Redeye Gravy

Redeye gravy is a tradition in the South. It’s usually served along side country ham and grits or corn bread. It is so called because of the dark eye that forms in the center of the pan when you add hot coffee to the ham drippings. New Year’s wouldn’t hold as much luck for me without it.

1/2 pound Country Ham
2 oz Fat Back (Streak of Lean)
3 cups Brewed Black Coffee

Using a food processor, grind the ham into very fine pieces. Dice the fat back into 1/4 inch pieces. It’s best to use fat back with a streak of lean meat running through it as this adds more flavor. Brown the ham and fat back in a heavy skillet over medium high heat. It should be very brown – bits of it should stick to the bottom of the pan. When browned, pick out pieces of fat back and discard. Add coffee and blend well. Serve hot over grits or corn bread.

Disclaimer: All our recipes were originally designed for much larger batch size. This recipe has been reduced – but not tested at this scale. Please adjust as to your taste and portion size.