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Creamy gravy made with a flour roux mixed with salty dried beef makes this delicious Creamed Chipped Beef Gravy. It’s simple, inexpensive, and the perfect dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Creamed Chipped Beef
It reminds me of breakfast at my grandparents’ growing up! My mom continued this tradition, and I now make it for my kids! It is a family favorite, and I love family “food” traditions!
I recently found out it is called SOS – Just cannot say out loud what that means (insert embarrassed emoji). Have I lived in a bubble?? How did I not know that this is what “they” call it?? No idea why anyone would call it that!!!. In my house, it tastes heavenly! And this nice southern girl here would never say that!
I made this today at my son’s request! He had some testing at school and you know he needed a good hot breakfast! He usually “doesn’t have time for all that.” I love to feed my people and when the kiddo requests something he usually gets it!
Speaking of feeding people, my daughter and her gaggle of friends are coming home from college for Spring Break and I have been notified that I am to be their personal chef while they are “home”. You know that I will be the happiest momma alive, because I love to “feed my people” and plan any type of gathering! YAY – not to mention my baby girl will be home. The nest will be full again (insert a Praise You Jesus)!
Ingredients for Creamed Chipped Beef Gravy – S.O.S Gravy
- Dried Beef: This is the star of the show—salty and full of savory flavor. I like to chop it finely in the food processor or blender so you get a bit of that tasty beef in every bite. If you like the more traditional chunks or ribbons, slice them with a knife.
- Butter: I use salted butter as the base of the roux for that rich, full flavor. Just keep in mind that the dried beef adds its own saltiness, so if you’re watching your salt intake, unsalted butter is a good swap. Adjust the seasoning as you go to balance it out.
- All-Purpose Flour: This thickens the gravy and gives it that smooth, velvety texture we love. I love to use White Lily Flour, which is used to build the roux and create the perfect consistency for your gravy.
- Whole Milk: Adds richness and creaminess, giving the gravy its smooth texture.
- Water: Now, before the milk-only purists come at me, this is how I’ve made it for the last 30+ years, and trust me, it’s always been devoured. If you really don’t want to use water, just swap it for more milk at a 1:1 ratio.
- Black Pepper: Adds a nice warmth and a bit of a kick to the gravy. We like to use a good amount to bring out the peppery flavor but feel free to adjust it to your taste.
- Salt: This is totally optional since the dried beef is already pretty salty. Taste it before serving, and add salt only if you think it needs it.
How to Make Creamed Chipped Beef Gravy
Step 1 | Prep the Dried Beef
Start by chopping the dried beef in a blender or food processor.
TIP – The glass jars the dried beef comes in make the cutest juice glass!
If you prefer the more traditional way, with larger ribbons or chunks of beef, slice it by hand.
Step 2 | Melt the Butter
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, whisking as it melts to prevent scorching.
Step 3 | Make The Roux
Slowly add the flour while whisking to remove any lumps.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking occasionally, to cook out the raw flour taste and form a roux.
Step 4 | Add Milk & Water
Gradually pour in the milk while whisking, making sure it’s well incorporated.
Slowly add in the water or more milk, continuing to whisk until it’s fully blended.
Step 5 | Add Dried Beef & Season
Stir in the chopped beef and season with black pepper. Taste and add more pepper or a touch of salt if needed.
Tip: If you need to thin it further, just add some more milk or water until you get the consistency you like.
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Creamed Chipped Beef FAQs
The term “SOS” stands for “Save Our Stomachs” or, more humorously, “Shit on a Shingle.” This nickname originated in the military, where a thick meat gravy—typically made with chipped beef or sometimes ground beef—was ladled over toast, the “shingle.” It was an inexpensive, filling, and easy-to-prepare dish that could feed large numbers, making it a staple in mess halls. Over time, SOS became a nostalgic favorite for many service members, who brought the recipe home after service, keeping its quirky nickname alive as a hearty, comforting meal loaded with memories.
Chipped beef and dried beef are often used interchangeably. Both are thinly sliced, salt-cured meats, but “dried beef” typically refers to beef that’s been air-dried for preservation. Chipped beef is a type of dried beef, usually sliced very thinly and often sold in small jars.
