Stewed Okra and Tomatoes: A Southern Comfort Classic

Step 1

Before you jump into cooking, make sure you’ve got everything ready. Trim and cut your okra, slice the onions, mince the garlic, and chop that jalapeno. Get your cans of tomatoes drained and chopped. Have everything set out within arm’s reach so you can keep things moving smoothly.

Step 2

In a large skillet, heat your olive oil over medium-high heat. Toss in the okra and let it cook for 5 to 8 minutes. The goal here is to get the okra browned slightly while cooking away most of that ‘slime.’ Trust me, with a little patience, the okra transforms beautifully. Once the okra’s looking good, set it aside.

Step 3

In the same pan, add your bacon fat (or vegetable oil if you're keeping it plant-based). Throw in your sliced onions, chopped jalapeno, and minced garlic. Sauté for about 3 minutes until everything’s softened up and fragrant. This right here is where the flavor starts to build!

Step 4

Now it’s time to take things up a notch. Stir in the tomato paste and let it cook for about a minute to bring out that deep tomato flavor. Then, add in the chopped tomatoes, kosher salt, black pepper, bay leaves, fresh rosemary, red pepper flakes, and red wine vinegar. Give it a good stir, making sure everything’s well combined.

Step 5

Let that tomato mixture cook for about 10 minutes. You want the tomatoes to start breaking down and forming a thick, delicious sauce. After the 10 minutes, pour in the chicken or vegetable stock, bring it to a low simmer, and let it cook gently for another 15 minutes. This gives the flavors time to meld together and deepen.

Step 6

Once your tomato sauce is rich and flavorful, it’s time to bring back the okra. Stir the sautéed okra into the sauce, raise the heat to medium, and let everything cook together for about 10 more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed—whether it’s a little more salt, pepper, or even a touch more heat with red pepper flakes.

Step 7

Remove the bay leaves, and your Stewed Okra and Tomatoes is ready to be served. You can spoon it over rice, serve it as a side dish, or let it shine as the main event. Whatever you do, be ready for some compliments!