How to Make Red Eye Gravy

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: March 29, 2019

Red eye gravy is a classic part of a fried ham and biscuit meal. You'll only need a handful of ingredients to quickly put together this regional specialty. Fry up your choice of ham and use the drippings as a base for the gravy. All you need to do is stir in coffee and water to create a flavorful red eye gravy to spoon over the ham. If you'd like, you can also make biscuits to sop up the rest of your gravy.

Ingredients

6 ounces (160 g) of country ham
1 to 2 tablespoons (14 to 28 g) of unsalted butter
1/2 cup (120 ml) of strong black coffee
1/2 cup (120 ml) of water
1/2 teaspoon of sugar, optional

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Frying the Country Ham

1
Trim and slice the country ham. Purchase about 6 ounces (160 g) of country ham and cut it into 1/4-inch thick slices. If you're using large center-cut pieces of ham, cut them in half so you have two medium-sized pieces. Take a small knife and cut about 1/4-inch thick slits in the fat along the edges of the ham, about every three inches. This will prevent the ham from curling as you fry it.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Country ham is very salty, so you probably won't need to add extra salt to the ham or gravy. If you don't want to use ham, you could try making the gravy by frying up bacon and using the drippings.
2
Consider soaking the ham. If you'd like to reduce the saltiness of the ham before you cook it, place the slices in a large bowl. Fill the bowl with water and let the ham soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This will also make the ham plump up. Drain the water before you're ready to fry the ham.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- You could also soak the ham in milk to give it additional flavor.
Advertisement
3
Heat a skillet and dry the ham. Place a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon (14 g) of unsalted butter. Melt the butter while you dry the ham. Pat the ham dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. The pan is ready when the melted butter starts sizzling.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- It's important to use unsalted butter since the ham is so salty. This will prevent the gravy from becoming overly salty as well.
4
Fry the ham. Place a few pieces of ham in the hot skillet and fry them for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the ham over and fry them for another 2 to 3 minutes. The ham should darken as it cooks. Use tongs to carefully remove the fried ham to a serving plate.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- If the ham is lean, you may need to add another 1/2 of a tablespoon of butter.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Making the Red Eye Gravy

1
Add coffee to the drippings. Keep the skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. The drippings and grease from the ham should still be in the skillet. Pour in 1/2 cup (120 ml) of strong black coffee into the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to stir the drippings and coffee well.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- Use caution when pouring in the coffee. It will probably sputter and foam a little as you add it to the hot drippings.
2
Stir in water and sugar, optional. Pour in 1/2 cup (120 ml) of water and stir the red eye gravy well. If you'd like to remove a little of the bitterness, add a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. Let the gravy cook for 3 to 4 minutes until it becomes a little syrupy and cooked down. You can serve the red eye gravy or thicken it a little.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- To thicken it a little, add 1 tablespoon (14 g) of unsalted butter and whisk the gravy for one minute.
3
Serve the red eye gravy. Plate up your fried country ham and set out a small ramekin or gravy boat full of the red eye gravy. This way, you can portion out as much gravy as you like. Red eye gravy also goes well with:
- Biscuits
- Fried eggs
- Steak