
17:28
cookie,
17:29
trail boss, wrangler.
17:33
When you said you were going to pour
17:35
over the tomato [snorts] gravy, I
17:36
thought you were crazy, but
17:38
>> Yes.
17:38
>> it's kind of interesting. It's like a
17:39
hot hot sandwich, right? I'm thinking
17:41
this is the best way to ever
17:47
Here.
17:49
Well, you didn't even let it settle in,
17:50
did you?
17:51
You can taste that bacon.
17:55
The richness of that tomato that is in
17:58
there.
17:59
>> I mean, I just this is something that
18:01
will blow your mind.
18:04
Do I have it on my face? Yeah, but it's
18:05
good when you are you're eating.
18:09
I'm really surprised.
18:10
>> Oh, honey. I'm shocked. I mean, I knew
18:12
it would be good. And another way that
18:15
I've done this. No, actually, you did
18:16
it.
18:17
And I wasn't a fan until I tried it. If
18:20
you grate a little jalapeno on top of
18:22
that cheese
18:23
>> Yes.
18:24
>> I'm not a big jalapeno fan, but
18:26
something when you grate it and then
18:28
with the cheese, ooh, that is so good. I
18:31
know you're a good cook, but man, you
18:33
know what? I love it when you like just
18:35
pair simple things together.
18:37
>> [snorts]
18:37
>> You What's apron say? Can't get full
18:39
I'll finish talking right now. I mean,
18:41
y'all have never seen me eat this many
18:43
bites of something I cooked. You like
18:45
it, don't you?
18:46
This is good. Yeah. Hey, we wanted to
18:48
remind you all that we do have our new
18:50
podcast out.
18:52
A lot of behind the scenes, Kent's got
18:54
great stories, faith, humor, wisdom. Um,
18:58
that drops every Sunday at 3:00 p.m.
19:00
Central on our YouTube channel, but it's
19:02
also on your favorite podcast platform,
19:05
like Apple, Spotify. I've got a little
19:07
question.
19:08
>> Yeah.
19:09
Take you another bite of that, just one
19:10
little bite. Okay, why?
19:12
Cuz folks been asking
19:14
>> me to dance?
19:15
>> Everybody wants to see if your dancing
19:18
is better than mine. Hang on.
19:20
I can do your dance. It's this.
19:23
And you do one of these a lot.
19:25
>> got? What you got? Let me see it.
19:27
I'm from Nevada, so we can't go back to
19:29
my dancing days.
19:31
>> [laughter]
19:32
>> But folks, we appreciate y'all one and
19:34
all. We do because you let us come into
19:37
your homes and y'all are family to us.
19:40
You are. And you're never in this alone.
19:42
Whatever you're going through, you got
19:44
God and you got us. We're standing by
19:46
your side all the time. Our hearts are
19:48
big. They go out to you. You need us
19:50
tote to load? Hey, load it on here. We
19:52
can put it on the pups if we need to.
19:54
So, remember that. Help your neighbor
19:56
out. Hey, it's all about sharing the
19:58
love and sharing the food. A lot of
20:00
people are still telling me, "Hey, I
20:02
didn't know I was unsubscribed." Give it
20:04
a like. Make sure you're subscribed.
20:06
Don't miss that podcast. But it is with
20:09
pride, honor, and privilege that I tip
20:12
my hat to all the servicemen and women,
20:13
all [snorts] the veterans that have kept
20:14
that old flag flying back behind us. God
20:17
bless you each and every one. Rest of
20:18
you,
20:20
get on up in here. We need a group hug
20:22
today. [music]
20:23
God bless you each and every one and
20:26
we'll see you down the tomato gravy
20:28
trail.
20:29
So good.
20:33
>> [music]
20:37
>> So, now it's time to reveal all the
20:39
answers. The first one, what was the
20:42
name of the cook's helper on the trail?
20:44
Little Mary. What was the item that was
20:46
used to carry wood on the wagon? It was
20:49
a possum belly, [music] which was
20:51
usually a deer hide, cow hide, or a
20:54
buffalo hide that was stretched
20:56
underneath that made like a pocket
20:57
[music] for the cook to gather wood
20:59
along the trail and throw under there.
21:01
What made lard superior to butter on the
21:04
trail? It did not spoil as quickly.
21:06
Butter turns fast in the heat, but lard
21:09
will always hold up. What did cowboys
21:12
call the cook? Well,
21:14
the cookie. Sometimes dough puncher,
21:16
sometimes cocinero.
21:18
Why were cow patties sometimes used for
21:21
fuel? And the answer was wood was scarce
21:23
on [music] the plains. On the open
21:25
prairie, dried buffalo or cow chips were
21:27
reliable fuel when trees were not
21:30
available. Why did the chuck wagon
21:32
travel ahead of the herd? So it could
21:34
reach camp first [music] and start
21:36
supper. The wagon could break away early
21:38
and arrive ahead of the herd to prepare
21:40
the evening meal. I've also got a
21:42
special announcement if y'all hadn't
21:44
heard. I'm going to be at Lehman's
21:46
Hardware [music] in Kidron, Ohio in
21:48
April. And we'd love to see you all, but
21:50
be sure you get your tickets because
21:52
this is a ticketed event.
#People & Society