Wednesday, December 18, 2013

"Old-School" Creamed Chipped Beef

Let's face it. This is about as old school as it gets. Creamed Chipped Beef over Toast. You know it. And, you either love it or hate it. {I happen to love it.} It's about as simple as it gets, too, with regards to preparation. The ingredient list is a very basic one and it takes like, maybe fifteen minutes from start to finish. If you recall this fondly from your childhood, you know just how comforting and awesome it can be.
 
 
Even growing up in a pretty conservative, religious home, I still recall this recipe being {affectionately} referred to as "S**t on A Shingle." I'm always surprised that so many people have never heard of this.  This was a common meal in our household ... probably because it was so inexpensive to make. But, I absolutely loved it. Still to this day, it takes me back to my childhood and those comforts of home when I make this.  It's not particularly healthy, but it is super delicious.

The gravy can be served over toast or mashed potatoes.

Serves 4 - 6.


Ingredients:

8 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
3 1/2 cups whole milk
1 jar dried beef, quickly rinsed in warm water and chopped
Black pepper
Salt, as needed
Pinch of freshly-ground nutmeg

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in the flour.


Whisk to combine, then allow the raw taste of the flour to cook off for a few minutes - whisking occasionally.


Whisk in milk. Continue whisking until no lumps remain and "gravy" is smooth. Reduce heat to low. Switching to a large spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the beef. Season with nutmeg and lots of black pepper. Taste and add salt, as needed {the beef is usually quite salty, so beware}.

Serve over buttered toast or mashed potatoes.  Additional milk can be whisked in - as needed - if your gravy becomes too thick for your preference.



08/15/17:  Updated photos and made clarifications to post/recipe.



146 comments :

  1. Omg, this brings back memories! My Mom, God rest her soul, would make this every once in a while! I, too, loved it. We always had it on toast, but it sounds great on mashed potatoes. I can't wait to make this! Thanks for the memories! :-) P.S. I still say S___ on a shingle! LOL

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    1. So happy to "take ya back!" Hope you enjoy!

      From one Angela to another!

      Happy Holidays!

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    2. At my house, growing up, we called this delightful dish "Stuff On Toast". I still make it for my husband and I. We like it best on toast.

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    3. try it with fried hamberger, mix it together with large spoon over biscuits.

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    4. It is also very good on baked potatoes.

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    5. We always had this on toast growing up, and I've always loved it. However, one time my mom decided to put it on her homemade waffles, and it was amazing! Also very good on breakfast potatoes (hashbrowns, home fries), which I've had at diners here and there.

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    6. I had this many times growing up, I'm in my 60's. Mom made it because it was inexpensive. My husband, of 42 years, loves it. He had it in the military. My girls growing up, didn't like the jarred meat. So I switched to Buddig Corned Beef. I also add peas to mine and serve over toast. If it was your birthday, you got to pick the menu. My girls always picked "Chip Beef with White Sauce". They still call it that. Later in their teens they learned the real name. LOL

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    7. This is an American classic! I add a shot or two of lee & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, and a shot of hot sauce along with the freshly grated nutmeg and the black pepper. I like it with English muffins, but am perfectly happy to eat it on toasted white bread. For an extra special treat, serve with an yolky fried egg on top of each English muffin, it's amazing!

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    8. love this dish. Try adding peas to it. I use a different type of beef that has less salt due to having High Blood Pressure but I do remember the original.

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    9. Yes!So good.I am surprised No one mentioned how salty it is.How do you take care of that?

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    10. Does anyone know what cheese could have been used. A place called ungs hat in Vincentown had the best sos and it had some kindve cheese in it, any ideas maybe gruyere?

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    11. My mama use to fix this all the time. My daddy was in the navy and they had it alo, but they had diff name for it I can't say here. Lol

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    12. Shit on a shingle

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  2. Anybody have good suggestions for sides to go with this meal?

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    1. I have a side salad with most of my meals these days, so that is a great option. Roasted veggies would be good ... some roasted carrots or asparagus, for example.

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    2. fried apples or apples cooked in the microwave are great. I use biscuit mix instead of flour to make my chipped beef gravy. Everyone asks what is my secret.....now it is out!

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    3. I think lightly cooked green beans (haricot vert) should be good with it - and look pretty too. Asparagus should be a natural what with all the white sauce. And a pinch of cayenne....

