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 kind of 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 usually a béchamel sauce made from flour, butter, and milk. It is served over toast, but it is equally delicious over eggs and potatoes.
Simple Ingredients
- 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
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, 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 pretty well.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is typically beef round, dried, cured with salt, and thinly sliced. You can use any dried beef; however, 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 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 a little more time to make something fabulous for breakfast or lunch!
More Breakfast Recipes
Creamed Chipped Beef
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Buddig original beef see notes
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 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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Linda
I had never tried this before. What a lovely recipe, very simple but really tasty comfort food which was so nice over toast. I will definitely make this more often.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Linda! I am so glad that you enjoyed it!
Ben
This is super tasty. Chipped beef and gravy is huge where I grew up in the south, so I ate it quite a bit. This is absolutely classic. I love it.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Ben! So glad that you like it!
Claudia
I love chipped beef and gravy. It’s one of those classics that just never goes out of style. Yours reminded me exactly of the kind I had when I was a kid. Love it.
Sandra H
Made it for brunch over the weekend and we really loved it! Really good with toasted bread!
Valentina
I made the Creamed Chipped Beef for breakfast, and it was a hit with the whole family. The rich, creamy sauce and tender beef were perfect together. It’s a simple yet delicious dish that we’ll be making often.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Valentina!
Amanda B
This is such a fantastic recipe and so easy to follow!
Erica S
We devoured it for a quick breakfast, and it was satisfying! The creamy sauce was perfect for dipping toast! I added it already on my meal plan next week, can’t wait to experience it once more!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Erica!
Justine
Now this is nostalgic! Super delicious and really easy to make!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Justine!
David K
Wow – first time trying creamed chipped beef but it was really tasty! It was perfect for breakfast!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, David! I am so glad that you liked it!
Taylor N
We love creamed, chipped beef! This is the best recipe that I’ve found so far- so delicious!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Taylor! S glad that you enjoyed it.
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.