Best Red Eye Recipes

GRITS, COUNTRY HAM AND RED-EYE GRAVY

Steps:

• For the grits, bring the water and milk to a boil in a pan, whisk in the grits, and then reduce the heat and cook for an hour. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• For the poached eggs, bring a pan of water to a gentle simmer and add salt and vinegar. Using a spoon, swirl the water in a circle and crack the eggs into the center of the water. Simmer for about 2 minutes. Set aside.
• For the gravy, to a pre-heated skillet, add a slice of ham and warm it through. Then remove the ham to a plate. Into the same skillet add the coffee and pork stock and reduce.
• To a bowl or plate add a serving of grits, the ham, a poached egg and sprinkle with chives. Drizzle the red-eye gravy over the grits and serve.

RED EYE GRAVY

Steps:

• Dissolve ham stock and coffee granules in water in a large mixing bowl to create a stock.
• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; add flour. Cook butter and flour, stirring constantly, until brown, to create a roux, about 5 minutes. Add gravy stock mixture 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly, until it resembles the consistency of a gravy, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with black pepper. Remove from heat. Serve warm with meal of choice.

RIB-EYE STEAKS IN RED-WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Pat steaks dry, then sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper (total).
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until it shimmers, then sauté steaks in 2 batches, turning once, about 4 minutes per batch for medium-rare. Transfer to a large plate and cover with foil.
• Pour off fat from skillet, then sauté garlic in remaining tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until pale golden, about 30 seconds. Add wine and boil, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add water, soy sauce, and any meat juices from plate and boil until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time, until slightly thickened. Stir in parsley and pour sauce over steaks.

HAM WITH RED EYE GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir ham scraps until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate, reserving the grease in the pan.
• Place ham slices in the pan and cook over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes on each side. Season both sides with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Remove ham and reserve on a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and sprinkle flour over the pan drippings. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and pour in coffee into the pan. Cook and stir until combined and thickened. Season to taste. Return ham to the pan to warm through.

RED-EYE BARBECUE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, heat butter over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot; cook and stir until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add brown sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, 15-17 minutes., Add remaining ingredients; simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Puree sauce using an immersion blender or cool slightly and puree in batches in a blender. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Return to pan; cook and stir until liquid is reduced by a third, 30-40 minutes., Refrigerate, covered, until serving. Serve with grilled meats.

SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH SWEET POTATO BISCUITS, HAM STEAK AND RED-EYE GRAVY

Steps:

• Make the biscuits: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prick the surface of the potato with a fork, put the potato on a baking sheet and roast until it is soft and a paring knife easily slips into the center, about 1 hour. Cool briefly, then halve and scoop the flesh out from the skin (discard the skin) and into a small bowl. Mash the potato until smooth, then refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour.
• Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Whisk together the cold potato puree and the muscovado sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in the buttermilk.
• Whisk together the 2 1/4 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Sprinkle the cubed butter over the dry ingredients, and using your hands or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles very coarse cornmeal with the largest pieces of butter about the size of a large pea. Stir in the sweet potato mixture and gently mix until a soft dough forms.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and pat it into a 1-inch-thick round. Using a 2-inch round biscuit cutter, stamp out as many biscuits as you can. Gently press the scraps together and stamp out more biscuits. Place the biscuits about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet, then brush the tops with the cream and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with the melted butter. Transfer to a bowl or basket and loosely cover with a kitchen towel to keep warm while you make the ham, gravy and eggs.
• Make the ham steak and red-eye gravy: Heat the oil in a large cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add the ham steak and cook on both sides until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the ham to a cutting board.
• Add the onion to the drippings in the pan and cook, stirring often, until slightly soft, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often for 1 minute. Stir in the flour and cook while stirring constantly for 1 minute. Slowly stir in the coffee, bring the gravy to a simmer, and cook, stirring, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the butter, then remove from the heat, taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Cover to keep warm while you make the eggs.
• Make the scrambled eggs: Beat the eggs until well combined in a large bowl. Season with some pepper. Melt the butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the eggs and immediately start to stir with a wooden spoon or heatproof rubber spatula to form small curds. Once the eggs are barely set, add some salt and cook, stirring constantly, just until the eggs are set but still very soft and loose. Remove from the heat.
• Cut the ham into large chunks and divide among 4 plates. Top the ham with a scoop of eggs, gravy and a few cilantro sprigs. Add 2 biscuits to each plate and serve immediately.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH COUNTRY HAM, RED-EYE GRAVY, AND POACHED EGGS

Steps:

