red-eye gravy

American  

noun

Southern Cooking.

1. a gravy made from the pan juices of fried country ham, thickened with flour and sometimes containing coffee for color and flavor.

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Etymology

Origin of red-eye gravy

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

“Biscuits were a treat,” Taylor says, and she ate them with ham steak and red-eye gravy, traditionally made from ham drippings and coffee.

From Washington Post • Jul. 22, 2019

One advertised a church group’s all-you-can- eat breakfast — tubs of grits and vats of red-eye gravy.

From Salon • Jul. 6, 2018

His grandparents owned the Village Restaurant, which Milton describes as a little greasy spoon that served burgers, red-eye gravy, country ham and shuck beans.

From Washington Post • Mar. 28, 2016

Either one would do well dampened with the excellent red-eye gravy.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 11, 2013

In Georgia, the holiday mornings began with bacon, eggs, red-eye gravy, biscuits, grits, deer sausage, fried catfish, cornbread, buttermilk, waffles, French toast, hotcakes and heaps of fruit.

From Time Magazine Archive