Mediterranean Diet Friendly Gluten Free Red-Eye Gravy

Total time15 min

Prep time5 min

Cook time10 min

Mediterranean Diet Friendly Gluten Free Red-Eye Gravy

This bold, coffee-forward pan sauce turns leftover skillet drippings into a glossy, savory gravy in just a few minutes. Strong-brewed black coffee gets whisked right into the hot pan, scraping up every browned bit for deep, roasty flavor, while a quick cornstarch slurry brings it to a silky, spoonable thickness. A touch of salt, black pepper, and an optional pinch of cayenne round out the seasoning with just enough warmth to keep things interesting. It comes together fast, with no long simmer or fussy technique required, and ladles beautifully over grits or a warm biscuit. The finished gravy is deeply savory, a little smoky, and rich without feeling heavy — a great way to work more Mediterranean-style flavors into a comforting Southern classic.

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Ingredients

4 servings

1 tbsp ham drippings butter or unsalted butter
Boars Head Ham Smoked - 8 Oz Applegate Farms Organic Black Forest Ham Organic - 6 OZ Simple Truth™ Uncured Black Forest Ham Lunch Meat Private Selection Uncured Maple Smoked Ham Simple Truth™ Quarter Sliced Uncured Smoked Ham
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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
Chef's tip
For thickening, use about 1 1/3 times as much tapioca flour, stirred into a spoonful of cold water first; take the pan off the heat soon after it thickens.
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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