Southern Red-Eye Gravy

Traditional Southern sauce made with country ham drippings and coffee for an easy meal upgrade

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 15 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1/2 cup

Red-eye gravy is a beloved Southern classic that requires just two ingredients: the drippings from pan-fried country ham and black coffee. Though it may sound unusual, this gravy is quite delicious, with the bitter coffee flavor contrasting beautifully with the sweet-salty richness of the ham fat. Also known as red ham gravy, bird-eye gravy, cedar gravy, and bottom sop, the intriguing name "red-eye gravy" is thought to come from the slightly reddish circle of liquid fat that forms on the surface of the gravy as it reduces.

Red-eye gravy on country ham with biscuits

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Simple to prepare and a delightfully traditional way to enhance a Southern meal, red-eye gravy is often poured over ham and sopped up with buttermilk biscuits. Many also enjoy it over stone ground grits, Southern-style cornbread, or fried potatoes. 

While some choose to add butter or lard to enrich the sauce, it's not necessary. A good-quality ham with enough fat should provide sufficient drippings to create this thin, flavorful sauce.

What Is Country Ham?

Country ham is a variety that has been dry-cured with salt and preservatives over an extended period, similar in process and appearance to prosciutto. You can find shelf-stable country ham in the southeastern U.S. or purchase it online. Uncooked, cut country ham can be refrigerated for two to three months or frozen for one month. Once cooked, it should be refrigerated and consumed within seven days.

How Can Excess Salt Be Removed From Country Ham?

To reduce the salty flavor of country ham, soak slices in water overnight in the refrigerator.

Tips for Making Red-Eye Gravy Recipe

  • Pick the right ham - The key to red-eye gravy is selecting the right ham. A good-quality, well-cured country ham such as a Smithfield or a genuine Virginia ham is ideal. If you are so inclined, you can cure your own country ham. Choose the slice of uncooked ham that has the most fat so you can maximize its delicious drippings.
  • Make the coffee strong - You also want to be sure the coffee is nice and strong and tastes good to you. Even though it is cooked down, it does contribute a significant amount of flavor to the recipe.

"I made the recipe with a large, thin slice of country ham and very strong coffee, and it was delicious. Served on biscuits, you can't beat it! It might be difficult to find country ham outside of the South, but it is shelf-stable, so you can easily find it online." —Diana Rattray

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Ingredients

  • 1 slice country ham

  • 1/2 cup boiling strong black coffee

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for red-eye gravy recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Nyssa Tanner

  2. In a skillet, fry 1 slice country ham in its own fat over medium heat until nicely browned on both sides. Once cooked, transfer the ham to a warm platter, keeping the drippings in the skillet.

    Fried ham with a spatula and measuring cup of coffee

    The Spruce Eats / Nyssa Tanner 

  3. Add 1/2 cup boiling black coffee to the skillet. Deglaze, scraping the bottom and sides of the skillet to dissolve any particles that developed when you cooked the ham.

    Coffee added to the skillet for red-eye gravy

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  4. What is left in the skillet is red-eye gravy, which you can then pour over the ham and serve. Enjoy.

    Red-eye gravy in a skillet with a slotted wooden spatula

    The Spruce Eats / Nyssa Tanner

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

  • No fatty ham? No problem - When you have a lean ham, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter or lard to the pan.
  • Mellow out the flavors - If you find the gravy a bit too bitter and acidic (from the coffee), add a little chicken broth or water, as well as a pinch of sugar to mellow out the flavors.
  • When making with a biscuit - When making a Southern ham biscuit, it's common for a diner to dip the biscuit's cut sides into red-eye gravy before assembling the sandwich.
  • Add more flavor - Some people enjoy mixing the gravy with mustard or ketchup, then sopping it up with a biscuit.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
203 Calories
7g Fat
2g Carbs
32g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 203
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 10%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 93mg 31%
Sodium 1419mg 62%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 32g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 8mg 1%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 558mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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