Dairy Free Gluten Free Red-Eye Gravy

Total time15 min

Prep time5 min

Cook time10 min

Deep, smoky ham drippings form the savory base of this classic Southern pan gravy, deglazed with strong black coffee and scraped straight from the skillet for maximum flavor. A quick cornstarch slurry brings it together into a glossy, slightly thickened sauce with a bold, slightly bitter edge that black pepper and a pinch of cayenne round out beautifully. It comes together in minutes, right in the same pan you cooked your ham in, so no extra dishes and no fuss. Ladled hot over biscuits, grits, or a thick slice of ham, it's a real taste of Southern breakfast tradition — and a solid pick for a dairy free table.

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Ingredients

4 servings

1 tbsp ham drippings butter or unsalted butter
Hillshire Farm Ultra Thin Sliced Lunchmeat Black Forest Ham - 9 Oz Hillshire Farm Ultra Thin Sliced Lunchmeat Smoked Ham - 9 Oz Oscar Mayer Lean Smoked Ham, 16 oz Hormel Natural Choice Smoked Deli Ham, 8 oz Land O Frost Premium Ham Smoked Thin - 16 Oz
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Chef's tip
Use a stick or block-style dairy-free butter - not a soft tub spread - and swap one-for-one.
¾ cup strong brewed black coffee
¼ cup water
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp cold water
¼ tsp salt, or to taste
⅛ tsp black pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

1
After cooking ham steaks or ham slices, leave the drippings in the skillet over medium heat. If you don't have drippings, melt 1 tbsp unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat.
2
Pour in the coffee and water, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a whisk until the fond is fully dissolved, about 1 minute.

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