The Best Southern Red-Eye Gravy with Biscuits

Red-Eye Gravy and Biscuits are my favorite meal in the entire world. Homemade biscuits drenched in savory and salty red-eye gravy with a side of country ham is seriously the best thing ever.

Red-Eye Gravy

Redeye Gravy is in my top 2 of favorite foods ever. Buttermilk Biscuits are my number one. Always and forever 😉

To me, there is nothing better than fresh hot buttermilk biscuits soaked with red-eye gravy and a side of country ham.

I make them all. the time. around here.

My idea of meal planning breakfast for the week is whipping up a couple batches of country ham biscuits (wrapped in plastic wrap and tucked into a ziplock bag) and a Tupperware full of red-eye gravy to reheat in the mornings for a quick breakfast.

I love to eat a country ham biscuit with a bowl of this redeye gravy. I’ll dip my whole country ham biscuit into the bowl of gravy and let it soak for a minute – then take bite and repeat. Oh, it’s so good.

Sometimes I’ll just eat the biscuit half sopping wet with this gravy too… with a side of country ham 😉  Mama’s Buttermilk Biscuits are best with these!

What is Red-Eye Gravy?

Red-eye gravy is a Southern dish that’s been around for ages.

One popular legend involves President Andrew Jackson, who supposedly coined the term after a hungover cook made it for him. That makes sense, it would be good hangover food!

You start by frying up some ham in a pan, then pour in a bit of coffee to mix with all those tasty juices.

The name comes from the little red, eye-shaped circle the grease makes. This gravy is a simple, down-home favorite that folks have been loving in the South for years.

It’s savory, salty, and incredible.

I like it best sopped up with homemade buttermilk biscuits – or my 3-ingredient biscuits if you’re feeling extra decadent that day.

Red-Eye Gravy Ingredients

To make red-eye gravy, you will need:

• country ham
• water
• coffee

Yes, coffee! Some folks use Coca-Cola instead of coffee but I don’t like the flavor of it that way. If you ask me, coffee is the way to go.

How to Make Red-Eye Gravy

1. Cook the Country Ham: First, you will cook your country ham. Some folks like there’s barely cooked – I happen to like mine well done, so I cook mine on medium high heat for about 3 minutes on each side. Once it’s cooked, remove it from the pan and set it aside on a plate.
2. Make Red-Eye Gravy: Next, you will turn the heat down to medium in the skillet and add water and coffee. Stir it up and scrape all the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
3. Serve: It’s done and ready to woo your biscuits. Make sure your drench your biscuits in this y’all. DRENCH.

Variations by Region

This gravy is also known by other names such as red ham gravy, bird-eye gravy, or even cedar gravy in some regions.

It’s also called poor man’s gravy due to its simple ingredients and easy preparation.

Variations of this gravy exist, reflecting regional tastes and different cooking traditions. Here are some ways people have modified the base red-eyte gravy recipe:

• Bacon Red-Eye Gravy: In some regions, bacon grease replaces country ham drippings. After frying bacon in a large skillet, the coffee is added to the bacon fat, creating slightly different flavors.
• Sweet Red-Eye Gravy: A touch of brown sugar or molasses is added to the coffee and ham drippings, creating a gravy that balances the salty taste of the ham with a tad bit of sweetness.
• Spicy Red-Eye Gravy: A pinch of cayenne pepper or black pepper is added to the gravy, offering a little extra flavor with a kick. This spicy version is a great complement to cheese grits or a simple fried egg.
• Butter-Enhanced Red-Eye Gravy: For a richer gravy, a tablespoon of butter is stirred into the gravy as it simmers. This creates a more velvety texture and adds a little extra buttery taste, perfect for drizzling over homemade buttermilk biscuits.

Recipe Tips

• No fatty ham? No problem – If your country ham slices are too lean, just add a tablespoon of butter or lard to the hot skillet. This helps to create those delicious pan drippings you need for the gravy.
• Mellow out the flavors – If the coffee gravy tastes too bitter, stir in a little chicken broth or water and add a pinch of brown sugar to balance the flavors.
• Ham biscuits tip – When making a classic Southern ham biscuit, dip the cut sides of your homemade buttermilk biscuits into the red-eye gravy before putting your sandwich together. SO DELICIOUS!
• Add more flavor – For a little extra flavor, some folks like to mix the gravy with mustard or ketchup and sop it up with a hot biscuit. This makes for a unique take on the poor man’s gravy.
• Soak the ham to reduce salt – If your country ham steak is too salty, soak it in cool tap water for 30 minutes before frying to avoid an overly salty taste in your red-eye gravy.
• Finish with butter – Stirring in a tablespoon of butter at the end gives the red-eye gravy a rich, velvety texture that tastes amasing on creamy grits or a fried egg.
• Use stainless steel – When making red ham gravy, avoid using cast iron as the coffee’s acidity can create a bitter, metallic taste. A stainless steel or nonstick skillet works best.
• Save the browned bits – Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon. These little treasures add such great flavor to the thin gravy.
• Serve it right – Red-eye gravy is traditionally served with country ham slices, homemade biscuits, and a fried egg. Pour it into a serving bowl or gravy boat, or just dump it all over your plate.
• Keep it simple – Red-eye gravy is meant to be basic. Don’t go overboard or you’ll miss the delicious simplicty of this easy-to-make Southern gravy.

Ways to Serve Red-Eye Gravy

Red-eye gravy can be poured over ham slices, a hot biscuit, or creamy grits. The rich, meaty glaze is also tasty over hashbrown casserole.

Sometimes I’ll make some baked eggs and sandwich them in some biscuits and then dunk it into some of the delicious gravy.

The salty taste from the ham and the robust flavor of black coffee creates something spectacular. I know it might sound strange to you if you’ve never tasted it, but just trust me, y’all, it’s just SO good!

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Redeye Gravy

Ingredients

• 1 pack country ham (I like biscuit slices)
• 1-1/4 cups water
• 4oz brewed coffee

Instructions

• Fry your country ham up in a skillet over medium high heat until done, flipping halfway through. Remove it from the pan and set it aside. Reduce the heat to medium heat and add in the water and coffee. Stir, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Serve over hot biscuits.

This delicious recipe has been shared at the Weekend Potluck