• Asparagus
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Arrange the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Roast until the color intensifies to a bright green and the asparagus spears are tender with crispy edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover loosely to keep warm.
• Ham and Gravy
• While the asparagus is in the oven, heat a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ham and cook until the meat is warmed through and begins to brown slightly, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and cover loosely to keep warm.
• Without cleaning the skillet, return it to the heat and add the coffee and butter. Stir to mix, scraping the bottom and sides to incorporate any bits of meat. Cook until the gravy reduces slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the dish is assembled.
• Eggs
• Fill another large skillet with water about 2 inches deep and bring to a boil. Add the vinegar and salt and reduce the heat to a simmer.
• Add the eggs one at a time and poach for 2 to 3 minutes, until the whites set and a thin, translucent film forms over the yolks (see Know-how, below). Use a slotted spoon to gently transfer the eggs to a paper towel-lined platter to drain.
• Assembly
• Divide the asparagus evenly between individual serving plates or place on a large serving platter and top with the ham. Place 1 or 2 eggs on each slice of ham and spoon the gravy on top. Sprinkle with the tarragon and additional salt and pepper, if desired, and serve hot.
• Know-how: Making Poached Eggs
• Poached eggs are as healthy as hard-boiled eggs because they are cooked in water, and as versatile as fried eggs, with yolks as runny or firm as you please. They are easy to make, too. The touch of vinegar added to the water helps the eggs keep their shape while they cook.
• Fill a large skillet with water about 2 inches deep and bring to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons vinegar and a pinch of sea salt and reduce the heat to a simmer.
• Break 1 egg into a small bowl or measuring cup, taking care not to break the yolk. Quickly turn the egg out of the bowl into the simmering water so the egg keeps its shape when it hits the water. Repeat with the remaining eggs, working in batches, if necessary, to avoid overcrowding the skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the whites set and a thin, translucent film forms over the yolks. For a firmer yolk, cook 1 to 2 minutes longer. Use a slotted spoon to gently transfer the eggs to a paper towel-lined platter to drain.

FRIED CHICKEN AND BISCUITS WITH RED-EYE GRAVY, ROMAINE SLAW AND LEMON JAM

Steps:

• For the chicken: Combine the buttermilk, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken thighs and marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• For the cheddar biscuits: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and pepper in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and mix.
• Add the shortening and butter and mix on low speed until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Add the cheese and mix. Slowly stir in the buttermilk while mixing, just until combined; do not over mix.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to about an inch in thickness; be careful not to overwork the dough. Cut, using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, and place the biscuits on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush with melted butter. Bake until the tops are just golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
• For the lemon jam: Put the lemon slices in a small saucepot and cover with 1 1/2 cups water and the sugar. Cook on low heat for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has cooked down to a syrup consistency.
• For the red-eye gravy: Make a roux by combining the butter and flour in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Add the brewed and ground espresso, milk, cream and sausage, and stir well to incorporate the roux. Add the hot sauce, paprika, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low heat until the mixture has a thick, gravy consistency, about 45 minutes.
• For the romaine slaw: Combine the romaine, sour cream, olive oil, red onions, chives, pickled jalapenos and salt and pepper to taste in a large salad bowl and toss well.
• To finish the fried chicken: Heat a few inches of canola oil in a fryer or deep skillet to 320 degrees F. Combine the flour, salt, pepper and smoked paprika in a shallow bowl. Drain the thighs in a colander, and then dredge in the flour mixture. Fry a few pieces at a time in the hot oil until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and has a golden brown crust.
• For each serving, place a dollop of red-eye gravy in the center of the plate. Cut a biscuit in half and place the bottom half atop the gravy. Top with a fried chicken thigh, another dollop of gravy, a fried egg, 1/2 cup romaine slaw and a dollop of lemon jam. Place the top half of the biscuit on top and drizzle with 1/2 cup more gravy. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

OVER EASY HAM STEAK WITH RED-EYE GRAVY

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan over moderate heat, melt the butter. Add chicken and brown skin side down. Turn over and add chopped onion. Cook until soft and starting to color about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover with chicken stock, and add the coffee and brown sugar, if using. Reduce heat to medium and cook the red eye gravy until thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 2 to 4 hours. Strain stock into a large bowl and reserve. The chicken can be used for another recipe or discarded.
• Preheat a large heavy bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat. Season ham steaks with black pepper and add to the hot skillet. Cook until golden brown on each side, 6 to 8 minutes and transfer to serving plates.
• In the same skillet, once steaks have been removed, reduce heat to medium and fry the eggs to desired doneness.
• Cover the steaks with red-eye gravy and crown with a fried egg. This dish can be served with potatoes, hash browns or biscuits, if desired.

