This easy creamed chipped beef recipe is sure to become a family favorite. Whip up a batch in less than 15 minutes and enjoy a savory start to your day. It is the ultimate comfort meal, and I remember my mother making this for me as a child.
I fondly remember beef in a lightly seasoned smooth cream sauce served over toasted sourdough or European whole grain. If you like this comfort food, try hamburger gravy, smothered chicken, and meatballs and gravy.
This is one of my all-time favorite recipes. Did you enjoy this as a child? I remember this was one of those comfort meals my mother made for me often, and she eventually taught me how to make it.
It was not until I was an adult that I learned that this treat is most commonly called SOS gravy. I know what you are wondering. What does that acronym stand for? SOS stands for “shit on a shingle.” The shingle is the toast. Now, my catholic Mother never told me that. I am sure she did not want me running around using that word.
What is Creamed Chipped Beef?
Creamed Chipped Beef is a dish of chopped dried beef in a creamy, luscious, lightly seasoned white sauce. The cream sauce is a béchamel sauce made from flour, butter, and milk. It is usually served over toast but equally delicious over eggs and potatoes.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Dried beef: I like to use Buddig, but Hormel and Armour also make dried beef.
- Butter: unsalted or salted, but keep there is a lot of salt in dried beef
- All-purpose flour: for making the roux
- Seasonings: freshly ground black pepper, a couple of ground cayenne pepper, and maybe a tad of salt
- Milk: whole or 2%
How to Make Creamed Chipped Beef
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
It doesn’t get much easier than this. First, chop your beef into bite-size pieces and set aside. Next, melt your butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour. Continue cooking for about two to three minutes, whisking constantly. Sprinkle in the black pepper and cayenne pepper. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth and creamy.
Add the chopped beef and simmer for three to five minutes, salting and peppering to taste. Serve over toasted bread, eggs, hash browns, or biscuits.
Preparation Tips
- Cook the butter-flour mixture (roux) for 2-3 minutes, which helps to cook off the raw flour taste.
- Slowly add your milk and whisk continuously until you have a smooth sauce.
- If the sauce gets too thick, add less than a quarter of a cup of milk at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Season to taste with salt, seasoned salt, fresh ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and even a splash of Worcestershire Sauce.
- Creamed chipped beef is best served promptly. Nonetheless, it reheats fairly well on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is typically beef round, dried, cured with salt, and thinly sliced. You can use any dried beef; Buddig beef works perfectly for this recipe. It is available in most grocery stores and is not quite as salty or dry as some of the other brands of dried beef. You will find it with the other prepackaged luncheon meats. Hormel and Armour also make dried beef.
You can make this same gravy with ground beef, pork, turkey, and sausage. Cook the meat separately and add it to the cream sauce.
You can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat it on the stovetop over low heat or in a microwave at reduced power until warm.
Hopefully, my creamed-chipped beef will bring back wonderful memories or make new ones. The weekend is coming. You will have more time to make something fabulous for breakfast or lunch!
More Breakfast Recipes
Creamed Chipped Beef
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Buddig original beef see notes
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 2 pinches ground cayenne pepper
- 2 cups milk see notes
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Slice the beef into bite-size pieces.
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes; whisking constantly. Sprinkle in black pepper and cayenne pepper. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth and creamy.
- Add the chopped beef and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over toasted bread, eggs, hash browns, or biscuits.
Notes
- Cook the butter-flour mixture (roux) for 2-3 minutes, which helps to cook off the raw flour taste.
- Slowly add your milk and whisk continuously until you have a smooth sauce.
- If the sauce gets too thick, add less than a quarter of a cup of milk at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Season to taste with salt, seasoned salt, fresh ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and even a splash of Worcestershire Sauce.
- Creamed Chipped Beef is best served promptly. Nonetheless, it reheats pretty well.
Nutrition
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Paula
As a kid this was one of my absolute favorite meals! So excited to make it again with my family.
Bruce Alan Wilson
I used full-fat yogurt and mixed in a can of corn and a can of kidney beans (drained) and served it over brown rice.
Beth Pierce
That is very interesting. Thanks for the tips!
