Redeye Gravy with Country Ham

The most famous gravy in the South — made from nothing but country ham drippings and black coffee. Pour hot coffee into the pan you just fried ham in, scrape up the browned bits, and you have redeye gravy. Simple, intensely flavored, and deeply Southern. The ‘red eye’ refers to the circle of fat floating in the center when the gravy settles.

Ingredients

• 4 slices thick-cut country ham (salt-cured, not just smoked)
• ½ cup strong black coffee (day-old leftover coffee is traditional)
• Biscuits or corn pone for serving

Directions

1. Fry country ham slices in a dry cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, 2–3 minutes per side. The ham should develop some dark, crusty browning.
2. Remove ham and set aside, leaving all the drippings in the pan.
3. Pour coffee directly into the hot pan. It will sizzle and spatter.
4. Scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
5. That’s it. No flour, no thickening, no additional seasoning.
6. Simmer 2–3 minutes. The gravy will be thin and dark brown.
7. Serve over biscuits alongside the ham. Or pack ham on biscuits, with gravy in a small jar for dipping.

Notes

Never add flour — redeye gravy is intentionally thin. The strength of the gravy depends entirely on the quality of the country ham and the darkness of the coffee. Leftover morning coffee is traditional. Some mountain families added a splash of water instead of coffee during lean times, but coffee is authentic.