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    4. I eat chipped beef on toast for breakfast so my sides are breakfast sausage, "well done" homefries (I like the crunch when they are cooked til brown on the edges but not burnt.) and also cornbeef hash cooked well done!!

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    5. My mother would make this gravy and use only the asparagus and not the chip beef.

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    6. Favorite breakfast since childhood, always served with boiled eggs!

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    7. 81yrs and still my favorite quickest meal. My sons always ate every bite on toast and always asked for more. A forgotten dish, and so easy.

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    8. I remember this well from childhood, I’ve made it myself as an adult, but it didn’t taste ‘finished’. When I saw the addition of nutmeg, that brought it all back! Thanks so much!

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  3. My Dad also would make this "SOS" using ground beef and I also use sausage to make it...we always loved "Breakfast for Supper"

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    1. You're right - sometimes nothing beats breakfast for dinner!

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    2. In the military they call SOS hamburger w/white gravy. We always called this chipped beef with gravy and ate it with scrambled eggs and served over toast. It's a perfect breakfast food. My mom always used the Carl Buddig thin sliced beef...cheaper way to do it and it is good!

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    3. yes thats the lunchmeat!! cant find it anymore

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    4. Walmart has it in the lunch meat section

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  4. I cook my dried beef in the butter first...I think it flavors it more...maybe its just me....then I drain the beef and make it like you do....I too call this SOS (s^%t on the shingle) then we put it over fresh baked biscuts with buttered corn on the side...oh yeah...and save a few biscuts for butter and homemade strawberry freezer jam...fast and easy meal!!

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    1. Everything you wrote is making me drool ... I love the idea of cooking the beef in the butter. Intriguing. And, biscuits with homemade freezer jam ... divine!

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    2. I cook my beef in butter firsy, also. It does change and impfove the taste of the beef. I like to eat it over untoasted bread.

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    3. I always cook chopped union, in butter, then add chopped dried beef, then milk and pepper. When the milk starts to warm I add a little flour and milk mixture back in to thicken. Never heard of the nutmeg but will try that the next time I make it!

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  5. OMG a dear friend made this for us once we were visiting them in Italy we were in the British forces in Germany they were in the US forces in italy, Sherie made this one day put it between hot baguettes and wrapped them in tinfoil we later ate them on safari and they were divine I so clearly remember it all these years later I was only 12 or 13 i'm now 51 happy happy memories but better still I can now have a go yay

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  6. My mom made this often when I was growing up, and she always called it "dried beef on toast". She always served it on toast, with crumbled hard-boiled egg yolks sprinkled on top. She got the dried beef from a local butcher shop. I'll have to try this soon. Thanks for the reminder!

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    1. Never heard of it with hard-boiled eggs. My kids are hard-boiled egg junkies, so they'd probably like that idea.

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    2. My mom would cut up the whites of at least 6 hard boiled eggs and add them to the gravy, then push the yolks thru a fine strainer. Then sprinkle the yolk on the gravy served on buttered toast. She always called it Sunshine eggs. My children love it and my grandchildren!

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    3. I use boiled eggs, as WELL ☺️

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  7. It is good over a large serving of spinach also, if ya want to go a little healthier. The cream sauce mixes into the spinach so there is no need to really season it much. Just an idea we tried. It really was good.

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    1. Sounds delish! Kinda a play on traditional creamed spinach! Yum!

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  8. My mom use make this all the time too, on toast! Also creamed hard boiled eggs on toast! " memories" ����

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  9. It is also great on waffles!

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  10. I've always browned my "dried beef" - which is actually packaged beef such as the Buddig brand, in the butter as well, just like my mom did. Then I add the flour, salt and pepper and cook it a bit before adding milk. We serve it over white bread toast and always serve with peas. Yummy rib-sticking comfort food!!

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    1. Creamed chipped beef is NOT made with Buddig beef. It’s made with “ Armour Dried Beef”, and it comes in a jar! Totally different product.

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    2. Yes still in jar and 5 oz almost $6. Having it tonight 8/26/23 ours will be over mashed potatoes and canned peas with home made white sauce.

