This SOS creamed beef recipe is one of the easiest dishes. My dad always made it when I was growing up, and I still crave it today!
SOS stands for “sh*t on a shingle,” and growing up, I loved it when my dad made this for dinner.
I mostly loved it because I could say “sh*t” and not get in too much trouble.
This is one of those classic old-fashioned military meals nostalgic for many people. My family included!
Although SOS is traditionally made with chipped dried beef – a dried, smoked, and salted meat product – my family has always used ground beef. When you use chipped beef, you typically call it “creamed chipped beef.”
Either way, it’s tasty, but I find the ground beef to be a bit more filling and a lot less salty.
Texturally creamed hamburger gravy is similar to sausage white gravy. It’s great spooned over toast, soft white bread, or homemade biscuits.
Visually, it’s not the most colorful or beautiful dish but filling and comforting.
Sometimes, that cancels the old rule: “You eat with your eyes first.”
Plus, it’s like the dinner version of sausage gravy and biscuits, which you know means it’s going to be amazingly delicious! I like to make mine and serve it over toast, but I hear serving it over potatoes is also a great way to scarf down this deliciousness.
If you’re unfamiliar with this dish, you should know it’s comfort food. It’s super cheap to make and works perfectly when you have a big family to feed.
SOS can be made with either ground beef or chipped beef but for this recipe I used ground beef because that is what my family uses. Popular chipped beef brands Buddig beef or Hormel.
To keep things simple, season this SOS creamed beef recipe with salt and pepper, but sometimes, adding other spices like garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, or even fresh herbs is fun.
I like mine with a little sprinkling of crushed red pepper or a pinch of cayenne pepper because I always crave heat!
How to make creamed hamburger
The great thing about this easy recipe is that it doesn’t require a lot of extra energy in the kitchen. And it can be made relatively cheap!
Add ground beef and onion in a large skillet and cook until the meat is browned.
Drain the beef, remove it from the pan, and set aside.
Melt butter in the same pan and add flour to create a roux to help thicken our gravy/cream sauce.
Slowly stream in 2 cups milk and gently simmer until thickened.
Add the ground beef and onions to the pan, stir, and simmer until warm.
Serve over sliced toasted bread (Texas toast is fun!) or biscuits.
More ground beef recipes
Are you looking to feed a crowd of people? Try my Ground beef tacos
Do you love a one-pot recipe? Try my One pot ground beef stroganoff
Craving a little heat? Try my Chipotle ground beef enchiladas
Want to bust out the Instant Pot? Try my Instant Pot lasagna soup
SOS Creamed Beef Recipe
Author: Brandy O’Neill
This SOS creamed beef recipe is one of the easiest dishes to throw together. My dad used to make this all the time and I still crave it to this day!
Chipped beef is served in many diners and restaurants in the United States as a breakfast item. It is popular among the veteran community who generally refer to it by the dysphemism "sh*t On a Shingle" or "S.O.S." (when polite company and/or children are present, the acronym is said to mean "Same Old Stuff.").
My dad was in the Marine Corps and remembers eating this dish often. It's a simple recipe consisting of ground beef mixed with milk, margarine and beef broth. It's also good using ground sausage.
Even on busy mornings, afternoons, and nights, restaurant kitchen staff know that "SOS" isn't a distress signal. Rather, this shorthand is vital in communicating a particular customer's preference regarding condiments. SOS merely indicates that a patron asked for their sauce on the side.
sh*t on a Shingle might not sound dinner-appropriate, but it's definitely breakfast-appropriate. The unofficial term—abbreviated as “S.O.S.”—became popular slang among American soldiers during World War II. It refers to “cream chipped beef on toast,” a dish that's been featured in Army cookbooks for over 100 years.
He said that veteran's groups who tour the base are taken to a mess hall and served creamed beef on toast made using the recipe in the 1944 Army recipe book, TM 10-412. Again, many veterans tell Hanson it their favorite meal while in the Army. And SOS remains popular among soldiers today.
"Our organization made the difficult decision to discontinue Esskay hot dogs, and stopped production in December of last year. We will continue to make Esskay deli meat and chipped beef products, which can be found in Baltimore-area grocery stores," said Chad McFadden, Esskay brand manager, in an email to WJZ.
How do I make gravy from hamburger grease? Mix hot grease with equal part flour whisk to combine and let cook stirring constantly with a whisk for a minute or two, add salt and pepper and whisk in slowly 1 cup of milk for every 2 tablespoon of flour you used, whisk until mixture comes to a bowl.
Welcome to the U.S. Army Reserve Survivor Outreach Services (SOS) website. If you came to this page because you are a surviving Family member, please know we are here for you. SOS is the official U.S. Military program designed to provide long term support to surviving Families of Fallen Soldiers.
The phrases "save our souls" and "save our ship" came later, through popular use outside of marine communication. It also can be used in modern-day slang to communicate discomfort or urgency over text: "SOS, I need you to call me with an excuse so I can leave this date."
Later in popular usage it became associated with mnemonic phrases such as "Save Our Souls" and "Save Our Ship". Moreover, due to its high-profile use in emergencies, the phrase "SOS" has entered general usage to informally indicate a crisis or the need for action.
Also called dried beef, chipped beef is typically made from a leaner cut of meat, such as beef round. The meat is brined and left to cure for several days before being drained and air-dried. You can now also find chipped beef that's been smoked while it dries, adding additional flavor to the meat.
Chipped beef is pressed, salted, and dried beef. The thin, flexible slices are usually sold in glass jars. Creamed chipped beef (often called SOS) is chipped beef cooked in a cream sauce. A popular meal in the military, the comforting dish is traditionally served over toast.
Dried beef, also called chipped beef, is beef that has been partially dried, salt-cured and thinly sliced. You can easily enjoy this cured meat as an appetizer, snack or meal. Dried beef has a rich past but is a relatively obscure meat product in most parts of the country today.
While the dish's exact origins cannot be determined, some argue that SOS can be traced to a pre-World War I Army “Chipped Beef” recipe that appeared in the 1910 Manual for Army Cooks. Due to its enduring popularity, SOS can now be found in many a Navy cookbook.
S.O.S.'s origins are a bit unclear. Marine Corp lore traces the dish back to World War I, when an Army field kitchen was unable to keep up with the rapidly advancing Marine Brigade.
Chipped beef even found its way into the white gravy mixture with the future doughboys right before World War I. Soldiers and sailors eventually dubbed it “SOS” (“Save Our Souls” or “Same Old Slop” being the PG-rated translations) when served on a piece of toast.
Or, as we colloquially called it, “SOS” – “Sh*t On a Shingle.” Back in WWII when SOS was named “SOS,” it was made by serving creamed chipped beef gravy over toast.
Introduction: My name is Duane Harber, I am a modern, clever, handsome, fair, agreeable, inexpensive, beautiful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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