How to make Creamed Chipped Beef from scratch, in just 10 minutes! This creamy classic chipped beef gravy is the perfect easy breakfast to serve over toast, biscuits and more!
JUMP TO RECIPEThis creamed chipped beef recipe combines tangy, salty dried beef crisped in butter with a creamy white sauce for an quick and easy breakfast the whole family will enjoy!
The creamy bechamel sauce comes together quickly and easily, for the perfect sos gravy! This is my kind of comfort food! I grew up with this recipe, and looked forward to my mom making it on weekend mornings, served over crispy toast.
You can serve the Creamed Chipped beef simply over white toast, or make it fancy and use rye toast, homemade biscuits, or even toasted English muffins! I also love a side of bacon and a fried egg alongside the dish, too!
This recipe makes the perfect Sunday morning hearty meal, and it one of my favorite meals for brunch!
Table of Contents
- What sets this recipe apart
- Ingredients
- Technique + Troubleshooting (with photos)
- A delicious, nostalgic breakfast recipe
- What is chipped beef?
- Substitutions and Additions
- Storing and reheating
- More great breakfast recipes
What sets this recipe apart
Crisping the chipped beef prior to making the roux for the gravy (cream sauce) really sets this recipe apart, adding a bold flavor to the finished gravy, and better texture to the cooked chipped beef!
Ingredients
How to make creamed chipped beef, the easy way, with minimal ingredients! Here's what you'll need:
Butter. I prefer to use unsalted butter for this recipe to keep better control over the final flavor, as the dried beef is very salty on it's own.
All-purpose flour. This will act as the thickening agent for the gravy. be sure it's fully incorporated into the butter and chipped beef to avoid a lumpy gravy.
Milk. You can use whole milk or 2% milk for this recipe! Either makes a perfectly creamy sauce. Whole milk will make a richer gravy, while 2% milk yields a lighter (but equally delicious) gravy.
A package of dried beef. You can find this is the cold breakfast meat section of your grocery store. Be sure to get "dried beef", not "creamed chipped beef", as you'll be making your own gravy. You're looking for dried, thin, and flexible dried beef with a reddish brown color. I prefer Knauss brand or Buddig beef.
Freshly ground black pepper, or mixed peppercorns. I like the added bite a touch of pepper adds to the gravy.
Optional: fresh or dried chives, for garnish. These add a nice, herbal quality to the finished dish, and look pretty, too!
Technique + Troubleshooting (with photos)
This easy Creamed Chipped Beef on toast recipe comes together start to finish in about 10 minutes, making it a super easy breakfast or brunch indulgence for any day of the week! Here are some tips and a visual aid on how to make the perfect Chipped Beef Gravy, every time!
| Preventing Lumps | To make sure your chipped beef gravy is totally lump-free, add your flour gradually, and stir it well to fully incorporate the flour into the butter and dried beef. Loose flour = lumps. |
| Thickness | For a thicker gravy, you can cook a minute or 2 longer on low heat. If you feel your gravy is too thick, adding in a splash of milk will help loosen it back up and thin it out. |
| Heat Control | Keep your heat low, as this gravy cooks quickly, and giving it too much heat can cause the milk to curdle, or your gravy to become very thick, very fast, |
| Saltiness | I do not add ANY salt to this recipe! Dried beef is quite salty, so the flavor should be well balanced with just that. The only additional seasoning I add is a touch of freshly ground black pepper. |
A delicious, nostalgic breakfast recipe
Creamed Chipped Beef, or S.O.S., is a super nostalgic and simple breakfast recipe that I grew up eating, and looked forward to my mom making on Saturday mornings growing up! She called "Shit on a Shingle".
The earliest known recipe for creamed chipped beef on toast was in the 1910 Manual for Army Cooks, according to this article.
What is chipped beef?
Creamed Chipped Beef is a dish made with dried beef, cooked in a creamy white sauce, or béchamel sauce (made from a simple roux) and traditionally served over toast. The dried chipped beef is typically made from a lean cut of beef, like beef round, that is brined, cured, and air-dried.
What to buy/what to avoid
I always buy dried packaged beef from the refrigerated section of the store where breakfast meats are sold. It has a firmer texture and crisps up perfectly in the butter before adding the flour to make the roux for the gravy. I prefer Knauss brand dried beef or Buddig brand beef.
Avoid canned or jarred dried beef for the best flavor and texture, since canned beef can be a little wetter and will not crisp well.
Substitutions and Additions
This easy Creamed Chipped Beef is easily adapted to work with what's available in your local grocery store and your pantry and refrigerator. Here are some great substitutions and additions you can use to make this recipe your own.
| Less salty | If you're concerned about the salt content, be sure to use unsalted butter. This recipe does not call for any additional salt, as the salty beef is all you need. |
| More heat | Add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a little heat! |
| More savory | Add a pinch of garlic powder or onion powder for a little added flavor boost, or stir in a dash of Worcestershire sauce to enhance the flavor. |
Serving Options
If you want to try something other than a piece of toast, you can serve the creamed chipped beef over homemade biscuits, canned biscuits, english muffins, or even croissants!
Top with thinly sliced green onions or chopped chives for a little extra flavor and color.
Storing and reheating
Leftovers (if you have any!) can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat the Creamed Chipped Beef, heat it over low heat in a medium saucepan until warmed through, adding a bit of milk as necessary to thin it out (it will become thicker when stored). I always like to add a little milk to start, then add more as needed so it doesn't come out too thin when reheated.
Creamed Chipped Beef Gravy on Toast Recipe (S.O.S.)
Equipment
- medium saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter (preferably unsalted)
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups milk (whole milk or 2%)
- 1 3 oz package of Dried beef (I prefer Knauss)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper (black or multi colored)
- Optional: fresh or dried chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Melt butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. 2. While butter melts, cut dried beef in half lengthwise, and then crosswise into ¼” to ½” strips. 3. Once butter is melted, add beef to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 3-5 minutes. 4. Reduce heat to low, and add flour gradually and stir to combine, making sure all flour is fully incorporated. Cook 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. 5. Add milk a little at a time, stirring constantly until all milk is added. (Adding it gradually at first will help prevent a lumpy gravy). 6. Add in black pepper and stir. 7. Cook gravy, stirring occasionally until thickened, 2-3 minutes. 8. While Creamed Chipped Beef thickens, prepare your toast. 9. Spoon cream chipped beef over toast, and top with additional black pepper and fresh or dried chives, if desired. Serve hot!
More great breakfast recipes
If you love this classic Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast recipe, you'll love these great breakfast recipes, too!
If you like creamy gravies, try my Mexican-inspired Chorizo Sausage Gravy!
If you want a Philly-style comforting breakfast, make a batch of my Creamed Chipped Scrapple.
Looking for soemthing more classic? Whip up a family style batch of my Easy Hasbrown Breakfast Casserole!
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