Creamed Chipped Beef Recipe : Taste of Southern (2024)

Steve Gordon | October 21, 2018 | 26 Comments

Follow our easy, step-by-step, photo illustrated recipe to learn how to make SOS, our Creamed Chipped Beef recipe. Printable recipe included.

Creamed Chipped Beef Recipe : Taste of Southern (1)
We’re saluting our Veterans with a flash back to the past with SOS – Creamed Chipped Beef.

Creamed Chipped Beef Recipe : Taste of Southern (2)

This was one of the early dishes that I prepared as a youngster. I’d already mastered macaroni and cheese in the blue box so it was time to up my game as they say. Smile.

Having heard my brother talk about something like this from his days in the US Army, I decided I needed to see what all the fuss was about.

The military folks call it S.O.S. which some folks say stands for Same Old Stuff. Most know it by another name that I’m not going to mention here, but It’s something like S–t on a Shingle. I think it’s because they got served the dish pretty often.

Supposedly it was quick and easy to make for a large group of military folks either in the Mess Hall or while out in the field. It was also made sometimes with ground beef or sausage.

In my early attempts I made a version using a canned gravy and one of those packages of Buddig Beef that you could buy for hardly anything in the grocery store. You know those little packages of processed meats that sell for about a dollar a packet and hang in the processed meat counter?

I couldn’t order any of that online, so I’m using the much more preferred dried beef from a jar to make this version.

Normally this would be served for breakfast over toast or biscuits, but it will make a quick and easy meal for any time of the day.

I’ve been wanting to do this for a couple of years just to bring back some memories for our Veterans of the military, but it took awhile to finally get it completed.

So, with thanks to all the great men and women that have served and still serve our country, let’s scoop up some Creamed Chipped Beef on toast.

Ready to give it a try? Alright then, let’s head on out to the kitchen, and… Let’s Get Cooking!

Creamed Chipped Beef Recipe : Taste of Southern (3)
Creamed Chipped Beef Recipe – You’ll need these ingredients.

Creamed Chipped Beef Recipe : Taste of Southern (4)
Rise and shine and lets begin. Place several of the slices of dried beef on top of each other, then slice those into thin strips.

Creamed Chipped Beef Recipe : Taste of Southern (5)
Place the strips in a small mixing bowl and cover them with warm water.

Dried Beef is very salty. Even the lid on this jar suggests that you rinse the beef in warm water first to remove some of the saltiness.

I allowed these pieces to soak for about 30 minutes, then drained the water off. Discard the water, it’s too salty to use for anything else. Set the beef strips aside for now.

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Place your skillet on your stove top and set the heat to about one notch below Medium.

Add the butter, and let it melt.

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When the butter is melted, sprinkle the flour over the top and start stirring.

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Quickly stir the flour and the butter together.

I like to use this flat ended wooden spatula to stir my gravies with. I can scrape the bottom of my pan and not worry about scratching it. You’ll need to stir this quickly to avoid lumps. If you see any, just continue to quickly stir the mixture and most of them will dissolve away.

Let this cook for about a minute, maybe two, to slightly brown the flour and cook away that flour taste.

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Gradually start adding the milk, stirring quickly until you’ve added the full three cups of milk to the pan. Don’t add cold milk, it should be at about room temperature for best results.

Continue to stir quickly, scraping the bottom of the pan so it doesn’t stick or burn. Do this until the milk begins to simmer.

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Add the black pepper.

Creamed Chipped Beef Recipe : Taste of Southern (11)
And if so desired, add the Worcestershire Sauce. It’s optional, but it adds a bit more flavor to the finished sauce.

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Constantly stir the sauce until it begins to thicken. The hotter it gets, the quicker it will thicken and you don’t want it to start clumping up on you. If you see any lumps, try to break them up with your spatula and quickly stir them into the mixture.

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Add the strips of dried beef to the sauce.

Some of the military recipes used ground beef instead of the dried beef. I’m sure it would taste a bit different, so experiment with the recipe to see which you like the best.

Now’s the time to taste it to see if it needs anything else. I actually added just a bit of salt to mine to enhance the flavor more. I was surprised it needed it, but guess I rinsed it all off in the beginning. Smile.

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Continue to stir the mixture and let it simmer for about two minutes. That’s all the time it needs, just enough for the meat to get hot.

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Enjoy!

Serve the beef over toast or biscuits. It’s generally served at breakfast, so some eggs would go pretty good with it.

I toasted my bread in the oven, and even slipped a few pats of butter on one of the slices. Toast doesn’t get any better than when you butter it and toast it in the oven. My favorite way of enjoying it.

Now you can get an idea of where the “on a shingle” part came in with serving it over toast.

It’s a quick and easy dish for breakfast or anytime of day. I’d love to hear your comments on it below.

Print

Creamed Chipped Beef Recipe : Taste of Southern (16)

★★★★★4.3 from 3 reviews

  • Author: Steve Gordon
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Side Dishes
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: American
Print

Description

Creamed Chipped Beef is also sometimes known as SOS by our military folks. It’s a quick and easy addition to breakfast or any time of the day.

Scale

Ingredients

1 jar Hormel Dried Beef, (4.5oz)
4 Tablespoons Butter
1/3 cup All Purpose Flour
3 cups Whole Milk, at room temperature
½ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce (optional)
½ teaspoon Black Pepper

Instructions

Cut the dried beef into thin strips.
Place strips in a small bowl and cover with warm water.
Soak the strips for 30 minutes, drain, discard the water.
Place a skillet over Medium heat on your stove top.
Add butter, let melt.
Add the flour, stirring it in quickly until combined with butter.
Add the milk, stirring quickly until fully combined and it starts to thicken.
Add the Worcestershire sauce if desired.
Add the black pepper.
Add the strips of dried beef, stir until fully coated.
Let simmer for about 2 minutes.
Spoon over toast or biscuits.
Enjoy!

