Fried Country Ham with Red-eye Gravy

Ingredients

 * 1 lbs country ham, sliced . brewed
 * ¾ cup strong coffee, freshly

Directions

 * 1) Cut off a strip of fat from the outside rim of the ham, leaving a portion of the fat intact.
 * 2) Cut the strip of fat into small cubes.
 * 3) Using a sharp knife, cut the fat remaining on the ham at intervals down to the meat.
 * 4) Put the cubed fat into a skillet, preferably of black cast iron, and cook, stirring, until the fat is rendered.
 * 5) Scoop out and discard the rendered pieces of fat.
 * 6) Add the ham slice to the skillet and fry until nicely browned on one side.
 * 7) Turn the slice and continue frying until brown and cooked through.
 * 8) I remove the ham slice.
 * 9) Pour the coffee into the skillet and cook, stirring, about 1 minute.
 * 10) Cut the ham slice into 2 to 4 pieces and serve the gravy on the side, to be poured over grits and/or spooned over the ham pieces.