Southern · Authentic-ish Southern
Country Ham with Red-Eye Gravy
207 kcal a serving, against 298 for the traditional version. That is 91 kcal off, or 31%, with 24.7g of protein. Serves 4. 40 minutes.
What the traditional version is
The classic starts with 500g of country ham, rind and all, cut into 4 thick slices. You fry the ham in its own fat over medium heat, carving off nothing, until it's brown at the edges and the fat has rendered out into the pan. Scoop out the ham, then pour 200g strong black coffee into the pan with all the salty pork fat. Scrape up every brown bit, then boil to reduce a little. Serve the ham with the gravy poured over, biscuits on the side if you're being proper. The gravy is meaty, salty, and as much fat as coffee.
What changed, and what each change costs
Trim the fat and rind from the ham before frying
The pork fat is where most of the calories and, let's be honest, the heavy pork funk live. Taking it off means you still get proper ham, but you avoid a pool of hot fat at the bottom of the plate.
What it costs you. You lose the crunch and chewy bits that make country ham more than just salt-dried pork. No amount of crisping will get it back, but if you want to taste actual ham and stand up afterwards, it's a price worth paying.
Add a small knob of butter to the gravy for mouthfeel
With the pork fat gone, pouring black coffee in the pan gives you something that tastes like. black coffee with a hint of ham. A little butter brings back some of the gloss and body you need for gravy, without adding back all the lost fat.
What it costs you. Butter does the job, but it isn't pork fat, it's butter. The gravy is lighter and a bit thinner, and the full-bore ham flavour is dialled back. If you want the original's wallop, this isn't it, it's a lighter slap.
Dial the salt down to a pinch
Country ham is already saltier than a brined anchor. You don't need to bring a shovel. I add just a pinch of salt and a generous hand with the black pepper.
What it costs you. If you love salt, you might notice, but everyone else will see their ankles at the end of the day. The ham is still plenty salty.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 298 | 207 |
| Protein | 21.6g | 24.7g |
| Fat | 22.5g | 11g |
| Saturated fat | 7.8g | 4.4g |
| Carbohydrate | 0.6g | 1g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 7.3g | 11.9g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Southern prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. milk.
The method is in the book
I won't pretend this does what the original does. The pork funk and sticky fat are out of the window and the gravy is a bit more polite. But the ham flavour is cleaner, the plate isn't a slip hazard, and you can actually get on with your day after breakfast. If you're feeling honest, you could try the original once a year and this on a Tuesday. It isn't blasphemy, it's just lunch.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Southern, along with 50 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.