Coffee

How to Make Redeye Gravy

Got ham and leftover coffee? Then it's all (redeye) gravy, baby.
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    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Rhoda Boone
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    Brown Your Ham

    Start with country ham, an especially salty (and flavorful) type of cured pork. Brown slices in a (preferably cast-iron) skillet to render the fat, adding a little butter if ham is lean to help the browning process. Transfer ham to a plate or platter.

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    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Rhoda Boone
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    Deglaze with Coffee

    Redeye gravy uses coffee as a dark, bitter, almost chocolatey base. Add the coffee to the pan after browning the ham. The acidic quality of coffee works like wine to deglaze the pan drippings.

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    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Rhoda Boone
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    Loosen the Brown Bits

    Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the residual ham bits—they will infuse your gravy with rich porky flavor.

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    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Rhoda Boone
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    Add Chicken Broth (or Water) and a Pinch of Sugar

    Chicken broth or water mellows the acidity of dark coffee, and a dash of sugar balances its bitterness. Simmer the mixture until thickened.

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    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Rhoda Boone
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    Whisk in Butter to Emulsify

    Adding a little butter at the end of cooking rounds out the flavor of the gravy and helps it to emulsify.

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    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Rhoda Boone
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    Enjoy!

    Spoon your gravy over the country ham. Serve with eggs, grits, cornbread, or biscuits. And a cup of coffee, of course! Get the recipe: Country Ham with Redeye Gravy

Rhoda Boone graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a BFA in photography and worked in the photo industry for over 6 years, both at Vanity Fair and Mark Seliger's photography studio. Then, in 2009, she left the world of fashion and celebrity to pursue her true passion: food. She graduated at the ... Read More
Senior Director, Culinary Production, Emeritus
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