Country Ham with Red-Eye Gravy
A thick slice of fried country ham with its red-eye gravy, biscuits on the side for sopping. The upland South's original gravy plate.
| Category | Plates & Classics |
|---|---|
| Origin / Region | The Deep South |
| Classic base | Buttermilk biscuits |
| Prep time | About 15 minutes |
| Storage | Country ham keeps wrapped in the refrigerator; gravy is made fresh. |
| Shelf life | A serve-at-once plate; ham keeps a week refrigerated |
| Best uses | Breakfast plates, holiday ham suppers |
| Substitutes | Coffee gravy for the same pan without the ham name |
| Last checked | October 18, 2026 |
About it
This is the oldest plate in the catalog and the one that teaches gravy's first lesson: red-eye is sopped, not poured. The ham is the main event; the gravy is its sharp, coffee-dark shadow.
Making it
Fry country ham slices until the edges curl; make the red-eye in the pan with black coffee. Plate the ham, set biscuits alongside, and serve the gravy in its own small bowl.
Serving it
Ham center-plate, biscuits for sopping, grits if the table wants them. The gravy bowl passes like a sauce, a spoon at a time.
Swaps & pairings
A spoon of brown sugar in the gravy softens it for modern palates; the old plates take it straight and bitter.
More from this region: The Deep South