Creamed Chipped Beef, also known as S.O.S, consists of a creamy white gravy full of chopped dried beef served on toast. It can be made in just minutes for an easy breakfast and it is pure comfort food.
In military slang this dish is called “Shit on a Shingle”. It dates back to the early 1900s and it is a classic military dish.
I feel like Creamed Chipped Beef is the beef equivalent of sausage gravy and I find it to be almost as delicious. (Nothing beats sausage gravy.) Like sausage gravy, this Creamed Chipped Beef is so easy to make.
You do want to do one easy step before you make it though. Soak the dried beef in hot water for 10 minutes to remove some of the salt. Like country ham, dried beef is extremly salty. So salty you will probably not need to add any salt to the gravy/sauce. I find 10 minutes is enough time to soak it.
I have to really search for the dried beef at the grocery store becasue I don’t purchase it often. Except for this recipe and an occasional cheese ball, I really don’t use it.
It comes in jars and you can find it near the canned meat. It’s usually tucked away on the bottom shelf or the topped shelf.
Creamed Chipped Beef reheats well. You may need to add a little milk to thin it.
More Classic Breakfast Recipes:
Creamed Chipped Beef
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) jar sliced dried beef
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- pinch of nutmeg.
Instructions
- Soak dried beef in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain and chop into medium to small pieces.
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add beef to butter and saute 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Whisk in flour to form a roux. Cook for 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk in milk. Increase heat and bring to a simmer.
- Add beef and pepper and simmer for a few minutes to thicken. Serve with toast.
Notes
Nutrition
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Simply the best chipped beef on toast!
I bought my dried beef at the local Amish store. They sliced it for me as it was in the deli case. This was how how I remember it from years ago, not like the beef in the jars! Absolutely delicious. This recipe was spot on for authenticity.
I’ve seen both dried beef and prepared dried beef in milk gravy in my local ShopRite.
Found in the deli aisle near the packs of sliced cheeses and tubs of sliced meats.
This was just like MOMS !
So Easy 😊
Can steakum style meat be used in place of dried beef?
You will have to cook the sliced steak first to a “just done” stage, will also need to add salt.
It should work, though I never tried it.
It wouldn’t have the same flavor or texture but you could try it. It will just be different.
This recipe is fabulous! We have always liked chipped beef and my retired Navy husband still calls it shit on a shingle. I always like to make Belgium Waffles for the toast portion of this recipe. The Nutmeg seems to give this recipe an extra zing and I had never thought to saute’ the chipped beef in the butter, it gives both the gravy and the meat a special taste. I am so pleased with your recipe, Thank You for sharing it.
I forgot to rinse my dried beef before adding to my white sauce and it’s so salty we cant eat it. Is there a way to cut the salt. Would adding more milk help? I don’t want to throw it out.
My first stepfather made S.O.S. with left over turkey the day after thanksgiving. It was wonderful. I agree with you about sausage and gravy. Are you a Southerner? You can also make this with ground beef or ground turkey. It’s great when you serve it with left over steamed rice.
I have a book on American military recipes. S.O.S. is the third most hated Amer. military dish(M.R.E.’s scored #1;SPAM scored #2).I’ve had this made with chipped beef twice. I had it with rice both times.
I always add Worcestershire (1 teaspoon) to mine with the milk. Reminds me of my pappy 💗
This has been a favorite of mine for years!
Bought my little jar of Armour dried beef at my local Kroger in SW KY for $2.39.
Bought my little jar of Armour dried beef at my local Kroger for $2.39.
Bought a jar of dried Beef Armour brand at Both Kroger And Walmart less than $3 bucks!!
Instead of the chipped formed beef in a jar or the Buddig (don’t care for either of those) stuff I use Knauss sliced dried beef. It’s delicious for this purpose and also for cheeseballs. I find it at Kroger. It does have a lot of sodium though. http://www.knaussfoods.com/knauss-sliced-dried-beef.html
We try to stay away from so much salt and preservatives. Get your favorite grocery or deli to thin (chip) slice good roast beef, one quarter or one half pound is enough to make a good bit. This is the final dish we always make from our own roast. Enjoy you recipes. We think alike using tasso, anduille, and the trinity (lol). Thank you.
Tony B.
Leftover cream chopped beef with freeze bag in frozen How long it last stay in freeze?
The price shown on Amazon is for 4 jars. That price is still over $7 per jar. Still inflated if you ask me. I bought a jar at Wal-Mart for close to $5.
You can use Buddig Beef, that is what my mother used in the 60’s. It is wonderful!!!
It’s what I use too. I think it’s just as tasty and i might be wrong but it may have less sodium too. Makes a delish SOS.
I work in a grocery store and know that we carry it and it costs no where near twenty nine bucks. Next time just phone a store and ask if they carry the product.
Well, at $29.97 for the dried beef, I doubt very seriously that I will be making this recipe. That is really an inflated price, through Amazon for what you receive. Much cheaper to buy the ready made frozen Creamed Chipped Beef from the freezer section of my local grocery store.
I agree it is a very inflated price. I try to link to amazon for products that people may not be that familiar with so they can at least see a picture of it. So much easier to find things at the store if you know what the packaging looks like.
It does not cost that much. Must have been a typo on the amount.
I bought a jar of dried beef yesterday for $4.59 at a small local grocery store. Perhaps you should look in a store rather than at Amazon.