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Ham Steak and Grits with Red-Eye Gravy

Source of Recipe

From "One-Hour Comfort" by America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"Salty pan-fried country ham with an eye-opening, coffee-based gravy and a side of grits is often served up for breakfast in Southern kitchens (though it hits the spot any time of day). To offset the leanness of the bone-in ham steak, start by cooking some bacon and using its rendered fat to fry the ham to a beautiful golden brown. For the skillet gravy, brown onion in the drippings and stir in some body-building flour before adding broth. A little maple syrup (an admittedly Northern ingredient) adds a touch of mellow sweetness to balance the coffee's bitter notes, and butter lends a silky, rich finish. Pat the ham steak dry before cooking to get the best browning. Before pouring the gravy over the ham in step 4, discard any accumulated juices on the platter; otherwise, the sauce will be too salty."

List of Ingredients

Grits:
â—¦ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
â—¦ 1 cup old-fashioned grits
â—¦ 2 ¼ cups whole milk
â—¦ 2 cups water
â—¦ ¾ teaspoon salt

Ham Steak:
â—¦ 1 (1 ¼-pound) bone-in ham steak
â—¦ ½ teaspoon pepper
â—¦ 2 slices bacon

Red-Eye Gravy:
â—¦ 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
â—¦ 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
â—¦ 1 ½ cups chicken broth
â—¦ 1 tablespoon maple syrup
â—¦ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces and chilled
â—¦ 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder


Recipe

For the grits:
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add grits and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add milk, water, and salt. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, whisking often, until thick and creamy, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm.

For the ham:
Pat ham dry with paper towels and season with pepper. Cook bacon in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon from skillet (leaving fat behind) and reserve for another use. Add ham to skillet with bacon fat and cook until well browned on first side, about 5 minutes. Flip ham and cook on second side until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer ham to platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil.

For the gravy:
Add onion to now-empty skillet and cook until just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook for 15 seconds. Whisk in broth and maple syrup, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to simmer and cook until mixture is reduced to ¾ cup and slightly thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Off heat, whisk in butter, one piece at a time, and espresso powder. Season with pepper to taste. Discard any juices on ham platter. Carve ham steak into 4 equal portions. Pour red-eye gravy over ham. Serve with grits.

Serves 4