Entree: United States – Appalachia – Country Ham with Thick Red-Eye Gravy

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 8 min

Cook 15 min

Total 23 min

Ingredients

- 4 bone-in country ham steaks, approx. 8 oz (225 g) each
- 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil or reserved bacon drippings
- 2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (240 ml) strong brewed black coffee, hot
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water or low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 tsp (4 g) light brown sugar (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Pat the ham steaks dry with paper towels and taste one small piece; country ham is very salty so season very lightly with black pepper only if needed.
2. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. When the oil shimmers, add the ham steaks and sear 2–3 minutes per side until well browned and crisp at the edges. Add 1 tbsp (14 g) butter toward the end and spoon a little over the ham to glaze. Transfer ham to a warm plate and tent with foil.
3. Pour off all but about 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) of fat from the skillet and return to medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tbsp (14 g) butter; when melted, sprinkle the flour into the fat and whisk to form a smooth blond roux. Cook, stirring, 1–2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste without browning heavily.
4. Carefully and slowly whisk the hot coffee into the roux, scraping up browned bits from the pan. Add the water or stock and the brown sugar if using. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, 3–6 minutes until the gravy is thickened to a spoon-coating consistency; for a thicker finish, simmer a minute longer to reduce further.
5. Taste the gravy and adjust only with a pinch of salt if absolutely needed (country ham is typically salty) and more black pepper to taste. Return the ham to the skillet and heat through 30–60 seconds, spooning gravy over the steaks to warm and glaze.
6. Serve each ham steak topped with a generous ladle of thick red-eye gravy and a sprinkle of chopped parsley if desired.