Susan Bartels
If you want a real treat, chop up some fresh tomatoes and a little bit of onion and sauté them in butter. Add this to the beef when you stir it in to the cream sauce. It’s heavenly. (You can also add some peas for color and texture. )
Beth Pierce
That sound amazing. I will try it. Thanks for the tip!
Pat
Mmmmm, just made this tonight for my husband and me. Just followed your directions and it was perfect. Thank You!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Pat! I am so glad that you liked it!
Bond Perry
Creamed Chipped Beef was a staple in my childhood home….in fact the white sauce was ubiquitous …..creamed hard boiled eggs; tuna and salmon wiggle (with peas it becomes pea wiggle); with salt codfish and quartered eggs served with a boiled potato….”Cape Cod Turkey”, garden veggies such as chard, kohlrabi purple top turnips..were all known to make a supper. The vehicle could be toast or biscuit or Holland rusk, or a patty shell or even saltine or milk crackers…..when the cupboards were nearly bare and the larder lean….it could make a supper out of nearly anything….remembering cream sauce with Campbell’s tomato soup and odds and ends of cheese served on crackers as a cheese rarebit or blushing bunny. (some of these ideas come from the Depression and celebrate Yankee ingenuity or something from nothing…..we never went to bed hungry or even knew these were hard time meals. In the south I heard a speaker at a civil rights rally remind the audience, when times are tough remember there is no shame in ‘ Jubilee Gravy” on biscuits
Beth Pierce
I could not agree more! Thanks for bringing up such fond memories. I love it!
Patricia Clarke
This is how my Granny made Chipped Beef Gravy:
Jar chip beef cut up (can be rinsed). Sometimes I use 2 jars. In skillet, frizzle it in 3T butter. Sprinkle 2-3 T SUGAR over beef. Yes, sugar. Grind pepper over all. Stir it up. At this point move beef to one side of skillet and add 5T flour. Brown the flour. Slowly add 1 cup of water. Whisk till smooth. Now add up to 2 cups of milk, maybe not all of that depending on consistency you want.
Sweet brown gravy is a game changer.
Cyn
Thank youuuuu for the memories ….
Growing up in the 60’s, small town in the pacific nw, a single mom who worked two jobs … I used to LOVE ‘creamed tuna on toast’ nights! We’d put the toaster in the center of the dinner table, mom would whip up what I now appreciate was a frugal meal. It fed us and actually wasn’t too bad health wise! What it lacked in vital nutrition (I’m sure there was some veg on the table as well), it made up for not having a heap of processed whatever or sugar, which we now know is the scourge of our generation. Today’s lunch is leftover pork roast, in a creamy sauce on homemade pasta. My own twist, rooted in our shared past 😉
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Cyn! I do believe our generation was the last to enjoy dishes and desserts without a constant evaluation of each and every ingredient. We had it good, that’s for sure!
Jade Cloer
I come from a long line of army men. I live in tulsa, Oklahoma and will join the piloce force when I am old enough. My dad actually fell in love with creamed chipped beef in the army, and it has been one of his favorites ever since. My dad is technically a vet, even though he only went through training, and did not fight in any wars. He was a Sargent. My grandfather fought in both Vietnam and desert storm. Thank you for you recipe!!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine. Thank your family for their service. That is awesome.
Dr. Sock
My WWII era Army Dad (now passed) would want me to correct you: the “shingle” is the hard piece of toast. The “Sh**” is the creamed chipped beef. Amazing stuff. Biscuits is the way to go.
Angus
I always frizzle (my word) the beef in the butter before adding flour and milk. Letting the butter brown just slightly gives a nice flavor to the bechemel as well. I also like a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce too.
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tips Angus!
Linda O
I do the same thing! It’s how my dad taught me to make it.
Helen Myers
I got this recipe in 4-H. It was the first thing I learned to cook when I was 8 years old. This may be a little different but my “recipe” is long lost. Now, I usually make it with hamburger, onion, flour, milk, salt and pepper. I remember having to cook the dried beef in butter “until the edges curled” before adding the flour, milk, salt, and pepper. We always ate it on toast.and had a green veggie to go with it.