RIB-EYE STEAK WITH RED WINE & PASTRAMI SAUCE

Steps:

• Season the steaks with salt. Heat the oil in a frying pan large enough to fit both steaks, then add half the butter and once melted and foaming, add the garlic and thyme. Carefully put the steak in the pan and cook for 3 mins for rare, 4 mins for medium and 6 mins for well done, flip the steak and repeat. Once cooked, add a squeeze of lemon juice to the pan and spoon the lemony butter over the steak. Transfer the steaks to a warm plate and cover.
• Pour off the fat from the pan, discard the garlic and thyme and wipe out with kitchen paper. Place the pan back on the heat, add half the remaining butter, and once melted, add the shallot and fry for 30 seconds, then add the wine and reduce to a glaze. Pour in the stock and bring up to the boil, then add the pastrami and chilli and warm through. Finally, stir in the parsley. Put the steaks on plates and spoon over the sauce, with the ketchup (see recipe below) and chips on the side.

BEEF BRISKET WITH COFFEE RUB AND RED-EYE BARBECUE SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the rub. In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the rub and whisk to mix. (Break up any lumps with the whisk or your fingers.) Place the brisket in a roasting pan and generously sprinkle on both sides with the rub, using about 3 tablespoons per side and patting it onto the meat with your fingertips. You can cook the brisket right away, but it will be better if you let it cure with the rub in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 hours, or up to a day ahead. Make the mop sauce. Place the beer, cider, vinegar, coffee, stock, oil, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, salt, and pepper in a nonreactive bowl and whisk to mix. Taste for seasoning. Cook the brisket until very tender, 5 to 6 hours Red eye bbq sauce Place the bacon and onion in a heavy saucepan cook over medium heat until lightly browned, 3 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the remaining ingredients and gradually bring to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer the sauce until thick and richly flavored, 10 minutes, whisking from time to time. Correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.

RED-EYE GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat grease, add flour and sugar until dissolved and incorporated with ham grease. Add water, coffee and bullion cube, stir until gravy is well blended. Turn down heat and cook for 1 minute, add butter and cook for 1 minute longer. Serve immediately with hot biscuits or grits.

HAM WITH RED EYE GRAVY

Steps:

• In a skillet set over medium heat, heat the oil until hot, add the ham and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden. Transfer to a platter to keep warm.
• Pour off fat from skillet, add coffee and BBQ sauce. Deglaze the pan, scraping up brown bits clinging to the pan. Pour over ham. Serve with buttermilk biscuits on the side.

STUFFED CHICKEN WITH KONA COFFEE RED-EYE GRAVY

Steps:

• For the gravy: Add the beef stock to a large saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Mix in the hot roux, 1/2 cup at a time, until it reaches the desired thickness. Reduce the heat and stir in the coffee grounds. Remove from the heat.
• For the stuffed chicken: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil to a saute pan over medium heat. Place the onions in the pan and cook until caramelized. Then add the mushrooms and cook for another couple of minutes until tender. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
• Combine the mozzarella, Cheddar, Parmesan and rosemary in a small bowl.
• Butterfly the chicken breasts and tenderize. Lightly salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts. Lay the prosciutto on one half of each breast and cover with the cheese blend. Fold the prosciutto over so it holds the cheese in, then fold over the other half of the chicken. Dust the chicken in flour.
• Heat the remaining oil in an oven-safe large saute pan over medium-high. Once the oil is hot, place the chicken in the pan and brown both sides. Once the chicken is brown, remove from the stove and place in the oven until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven.
• To assemble: Place the chicken on a plate, top with caramelized onions and mushrooms and top with gravy. Best served with a side of buttery mashed potatoes and sauteed seasonal vegetables. Enjoy!
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Chop the beef trimmings into 1-inch cubes and place on a perforated pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet and place into the oven. Cook the beef until browned, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Separate the beef from the drippings, saving the drippings for the roux.
• Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, mushrooms, onions and celery and saute until tender. Add the beef trimmings and the water. Season with the garlic, salt, peppercorns, thyme and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Then cover and reduce the heat. Simmer on low heat for 8 hours.
• Strain and add the Kona coffee to the beef stock. Stock can be made a day in advance.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add beef drippings. Once the butter and drippings are hot, whisk in the flour until blended smoothly. Remove from the heat and use for the gravy recipe.

