Serve it over our sour cream mashed potatoes and you won't be disappointed. It's so amazing that you'll want to add it to your regular rotation for veggie side dishes. Get out your trusty heavy-bottomed skillet and let this veggie side recipe tempt you to take a taste. Serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or grits. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle on the fresh parsley. Just before serving, add the bacon and stir, but save some of the bacon to use as a garnish. If making ahead of time, allow to cool, then cover and place in the fridge. Bring the stew to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir with a large wooden spoon until well combined.Ĭover the skillet with a lid, aluminum foil, or a cookie sheet. This is called deglazing and will give this dish more flavor.Īdd the diced tomatoes, the sliced okra (fresh or frozen), and the spices. Using a wooden turner, scrape the browned bits from the cooked bacon and onion off the bottom of the skillet. Pour the chicken stock into the skillet and turn the heat to medium high. Over medium high heat, sauté the onion for a few minutes until it's soft, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Pour the bacon fat into a bowl, then pour 1 ½ tablespoons back into the skillet. Put the cooked bacon on a paper towel-lined plate, blot off the excess grease, and let it cool. Chop the onion and mince the garlic, then measure the dry and wet ingredients.Ĭook the bacon in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat, turning it over with a fork as needed. Round out your meal with a slab of freshly made cornbread, pork chops, fried chicken, or peach cobbler. We love it served on top of mashed potatoes, but rice and grits are also popular choices. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or grits.Increase the cooked bacon to 2 slices per person.How can I make this recipe a main course? When you use frozen, it does cook a little quicker. If it's out of season or if you're in a hurry, use frozen. Should you use frozen or fresh okra for stewed okra and tomatoes? The larger pods tend to have a woody spine in the middle, so it's best to use the smaller pods. If you are selecting fresh okra from the grocery store or farmer's market, remember that small, young pods will be more tender. Stir fry it in large pieces quickly over high heat.Use it in soups and stews as a thickening agent and for added texture and flavor.Let it sit in freshly squeezed lemon juice for 5 or 10 minutes before cooking.Precook the sliced okra over high heat, then add it to your recipe.This slime helps thicken the soup or stew and gives it added flavor without having a slimy texture. However, when added to soups and stews, it doesn't taste slimy. When sliced okra is heated, the mucliage's viscosity increases and it becomes slimy. It becomes a natural thickening agent when boiled. This green vegetable has mucilage in it, which is a thick syrupy substance made from sugar residues and proteins. It will change color from a bright green to a darker olive green, and it will be soft. For more nutritional information, please scroll to the bottom of the recipe card. It is also high in vitamins A, C, and iron. One large helping has 276 calories and 21.4g carbs. High in potassium, folic acid, and calcium.