Chipped Beef on Toast

Chipped beef is thinly sliced or pressed salted and dried beef. Some makers smoke the dried beef for more flavor. The modern product consists of small, thin, flexible leaves of partially dried beef, generally sold compressed together in jars or flat in plastic packets.

The exact origin of S.O.S. is fuzzy. According to Wentworth and Flexner’s 1967 Dictionary of American Slang, no specific origin is known. The dish, which consists of sliced dried beef mixed in a thick creamy gravy, appeared in military cookbooks at the start of of the twentieth century. Some cooking sources, such as the online website “Seabee Cook,” claim the dish came from the Army. Steve Karoly, who authored an article on the subject, claims the “Army favorite” has become “the most popular version of SOS.”

One of the original versions of chipped beef from the 1910 Manual for Army Cooks used beef stock, evaporated milk, and parsley added to flour, butter, and dried beef. According to Karoly, a creamier recipe using salty chipped beef was adopted during the Second World War. This style is clearly evident with Navy cookbooks as well. The 1944 Cook Book of the United States Navy recipe for “Creamed Sliced Dried Beef” includes a hefty amount of dried beef (7 lbs.) added to a paste-like roux and boiled milk.

The popularity of creamed chipped/sliced beef soon extended beyond the military. Like the explosion of popularity in pizza after WWII, sailors and servicemen craved the warm and filling dish when their time in the military ended. Home recipes of creamed chipped beef published in the later twentieth century included S.O.S. variations using other meats such as tuna and sausage in a white sauce. Stouffer’s still makes a “classic” creamed chipped beef frozen meal to this day.

Here is a version of the 1944 Navy cookbook recipe which has been scaled back for 5 slices of toast.

5 oz. dried beef (1 package) (dried beef can be very salty
4 cups milk
1/3 stick butter (fat)
½ cup flour
¼ tsp. pepper
5 slices of bread, toasted

[Under warm running water, separate the slices of the dried beef a bit and let the water run through. This will help to reduce the amount of salt that gets added to the dish. The last time we made this, it was too salty. After rinsing, drain on paper towels.]

Using a nonstick skillet, I proceeded to follow the directions based of the 1944 recipe. I first sliced the package of dried beef and set it aside for later. Next, I melted the butter on medium heat and added the flour to make a roux for the milk. In reality, the mixture (which was supposed to resemble a “thick paste”) came out more like a paste because of the high proportion of flour to butter. More butter would certainly lend a smoother consistency. The milk was then added and boiled, stirring constantly to thicken.

When the white sauce was thick and gravy-like, the dried sliced beef and pepper was added. The temperature was lowered to medium low, and the mixture was simmered for 10 minutes. Last, the mixture was finally spooned on top of white toast.

Chipped beef on toast (or creamed chipped beef on toast) is a culinary dish comprising a white sauce and rehydrated slivers of dried beef, served on toasted bread. Chipped beef is served in many diners and restaurants in the United States as a breakfast item. Creamed chipped beef is standard fare on many such diner menus, especially in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.