CORNCAKES WITH COUNTRY HAM SCRAMBLE AND RED-EYE GRAVY

Steps:

• For the corncakes: Mix together the self-rising flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Add the chicken stock, buttermilk, melted butter, eggs and yolks and mix until combined; do not overmix.
• Oil a griddle and heat over medium heat. When hot, add 1/2 cup of the batter to the pan to create a small cake; repeat to fill the pan (about 2). Let the cakes cook until browned and the tops have begun to set slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the cakes and cook until golden brown on the other side and cooked through, another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the cakes to a paper towel-lined tray to rest. Repeat with the remaining batter to make a total of 4 to 6 cakes.
• For the Red-Eye Gravy: Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until melted, then add the ham. Brown the ham on each side. Remove the ham and deglaze the pan with the coffee. Add the chicken stock and brown sugar and increase the heat to high. Allow the mixture to reduce by at least half, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the 2 tablespoons ice-cold butter a little at a time, whisking constantly until all the butter has been added.
• For the Country Ham Scramble: Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl. Add the cream and whisk well, then add the Cheddar. Heat a large nonstick saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the egg mixture and scramble until soft.
• To Plate: place a hot corncake on a plate, top with a quarter of the eggs, a sprinkle of ham and some red-eye gravy. Garnish with the green onions.

"RED EYE" (BEER 'N TOMATO OR CLAMATO JUICE)

Steps:

• 1. Pour beer slowly into small pitcher.
• 2. Add as much tomato juice as you like. (Taste as you go.)
• 3. Stir in any extra ingredients of choice and pour into salt-rimmed glass with a lime or lemon wedge if desired.
• 4. Keep extra chilled.

RED-EYE BEEF ROAST

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, brown roast on all sides in oil over medium-high heat; drain. Combine 3/4 cup water, soup mix, vinegar and hot sauce; pour over roast. , Cover and bake at 325° for 2-3 hours or until tender. Transfer to a serving platter and keep warm. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing., For gravy, combine flour and remaining water until smooth; stir into meat juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with meat.

HERBED RIB EYE ROAST WITH RED WINE GRAVY

Steps:

• Add all chopped ingredents to small clay bowl.
• Drizzle in olive oil as you whisk to form a paste.
• Score the fat side of the roast with a knife and smear the herb paste all over the top.
• Put roast into a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 18 - 20 minutes a pound.
• Red Wine Gravy.
• Remove cooked roast from roasting pan and put on cutting board with well to rest.
• Put roasting pan across two burners of cook top on medium low. (drain any excess grease first)
• When browned bits are nice and hot pour in about 3/4 cup of red wine. Use one you would drink, I used a $3.97 bottle of Lucky Duck Shiraz from Wal-Mart. It is cheap, but good.
• Deglaze the pan with a whisk and cook for several minutes until somewhat concentrated.
• Pour liquid through a sieve to catch any crunchy burned bits. To it pour in about 2 cups of beef or chicken stock. Set liquid aside.
• In a medium skillet over medium heat melt 2-3 tblspns butter. When it bubbles at about 1/4 cup of flour.
• Whisk together and cook about 1 minute.
• Slowly add the liquid from the deglazing until it is smooth and silky.
• Add black pepper and salt to taste.
• Serve with roast and MASHED POTATOES!

COUNTRY HAM AND RED-EYE GRAVY

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°. With the side of a large knife, scrape both sides of country ham to remove any whiteish residue from the ham, if there is any. (This is an important step). Discard residue. Do not remove fat from the ham at this point. Place country ham in a 9 x 13 baking dish or a large iron skillet. Pour about 1/2 can of coke over ham, this depends on how many slices you are preparing. (I usually cook 2 large slices and use 1/2 can [6 ozs.] of coke). Cover ham loosely with aluminum foil and bake about 20 minutes or until tender. Be sure and reserve juices from ham. Trim the fat from the ham. In a skillet on top of the stove, pour reserved ham juices, add sugar or packet of sweetner and about 1/2 cup brewed coffee. Heat until boiling. Pour into serving container. Enjoy with ham, some hot biscuits and scrambled eggs.

SUNNY'S EASY RED-EYE BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Season the beef cubes on all sides with salt and pepper. In a large, ovensafe pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the butter. Add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper and cook until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove to a plate. Working in batches, sear the beef cubes and jalapeno halves on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove to a bowl, leaving the fat in the pot. Toss the seared beef cubes and jalapeno with the flour.
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Add the onions, paprika and sage to the pot and cook, stirring, until the onions are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, ground and cubed beef and jalapenos to the pot. Add the beef stock and 1 cup of the coffee. Season with a pinch of salt. Cover and cook in the oven until the beef is tender, about 4 hours.
• At the 4-hour mark, add the potatoes, carrots and remaining 1/2 cup coffee. Cover and continue to cook until the potatoes and carrots are tender, about 1 hour. Skim off any fat from the top, then spoon the stew over the rice. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.