Keywords: sos, s-o-s, Army, chipped beef, creamed chipped beef, veterans day, southern recipes

Your Comments:

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..

You might also like: Boiled Peanuts Recipe

Or how about this? Crackling Bread

Perhaps this one: Backbone and Dumplings

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Tags: army meals, breakfast, chipped beef, Creamed Chipped Beef recipe, side dishes, SOS, Steve Gordon, Taste of Southern

Category: Side Dishes

Creamed Chipped Beef Recipe  : Taste of Southern (2024)

FAQs

Did Stouffer's change their creamed chipped beef recipe? ›

They changed recipe

It no longer comes in a microwavable bag. It comes in a microwavable tray. New recipe is watered down, less thick, less creamy, no flavor. I loved Stouffer's Creamed Chipped Beef for years.

Has Esskay chipped beef been discontinued? ›

"Our organization made the difficult decision to discontinue Esskay hot dogs, and stopped production in December of last year. We will continue to make Esskay deli meat and chipped beef products, which can be found in Baltimore-area grocery stores," said Chad McFadden, Esskay brand manager, in an email to WJZ.

Why is creamed chipped beef called SOS? ›

Chipped beef is served in many diners and restaurants in the United States as a breakfast item. It is popular among the veteran community who generally refer to it by the dysphemism "sh*t On a Shingle" or "S.O.S." (when polite company and/or children are present, the acronym is said to mean "Same Old Stuff.").

What is SOS gravy made of? ›

It's a simple recipe consisting of ground beef mixed with milk, margarine and beef broth. It's also good using ground sausage.

What are the ingredients in Stouffer's creamed chipped beef? ›

SKIM MILK, CHIPPED BEEF CHUNKED AND FORMED (CURED WITH SALT, SODIUM ERYTHORBATE, SODIUM NITRITE, BHT, TBHQ, CITRIC ACID), WATER, SOYBEAN OIL, 2% OR LESS OF MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, WHEY, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, LACTOSE, SEASONING (MALTODEXTRIN, FLAVOR, ENZYME MODIFIED BUTTERFAT), SEASONING (WHEAT STARCH, ...

Is buddig beef the same as chipped beef? ›

Chipped Beef AKA Dried Beef: Beef that has been salted, pressed, dried, and sliced thin. It's often called dried beef or Buddig beef. (Buddig is one of the most popular brands.) Since it's dried, it is not usually found in the deli section of the grocery store.

Did Esskay go out of business? ›

A Smithfield Foods spokeswoman sent a statement to 11 News, saying, "Our organization made the difficult decision to discontinue Esskay hot dogs and stopped production in December of last year. It's not likely that product is still available in stores.

Who bought Esskay? ›

Esskay hot dogs, promoted by former Orioles great Cal Ripken Jr. in the 1980s, were made in Baltimore until 1985, when Smithfield bought the brand. In 1993, Smithfield shut down the 72-year-old ham and sausage making plant on East Baltimore Street in Highlandtown that employed 500 people.

Does chipped beef go bad? ›

Knauss Dried Beef/Chipped Beef (4 pack, 3oz. Each)

A: They will keep in the refridgerator for 4 - 6 months, the packages are dated with use or freeze by dates. They will keep in the freezer for a year based on my experience.

Who eats creamed chipped beef? ›

Creamed chipped beef on toast is a popular breakfast dish in the United States. It is most commonly served in diners in the northeast, where I lived most of my life, though it can be found in other areas of the country as well.

Who invented creamed chipped beef? ›

The History Behind Chipped Beef on Toast

It seems evident that homemakers invented chipped beef on toast during the depression era, but we actually have our WWII vets to thank for this one. This meal was a traditional army recipe that was super easy to make, cheap, and incredibly filling.

Does the military still eat SOS? ›

He said that veteran's groups who tour the base are taken to a mess hall and served creamed beef on toast made using the recipe in the 1944 Army recipe book, TM 10-412. Again, many veterans tell Hanson it their favorite meal while in the Army. And SOS remains popular among soldiers today.

What is a Southern gravy called? ›

Red-eye gravy is a Southern favorite. It requires just two ingredients: the drippings of pan-fried country ham and black coffee.

What meat is KFC gravy? ›

The fast food chain confirmed to Vice back in 2018 that stock is used to create the gravy. While there were no specific details about what goes into it, Mashed deduced that the gravy likely uses a blend of chicken and beef stock to create the rich flavor.

Is biscuits and gravy the same as SOS? ›

As the recipe suggests, S.O.S. is less of a dish and more of a rubric: Make a sauce, add meat of some type, and serve over bread. In this light, the dish fits into the same culinary genre as the southern staple biscuits and gravy, or even the British classic beans on toast.

What is the difference between chipped beef and dried beef? ›

Dried beef, also called chipped beef, is beef that has been partially dried, salt-cured and thinly sliced. You can easily enjoy this cured meat as an appetizer, snack or meal. Dried beef has a rich past but is a relatively obscure meat product in most parts of the country today.

Why is there a shortage of Stouffer's? ›

With tightening labor market conditions and increased demand we are seeing ingredients, packaging and transportation shortages which are impacting our ability to keep up with demand. We are working hard to improve our supply while we work to keep our people safe.

What cut of meat is chipped beef? ›

Also called dried beef, chipped beef is typically made from a leaner cut of meat, such as beef round. The meat is brined and left to cure for several days before being drained and air-dried. You can now also find chipped beef that's been smoked while it dries, adding additional flavor to the meat.

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