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    3. The jarred dried beef was not always easy to find and in that case my mom would buy Buddig beef or the corned beef to make it. The are all excellent. We also did the ground beef in the same gravy and served over mashed potatoes. Also delicious.

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    4. My Mom always made this with the bagged Buddig meat. We loved it over toast and it was an easy meal for her after working all day!

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  11. I saw this recipe on Pinterest last week and fond memories came to mind. I decided it would be great to make this again, just like my mother used to do, for Sunday breakfast after church. It was also the first time I've purchased the dried beef in a jar. In the past it came in packages like you would buy roast beef or turkey for lunch. Made it this morning, even though I didn't have any nutmeg. Still it was as i remembered! My husband had never had it (shocking, I know!) and he loved it! I plan to rotate this wonderful dish with my pancakes, French toast and waffle, Sunday morning "after church" breakfast! Yay!

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    1. So glad you could make this and that it brought back some great memories for you! One of my childhood favorites! Thank you for your comment and feedback. :)

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    2. I wanted to make this again. I was looking for different add ins for it..I just stumbled across Jeanette Armstrong comment...she was a very good friend of my mom's and mine. She has passed recently ....this message just made me reminisce on many things...Thank you.....��

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  12. I also make this, I use a package buddig beef never heard of dry beef. It is delicious and really inexpensive.
    I understand our soldiers in WWII ate this in the mess hall hence the name SOS Thank you for the memories.

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  13. I made this yesterday with the jarred beef, which I did saute in the butter...perfection! My hubby had never had creamed chipped beef before and he loved it too, thanks :)

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  14. Thanks for the memories...we will be having this soon :) My mom always added chopped boiled eggs.

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  15. I grew up with chipped beef on toast but our mother always used mushroom soup for all her gravies. This is really good made with mushroom soup.

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  16. My Mom always added a can of Lasurre(SP?) Peas to this. Brings back memories that my sisters and I had together.

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  17. My mom used to make it with onion and hard boiled eggs, served over a biscuit. I too have some good memories regarding this dish.

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    1. I put hard boiled egg in mine too.

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  18. We always had this gravy over saltine crackers. Loved it then and now it's a favorite of my children and grandchildren. I'm going to try it with biscuits.

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  19. Mom would make this rarely, but she'd make "Creamed Eggs On Toast" often. She had to feed nine people. Eggs were cheaper than beef in the 50's, 60's & 70's. I LOVE it and still make this for ourselves and the grandkids! Thanks for the memory and I will definitely be making the creamed chipped beef soon!

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  20. I make this all the time and mom made it often when I was a kid. She added cheese a few times, but we switched back to the original. We do sometimes put sliced hardboiled eggs on the toast beforehand.

    If you have time, I recommend slicing the beef and adding it to the milk. Microwave for about 3 minutes and let it sit for 15-30 minutes. This infuses the white sauce with a delicious flavor.

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  21. It is also really good on sliced fried potatoes.

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    1. OMG! What a wonderful idea! Over potatoes! Gotta try it!

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  22. we used ground beef and served over toast or rice!

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  23. Going to make it tonight the way my Dad did. Having tater tots with it. Roasted vegetables sounds good.

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  24. Great for camping breakfast too!

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  25. FYI the term sh.. on a shingle comes from the military. Anyways brings me back home.

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  26. Remaining my of home. I don`t remember if I eated this dish last 15 years. I can`t wait to make it.

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  27. Mouth-watering! Your photos are gorgeous! Good enough to eat...=)

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  28. I grew up on this too. My mom used to slice a hard-boiled egg on top. I still eat it that way today. Sometimes she would serve it on biscuits, which was my favorite way. I love my "SOS"!!! Thanks for sharing your recipe.

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  29. My grandma used to prepare this for me every week. Is nice to feel the touch of the past. Thanks for sharing

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  30. I never thought of the package Buddig beef. Find the jar a tad too expensive for just one person. I wonder what the corned beef would taste like in this now that I can afford it

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  31. We always cooked the chipped beef in the butter then added the flour then the milk to make the gravy. I know several people that use the Buddig beef but we use the dried beef in the jar, and serve it over bread, not toast. Mom always served green beans with it. When making it for myself I sometimes use biscuits. For a smaller batch for us single people, Stouffers makes a really good boil in bag chip beef gravy!

