Purple-Eye Gravy Recipe

Since I used to be very younger rising up in southwest Virginia, getting ready and having fun with huge elaborate breakfasts collectively was a staple a part of each household reunion, irrespective of the hour. When one or a number of of us returned house late at night time or early within the morning, weary and hungry from journey, we’d make breakfast along with the works: eggs, grits, biscuits or toast, and after a fast thaw of leftover nation ham from the freezer, red-eye gravy, which is a fast emulsion of scorching espresso and slowly rendered ham drippings. I grew up consuming red-eye gravy this fashion, a swirl of a scorching spoonful over an impromptu midnight breakfast, even when I used to be a bleary-eyed member of the welcoming committee. For a few years, I related red-eye gravy virtually totally with worldwide air journey even earlier than I had ever really been inside a aircraft. 

The title red-eye gravy seemingly has nothing to do with espresso or caffeine (or red-eye flights) in any respect. Whereas there are legends about President Andrew Jackson requesting red-eye gravy the colour of his bloodshot eyes after an extended night time of consuming, these are tall tales that aren’t essentially rooted the truth is. I’ve seen that the extra fantastical tales about red-eye gravy are extra frequent on web message boards about southern meals somewhat than tales which are really shared round southern tables themselves. It’s extra seemingly that the title takes its cue from its shimmering reddish hue the place it swimming pools across the “eye” or “aitch” bone of skinny sliced, bone-in nation ham. 

Whereas the historical past behind its title is contested, I’ll all the time affiliate red-eye gravy with breakfast meals and a candy return house. I grew up consuming red-eye gravy rendered and constructed from no matter ham was leftover from the annual New 12 months’s ham within the freezer. This fairly often included the bone and all of the trimmings, however we didn’t essentially drizzle it excessive of a correct ham slice. Whereas it’s good to eat red-eye gravy with a beneficiant slice of ham itself, I feel it’s much more nice drizzled over a biscuit or stirred into tacky, buttery grits. It’s not a thick, creamy gravy for dunking or masking meals (it’s caffeinated, in spite of everything!), however somewhat it’s extra like a jus or pan sauce for dipping and drizzling. It’s intense however wealthy and succulent, with a slight bitterness offset virtually instantly by wealthy, succulent fats. 

I consider red-eye gravy as a testomony to being awake, morning or night time, whether or not you’re having fun with it over a full meal earlier than an extended day forward or prolonging the inevitability of sleep. To me, it’s a delicacy, the right of completion for a meal that you simply make to be eaten over adrenaline-fueled dialog and regalement of journey tales. For me, it’s the crown jewel of being house and collectively once more, a freezer by some means nonetheless filled with ham. It’s useless easy to make, and listed below are a pair tricks to get it proper.

Do not Be Tempted to Thicken With a Roux

Whereas many iterations of southern gravies, particularly these meant to be lovingly ladled over biscuits, are thick and velvety from the addition of a flour-based roux, red-eye gravy purists don’t add a roux, and this recipe isn’t any completely different. At its easiest, the recipe is a modest discount of nation ham and robust black espresso, however this recipe incorporates gentle brown sugar, black pepper, and a pat of butter to melt the hit of the bitterness on the palate. The jolt of robust, barely bitter black espresso means red-eye gravy shouldn’t be for the faint of coronary heart, nevertheless it’s additionally a buddy to sugar and butter, simply as any trustworthy southerner could be. These additions be certain that the gravy is hearty and wealthy sufficient with out a roux.

Solid Apart the Solid Iron and Use Stainless-Metal As a substitute

My dad makes use of a forged iron skillet for almost all the things, however even he units it apart for whipping up red-eye gravy, opting as a substitute for a stainless-steel skillet or sauté pan. It’s because acidic meals and liquids, such because the espresso within the red-eye gravy, will choose up taste and coloration from the iron within the pan, which might flip the gravy dingy and metallic-tasting. Purple-eye gravy is already very bitter, and the acidity of the espresso blended with the pure saltiness of the nation ham tends to attract out an disagreeable acrid taste from even probably the most well-seasoned cast-iron. 

The recipe beneath makes use of a stainless-steel pan all over, however being the forged iron-lover that I’m, after I make this at house I choose to render the fats of the ham in a forged iron skillet individually, for a sluggish and even render that simply prevents overcooking of the ham, earlier than transferring the drippings to a stainless-steel or enamel skillet to construct the sauce. Be at liberty to begin with forged iron, like I do, or persist with chrome steel all over. Utilizing chrome steel (or an enameled skillet) doesn’t simply keep away from an off-putting taste, however the lighter coloration permits me to see higher how the gravy is progressing and emulsifying. Only one scorching spoonful of this gravy over a biscuit with slightly further butter and a drizzle of molasses immediately transports me again to my household’s kitchen counter, irrespective of the place I’m.