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1
Set a cast-iron or heavy skillet over high heat until the pan is very hot. Lay the country ham slices in the dry skillet — no added fat; the ham carries its own. Fry until the edges curl and the underside develops a firm, dark-golden crust, then turn and repeat on the second side. The skillet bottom should show a distinct brown fond. Remove the ham to a warm plate.
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2
With the skillet still over high heat and the fat smoking, pour the 240 ml of hot strong black coffee directly into the pan. This is where the dish lives or dies: the skillet must be smoking-hot so the fond dissolves instantly into the coffee — the violent sizzle is the sound of that dissolution. Scrape the bottom of the skillet immediately with a wooden spoon to lift every particle of fond into the liquid.
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3
Allow the coffee and drippings to simmer together for one minute, swirling the pan. Do not add flour, starch, or any thickener. The finished sauce is thin as broth: dark brown, with a pool of rendered ham fat floating at the centre — the eye. Pour directly over the ham and the grits beneath.