Source:

Alton DuCharme

Serves/Makes:6

Ingredients

• 6 (1/4-inch) thick slices country ham
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) butter or margarine, melted
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) strong black coffee

Preparation

• Cut gashes in fat to keep ham from curling.
• Saute ham in butter in heavy (preferably iron) skillet over low heat until lightly browned, turning several times.
• Remove ham from skillet, and keep warm.
• Stir sugar into pan drippings, cook over low heat until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly.
• Add coffee, stirring well, simmer 5 minutes.
• Serve gravy over ham.

Comments

This recipe is from The Southern Living Cookbook. I used it to give proportions. However, we usually make red-eye gravy a little differently. I cut some fat from the ham and melt it in the skillet. Then cook ham as above. I don't use sugar, just use the drippings and add the coffee, stirring to get the cracklings loosened from pan, simmer about 5 minutes until the gravy forms a circle. It really does look like an eye -hence the name!