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    1. I just found the Stouffers frozen version you recommended! Can't wait to try it1

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  32. I LOVE this...make it once a month and cant get enough. I too add cream of mushroom soup to the white sauce, but I like it without also, and more often than not, add sharp shredded cheese to the sauce..serve it over baked potatoes, but DO love it over toast as well.

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  33. Mother and Dad were both Army Vets from WWII, they would make this and SOS. The chip beef came in a glass jar that we would use as juice glasses later, I still have some of them!!

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  34. Love this! Plus brings back lot's of Wonderful memories. My Mom used to make this for us too ... she used the Budding Beef OR the Budding Corned Beef ... served with Toast OR Biscuits In the summer we always had sliced Cantalope with it ...

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  35. I have been fixing this dish for my husband for years, we are on our 54th year. It is at the top of his list as one of his favorites, any time of the day. Just packed the chipped beef in the motorhome for our travels!

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  36. Had this growing up also. Had on toast or boiled potatoes. The potatoes makes it more filling. Love, love, love it.

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  37. Our Mom would make this from time to time. Dad loved it (as did we). He would call it SOS and laugh that she was making breakfast for dinner. He ate it often for breakfast in the Army.

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  38. I first encountered this meal in the Air Force avoided it like the plague until one day I gave in and tried it, loved it and have been eating it ever since. I have the toast points with 2 eggs basted easy and then covered with SOS. It is a great breakfast, no matter what the weather is like. All I need is a cup of good coffee and I'm ready for the day.

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    1. I love the thought of having it over fried eggs, but never thought of that until I read your comment! I like SOS over mashed potatoes and egg noodles--kind of like a 21st century pierogi of my own creation--and adding eggs will give it a protein boost, and make it even better :-)

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  39. Never jarred, yuck! You need fresh dried beef from deli/butcher!

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    1. No such thing where I live, so jarred it is, "yuck" or not.

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    2. I wish our butcher offered this. But I'm happy with what I can find.

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  40. I have recently tried these frozen Hash brown potato wedges, cooked in the oven for 15 -20 mins then took my eggs (basted easy or sunny side up) placed over the potato weges, and than poured on my SOS. I found it to be a satisfying and delicious (stick to the ribs) breakfast or brunch dish. Although I know those healthy eaters will complain. This is a dish I now love and with all the restraints I have on my diet, I will have this once a month, come hell or high water....

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  41. My grandma, mom and aunts used to make this with Crisco from the can, the dried beef in a jar, and then serve it on ripped up white bread. They called it "dried beef gravy" (must have been a family thing). I guess this came in handy during the depression era.

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  42. My sisters and I also grew up in the same home you described. And like you, this was still referred to as $h!t on a Single. Even when my mom started calling it creamed beef in our minds the real name was there. My Jesus loving know it by the original name.

    This past summer we lost mom unexpectedly. Likely this will be our last Christmas in the childhood home. So Christmas morning 15 grandkids and their parents will be having SOS. Pulling taffy, shrinky dinks and making caramels will be later in our day of remembrance.

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  43. It seems that my Mom's version had bits and pieces of several others above. First of all she used Crisco which she melted then tore the chipped beef (Eskay brand) up and cooked it in the Crisco until it frizzled. This gives a better meat flavor. Then she added flour and cooked until it browned a little. She then added milk and cooked until it thickened. We ate it over white bread or pancakes. She always tore my bread into bite size pieces when I was young. I'm now 63 and I still tear up my bread. We always called this Chipped beef gravy. Still love it!

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  44. Thank you for a nice trip down memory lane. I'm surprised with how many others also have good memories of SOS. We called it chipped beef on toast. My mother used dried beef, and we usually had it for dinner. As others mentioned, she also made a white sauce with chopped whites of hard boiled eggs and served it on toast. She sprinkled the yellow yoke on top. I had a wedding day breakfast at my house with my brides maids. My mother served this which she called Eggs Goldenrod. Thanks again.

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  45. I even put a hard fried on the toast, then the chipped beef mixture. Yummy ��

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  46. A favorite of mine. My G F hasn't ever had it and doesn't want to try it - but I'll fix it and eat it in front of her, she'll want a bite, and she'll fall in love.

    I would put it on rice sometimes too. But Nutmeg?? Never heard of that.