No, corned beef and chipped beef are different. Corned beef is salt-cured beef, but it’s typically sold in thicker slices or as a brisket, with a different texture and taste. Corned beef is often used in dishes like Reuben sandwiches or with cabbage, whereas chipped beef is thinner and more concentrated in flavor.
If you can’t find dried beef or just want to switch things up, country ham or even pastrami can work in a pinch. Corned beef is another option, though it has a different texture and flavor, so keep in mind it’ll change the final taste a bit. For this recipe, I used Armour Dried Beef in a glass jar, usually found in the canned meat aisle. If you can’t find it jarred, check the cold cut section near the ham, where you might spot Buddig brand beef pre-sliced in a bag.
Other Recipes To Try
- Best Sausage Gravy Recipe
- Overnight Breakfast Casserole
- Creamed Hamburger Gravy
- Southern Fried Pork Chops
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Creamed Chipped Beef Recipe (SOS Gravy)
Ingredients
- ½ cup stick butter, (8 tablespoons or 1/2 cup)
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 3 cups milk
- ½ cups water, (or more milk)
- 4.5 ounces Armour Dried Beef, (or 2 2.25 ounce jars) this is in the canned meat aisle in a glass jar
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Chop the dried beef in a blender or food processor, or slice it with a knife if you prefer larger ribbons or chunks.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring with a whisk so that it melts evenly and doesn't scorch.½ cup stick butter
- Slowly add in flour while whisking to combine and remove any lumps. Cook the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking occasionally, to remove the raw flour taste and build a roux.½ cup all purpose flour
- Gradually pour in the milk while whisking to incorporate.3 cups milk
- Then, gradually add in the water or additional milk, whisking to incorporate.½ cups water
- Pour in the chipped beef, stirring to combine.4.5 ounces Armour Dried Beef
- Season with pepper and taste. Add in additional pepper or salt if needed. The dried beef and butter have plenty of sodium, so I do not usually add any salt. You can use unsalted butter if you are watching your sodium intake. Some readers say they wash their dried beef to remove some of the salt, but I have not ever done that.¼ to ½ teaspoon pepper, salt to taste
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Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
©️Soulfully Made
I like this. But my southern wife is curious why no hard boiled eggs?
Thank you so much, Randy! You know I never grew up eating it with hard boiled eggs, but they definitely can be added! I do love this over scrambled eggs a lot! Tell her I said to go for it! I love it- my southern friends!
This is the real deal, folks. A Google search for chipped beef gravy brought me here, and I was lucky it did. I made this exactly as written. The beef ‘chipped’ up nicely in my small food processor and the rest was a breeze to make. Honestly, I didn’t have high hopes for this gravy going from the memories of my youth, but it turned out so delicious that I’ll be making it many times over in the future. How could it not using a stick of butter? ‘A little bit of ‘heaven on a shingle’? You be the judge of that.
Thank you very much for your time and effort in helping folks like me look so good in the kitchen, Nikki. Greetings from SW Colorado!
Thank you so much, John! I am so glad you tried it as written. It’s just the way I make it for my family for the last 25 years, and the way my mom made it too for many year before. I love helping other’s in the kitchen. It doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious.
If you’re looking for a great, inexpensive and quick meal — this is it, in my opinion. This recipe is fantastic.
Thank you so much, Terry! I love that you love this as much as my family does.
Love taste, but WILL NOT put them in ninja again! The texture was just wrong! lol
We loved it chipped finely, but you can slice or chop the beef by hand as well. Glad you loved it. Thank you for making it!
Kids thought this was a really good recipe. The only difference we added was one can of condensed milk.
I made this for dinner with biscuits. Real comfort dish. It makes a lot so I am freezing part of it for a quick meal later. This was delicious but do watch the salt.
I am so glad you enjoyed it. I will work on a note about a smaller batch. My family scarfs it up. But I will definitely work on that after the holiday weekend. Thank you for a 5 star rating. I hope you have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving.
FAVORITE Grama recipe from my childhood… Letting
my grandkids enjoy tonight ?
Thank you, Marilyn! This made my day. I love you are passing down this delicious tradition.
Fantastic!!! I doubled the Recipe. I used 8 packs of Buddig Beef. Chopped it up. It was great!
Thank you so much, Connie!