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    Home » All recipes » Super Quick Weeknight Meals » Mom's Creamed Dried Beef

    April 29, 2022 Kid approved

    Mom's Creamed Dried Beef

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Creamed dried beef (a.k.a. creamed chipped beef), a creamy white sauce with celery, parsley, and cured beef, is more than just vintage comfort food. It's also a healthy-ish weeknight meal that can be made in 20 minutes or less.

    creamed dried beef on plate with noodles and asparagus

    Yes, this is the same military dish referred to as S.O.S. ("shit on a shingle" or the kinder "same old stuff") — but a much more delicious, healthier version than the one my grandfather, a WWII-era Air Force pilot, used to joke about.

    When I was young, my mom would keep pouches of chipped beef in the pantry so she could mix up a breakfast batch of creamed dried beef whenever we had overnight guests. And on what my sister and I thought of as special occasions, she'd serve the thick, meat-studded cream sauce over baked potatoes for dinner. (Now, as a busy mom myself, I realize those "special occasions" were actually desperation meals, since creamed dried beef was one of those quick, wholesome meals Mom could make with her eyes closed. Thankfully, she wrote down the recipe anyway.)

    Mom's recipe for creamed dried beef

    I was in my early twenties when my mom suddenly died, and it wasn't until a decade later that I realized I'd never made her creamed dried beef myself. On my first attempt, standing at the stove in the kitchen of my then-boyfriend, now-husband's house, I could feel Mom's hand guiding mine, stirring the milk until it thickened around my wooden spoon.

    This may not be the prettiest dish. But, like the blanket I not-so-expertly crocheted in the first years without my mom (which my husband and I lovingly call "Ugly Blanket"), it reminds me that comfort doesn't need to be Instagram-perfect. In terms of dinner, it just needs to taste good, nourish our bodies, and conjure warm feelings.

    Check, check, and check.

    ingredients for creamed dried beef recipe

    What is Dried (a.k.a. Chipped) Beef?

    Once an American staple, dried beef, also called chipped beef, is salted and air-dried beef that has been sliced wafer-thin. It is commonly sold in jars or pouches in the canned meat section of big-name grocery stores. However, always check the deli section first. I was able to find delicious sliced dried beef at an Amish deli in Philly's Reading Terminal Market.

    Recipe FAQs

    Doesn't the cream sauce need salt?

    Probably not! Dried (chipped) beef is super salty, so it will give the cream sauce (a.k.a. roux) more than enough seasoning. I never add salt to my creamed dried beef. Instead, I let people salt theirs to taste at the table.

    Where can I find dried (chipped) beef?

    Check for pouches or jars of it in the canned meat section of your grocery store. Or better yet, ask at the deli section. I found the most delicious wafer-thin dried beef at an Amish deli near me in Philadelphia.dried chipped beef

    What kind of milk is best for this recipe?

    I like whole milk, but you can use any regular or plant-based milk you have in the fridge. However, if you use plant-based milk, make sure it's unflavored and unsweetened.

    creamed dried beef in skillet

    Looking for more super-quick weeknight meal ideas? Check out the Every Night Meals archive.

    creamed dried beef featured image

    Creamed Dried Beef

    This classic comfort food dish comes together in just 20 minutes and is a great meal for any time of day. Spoon it on toast for breakfast or lunch, or serve it over cooked egg noodles with a side of steamed veggies for dinner.
    4.87 from 15 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast, Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: 20-minute meal, meat, quick
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Makes: 4 servings
    Cost: $10

    Equipment

    • Cutting board and knife
    • Large skillet

    Ingredients

    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1 small yellow or cippolini onion, very finely chopped (3 to 4 tablespoons)
    • 1 large rib celery, very finely chopped (about ⅓ cup)
    • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups milk (I like to use whole milk, but any milk will work just fine)
    • 6 to 8 ounces dried chipped beef, sliced or cut into bite-size pieces
    • Freshly ground black pepper
    • Chopped fresh parsley
    • Cooked egg noodles, Tater Tots, or hash browns; baked potatoes; or toast (for serving)

    Instructions

    • Melt the butter in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and sauté for 5 minutes, until soft.
    • Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute, then slowly add the milk, stirring constantly to prevent clumps from forming in the sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
    • Stir in the chipped beef and a tablespoon or so of chopped parsley, and season with a few grinds of black pepper.
    • Serve immediately over cooked noodles, Tater Tots, hash browns, baked potatoes, or toast.

    Video

    Check out the creamed chipped beef web story.

    « Baked Sausage, Peppers, and Onions with Polenta
    4-Ingredient Potato Soup »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Farland DeLangis says

      May 10, 2022 at 4:43 pm

      I just wanted u to know I loved the story & it touch my heart I haven't made it yet but I will this weekend

      Reply
      • Peggy Paul Casella says

        May 10, 2022 at 9:06 pm

        Thanks! 🙂

        Reply

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