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This Creamed Chipped Beef recipe, which is normally served on toast, is a classic budget-friendly meal that is hearty, easy to make, and works any time of the day.
This time-tested vintage recipe is full of salty dried beef that is swimming in a Bechamel sauce that is both thick and hearty.
If you are looking for other vintage recipes, make sure to check out our recipes for Tomato Soup Meatloaf , Old-Fashioned Chili and our cafeteria favorite Spoon Burgers.
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🥘Ingredients
- Unsalted butter - since this is so salty, try to use unsalted butter.
- Dried beef - you can get this from the deli and in the canned meat section.
- Heavy whipping cream - this really brings a whole new level to the creaminess of this recipe.
- Bread - Texas Toast or another type of thick bread works the best.
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪Instructions
You will find complete step-by-step instructions at the bottom of this post in the recipe card.
🧾Substitutions
- Milk - you can use this or half and half instead of the heavy whipping cream.
📖Variations
- Meats - you can use leftover ham or hamburger in lieu of the dried beef.
- Biscuits - this works fantastic over biscuits.
- Rice - serve this over rice to totally change up the meal.
- Eggs - try serving it over scrambled eggs for a different spin.
- English muffins - serve this over fried eggs and serve on top of English muffins.
- Breakfast bowl - add in cooked diced potatoes or hashbrowns, scrambled or over easy eggs, and then top with the Creamy Chipped Beef.
- Creamed Salmon on Toast - this really changes up this recipe.
- Hamburger Creamed Beef - check out this post for creamed hamburger over mashed potatoes.
- Creamed Tuna over Toast - another easy dinner idea.
🍽Equipment
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Skillet
- Sheet pans if you are using those to serve.
🥫Storage
Refrigerator: Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.
Freezer: Not recommended. It's a quick enough recipe to make, you don't need to freeze any.
Reheat: Just put the amount you want in a microwave-safe bowl, put in the microwave, cover it, and set for 30 seconds and go from there.
🔎Top tips
- To make this creamy and rich, you need to have equal parts of fat and flour.
- If you are using canned dried beef, rinse it in water first.
- Tear the dried beef into pieces or if you prefer equal pieces, cut with a knife.
- When reheating, make sure add extra heavy whipping cream, half and half, or milk to rehydrate it a bit.
❔FAQ
If you can find Budding's Beef in your local deli, my advice is to use that. However, if you are buying it in a can, rinse it with water before you use it.
You may have heard this called Shit on a Shingle or S.O.S.
📚History Behind the Recipe
This hearty recipe became a staple in the early 20th century. It became a popular food for the military because "it can feed an army".
The recipe was first found in the 1910 Manual for Army Cook.
It also appears that the military does still serve this. Head over to Military Comfort Food to check it out.
Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast
Equipment
- knife
- cutting board
- large skillet
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour scooped with a spoon and leveled with a knife
- 2 ½ cups heavy whipping cream you can also use half & half or regular milk
- 1 ⅓ cup water only if you are soaking the dried beef
- 2.25 ounces jar of dried beef or good deli meat such as Budding's Beef Lunch Meat
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 slices toast Texas toast or biscuits
Instructions
- Make sure to rinse the beef if you are using canned dried beef. To do this, add the water into a small bowl and add in the beef. Let it rest in the water for 10 or 15 minutes. Then drain on paper towels and set aside.
- Melt the unsalted butter in a large skillet. Once it's melted, add in the all-purpose flour, stir and cook the mixture for one minute.
- Next, make the roux by pouring the heavy whipping cream in slowly. Stir everything together. Stir or whisk continuously until the mixture thickens. It usually takes around 5 minutes.
- Chop up the dried beef and add to the sauce. Stir everything together and cook for approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
- While the mixture is cooking, prepare the toast.
- Then ladle, serve, and enjoy.
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