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  47. So good, for the 2 of us - I made half a batch of this for supper tonight. With fresh asparagus for a vegie.

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  48. My mom never made this, but my Granny did! I would BEG her to make it! I never thought of getting the recipe from her until it was too late. Can't wait to have a family dinner with this! Thank you, so much.

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  49. Have always loved it, I add peas and sliced hard boiled eggs to mine. Really a great cold weather start on a wintery morning!

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  50. My father remembered this from his navy days, so my mother made it quite often when I was growing up. The recipe came from an old Good Housekeeping cookbook. I still make it occasionally for myself and I love it!

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  51. This brought tears to my eyes. I thought of my Mom when I saw the recipe. She’s since passed but I used to make it for my family and they loved it. Thank You for the memories! We called it chipped beef.

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  52. Both my husbands family and my family ate this all our lives...our nephew, who is now 45, wound up calling it Beef-tawn-toast(beef on toast) and he said his favorite part is the "tawn"!

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  53. Both my husbands family and my family ate this all our lives...our nephew, who is now 45, wound up calling it Beef-tawn-toast(beef on toast) and he said his favorite part is the "tawn"!

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  54. Thank you everybody for the memories! Sitting here listening to Christmas music and remembering the chipped beef with white gravy on either toast or cubed boiled potatoes. Daddy was Navy in WW II and worked in the Mess so I expect that was the source for our family. This was a favorite dish that nobody had any complaints and no leftovers whatsoever.

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  55. I love this. I add cubed potatoes (boiled first) and frozen peas to the recipe and serve it over toast!

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  56. I love this. I add cubed potatoes (boiled first) and frozen peas to the recipe and serve it over toast!

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  57. I love this. I add cubed potatoes (boiled first) and frozen peas to the recipe and serve it over toast!

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  58. This childhood fabulous recipe is so delicious. Was nice to see the slang name for it too!

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  59. This is just your average gravy recipe! Instead of butter or oil, fry sausage or bacon, remove the meat from the grease, and make your gravy with the grease. Actually, this gravy is awesome made in the oil from fried chicken too. Follow the above instructions, toss the toast, and spoon it over homemade buttermilk biscuits instead!

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  60. This is basically the same recipe you use to make some good ol' Southern style gravy! Instead of using butter, fry some bacon or sausage, remove the meat from the pan, then use the above recipe (minus the nutmeg), toss the toast, and spoon it over some homemade buttermilk biscuits instead! If you want it for supper instead of breakfast, use the oil left in the pan after frying chicken or pork chops. Either way, there's no reason to limit it to being served over bread. Smother everything on you plate with this gravy! 😁

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  61. One of my favorites ever. 💯❤

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  62. My mom always made hers w/bacon grease gives it such a good flavor,I'm no cook but even I can make this lol

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  63. instead of flour I used corn starch. It was smoother and had a very good taste

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  64. I remember my mother making this for the family growing up. Chipped Beef And Gravy. She made it with the jarred dried beef, it has a better flavor, but it is pricey now. She would make creamy mashed potatoes, and southern style green beans, or peas with pearl onions to go with it. What wonderful memories, she is no longer with us, but these memories of her cooking delicious meals for the family remain with us. I make this for my family now, passing on family tradition.

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  65. My dad was retired Army. He passed away when I was 4 but I remember him making SOS. I've been making it for a few years now and my kids love it. It brings back memories!

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    1. Yep. Dad was in the navy, SOS was a weekly rotation.

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  66. What - no paprika sprinkled on top?! For shame!
    ;)

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  67. I loved this and it took me back. We always called it Shingles, we were not allowed to say the other part, lol. My dad was in the Navy and we did this with hamburger and tomatoes as well as creamed tuna and frozen peas on white bread. 9 kids.... full tummies.

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  68. My mom used to make this with canned tuna, because tuna was easier to come by at the food pantry. Still love it to this day

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  69. We had this with hamburger in school lunches..thank you

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  70. I LOVE this dish!! Still make it and had it over white rice not more than a week ago! My mother used to also make Eggs A La Goldenrod -- same white sauce, but cut up the whites of 3 or 4 hard boiled eggs, mix in with white sauce, and serve over toast. Sprinkle the hard boiled yokes pushed through a sieve over the top. Delicious as well and very pretty.

