Country Ham and Redeye Gravy
Ingredients
Country Ham, cured and thinly sliced
½ cup Coffee, black and strong
½ cup water
1 Tablespoon Butter
Redeye gravy is created with coffee. It may sound unusual, but it's quite tasty, with a bitter coffee flavor contrasting the ham fat's sweet-saltiness. Easy to cook and a fun way to spruce up an old-fashioned Southern meal, red-eye gravy is often served over ham and sopped up with buttermilk biscuits. Many people also enjoy it on top of grits, cornbread, or fried potatoes.
Instructions
Cut large ham slices in half for ease in cooking.
Cut slits in the skin and fat around the ham edges to prevent curling while cooking.
Place a skillet over medium heat on your stove top.
Add Butter.
Add ham slices.
Cook ham slices, turning at least once, until cooked as desired.
Ham should reach at least 165º surface temperature to be fully cooked.
Remove ham slices and place on platter.
Pour cool coffee into skillet, scraping pan to deglaze and loosen any ham bits.
Add the cool water. Stir well.
Let the gravy simmer and reduce for about 5 minutes. Continue to stir the bottom of the pan.
Serve red eye gravy over grits and the ham slices.
Enjoy!
Recipe and image courtesy of Steve Gordon