A handful of pantry staples, a spoonful of bacon grease, and 20 minutes later you’ve got smoky, creamy, spicy Southern tomato gravy that tastes like it simmered all afternoon. Grab an extra biscuit—no one’s judging.
0 Heat the bacon grease in a skillet over medium heat.
1 Once it’s shimmering whisk in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and nutty-smelling—that’s your roux.
2 Stir in the RO-TEL (juices and all!) and let it sizzle for a minute to wake up all that flavor.
3 Whisk in the chicken broth, smoked paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, black pepper, and a pinch of salt.
4 Bring to a gentle simmer and let it thicken up for 5-7 minutes, whisking occasionally. If it looks too thick, add a splash more broth or milk—it should coat the back of a spoon like a proper gravy should.
5 Stir in the butter and heavy cream right at the end to make it silky, rich, and downright irresistible.
6 Taste test—does it need more spice? More salt? A pinch of sugar? This is your moment to make it perfect.
7 Serve hot over biscuits, grits, fried chicken, or straight from the skillet with a spoon.