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  71. We had it often, but we added chopped boiled eggs to it. Very delicious.

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  72. I am making this for my family for the first time tonight!! I grew up with it over cornbread and that is how I will serve it tonight, I think the sweet goes well with the salty, I'm really not sure why my grams made it over cornbread but it's amazing and I didn't know that it was meant to go over toast!! Give it a go, you'll love it!

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  73. This is the very first thing I learned to cook when I was about 7 or 8. It was one of the only things I liked and maybe that was because I made it. I was such a picky eater but everyone loved creamed dried beef on toast. (We weren't allowed to call it what my dad called it.)

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    1. we grew up eatting this we called it shit on the shingle, thats what the army called it

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  74. Memories! My mom also made something she called Eggs a la Goldenrod, hard cooked eggs on white gravy over toast....

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  75. I to would like to thank you for the memories. My family and I was stationed on Midway Island (Navy Brat) in the 50's and 60's, we too loved "SOS".

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  76. I add finely chopped boiled eggs to the gravy.

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  77. Mom used to make this while I was growing up and I always looked forward to the next time she fixed in. It was so good. When I came home from Vietnam it was the first breakfast she cooked. I've never forgotten that and how good it was to be eating Mom's cooking.

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  78. S.O.S.! YUM! My mom fixed this with Buddig beef. I've not tried the jarred chipped beef. She would add sliced soft boiled eggs & Parmesan cheese, too (when we could afford them). Serve over toast. One of my favorite meals.

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  79. My mom made this too in the late 50’s and 60’s when I was young. I think my dad who was in military taught her about sos! I remember it being very good. I’m not sure she used the butter in her; because this recipe is even better! I loved it!!

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  80. As a kid we had this about once a week. The factory where my dad worked, closed so we got government subsistence food for a couple years till my dad landed another job. He had lost the fingers on his right hand, making it difficult to just landing a job. I supplemented the pot with what I got hunting.

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  81. My mom added chopped boiled eggs to this. Ahh, heaven.

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  82. My Dad ate this in the Navy during WW2. My son ate it in the Air Force in 20001, so yes it also has military origins, plus perhaps depression era frugality! I’ve been fortunate to get the “dried” beef fresh from a meat market in Vermont. Absolutely the best, not as much salt, but the same texture as the jarred meat. We all love it in my family, and I’m 71 now!!!!!

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    1. Hi. Yes, my stepfather had it in the Navy during WW2 also. We had it all the time bc my parents were hard-earned factory workers, so we didn't have a lot of money. We kids love it on toast. We used to call the white sauce "white gravy".

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    2. I have never made it with nutmeg but I always add a tsp of liquid smoke and add 4-5 ounces of American cheese...my mouth is watering.

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  83. Making it tonight! ♥️

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  84. what weight is a jar? 2 oz 4 oz or what?We get packages.

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  85. My typical brand is Hormel and it is a 2 1/2 ounce jar typically.

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  86. My Dad used to sometimes make it with hamburger and diced potatoes, it was delish! He was a cook in the Pentigon when I was a kid!

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  87. Good deli pastrami is easy to find and I think a superior product in this recipe. For something different serve it over Cheddar Bay biscuits. Big hit in my house!

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  88. I make this once in a while I use dice ham and the gravy i make is I melt the butter in a skillet and then I add the milk to the skillet and then i put corn starch in a bowl and then I and little water just enough to dissolve the corn starch and then I mix it in the milk stir it slowly until it becomes th texture you want , heat just a few minutes and then make some toast and then put the gravy mixture over the toast. Yummy I think I know what I am going to make this weekend. Enjoy.

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  89. Try adding chopped hard boiled eggs. My mom made it that way and was delicious

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  90. Dry beef is very hard to find I always loved it when my mother made it and now I make it for my husband and I. I eat mine on toast and I all so enjoy it over fried potatoes. When I get to Amish country In Pennsylvania there is a farmers market that sells fresh meat and they sell the dry beef loose by the pound it is the best I have ever eaten.

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  91. I grew up eating this wonderful dish! My mom called it, "Bread and Gravy". We would tear up white "Wonder Bread" (untoasted) on to our plates and pour the white gravy with torn up dried beef on top. It is good with lots of pepper on it. Yum! Thanks for the great memories!

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