"Real" Red Eye Gravy for Cal and You All

[Old Mr. Wilson]

First let me say that this was usually done on a per serving basis. That is to say that I've never seen it done in big batches.  When I first moved down here, I heard people describe a tomato gravy and call it Red Eye. I told them that was bullshit. Here is what Mom back home in the Mississippi Delta did and the way that "I" make it.

First you must cook a slice of REAL country ham with the bone in it (this bone is the "red eye").
Brown it and take it out of the skillet. Set aside.
Examine how much grease it produced. There should be a thin film on the bottom along with bits of brown ham (if not add a tad of bacon grease).
Cut flame down to about medium (don't burn anything).
Next take a couple of glugs (I guess this'd be about 5 to 6 table spoons) of strong coffee and
pour it in. This was USUALLY coffee that was at the bottom of the pot. It will foam. Stir and maybe add a dash of salt. Turn off heat.
That's it!!! Nothing to it. Experiment and enjoy.
Sometimes she'd pop out the ham bone and put it in the gravy. The marrow is wonderful and succulent. The ham bone is why it is called red-eye gravy. Spoon over home made biscuits. The guests get first choice of sucking the marrow out of the hambone. Now see, we Rednecks ARE courteous and sweet!
Now you have the story of real red-eye gravy and the recipe! Hugs and High Fives,  your friend, Wilson

[Grainbelt]

how thick of a ham slice? I pictured 1/2" in my head as I drooled on my desk.

[Old Mr. Wilson]

1/2 or we usually used a bit less thick. Not too thin though. We loved a nice bone filled with that wonderful marrow.