The Vintage Breakfast Dish That Became A US Army Staple

When you think about Army food, there are a few things that probably come to mind. Maybe you imagine Frank Costanza accidentally poisoning his troop in the Korean War and never cooking again. Maybe you think of the popularization of instant coffee, or of David Schwimmer's Herbert Sobel in "Band of Brothers" forcing his platoon to run on bellies stuffed to the brim with spaghetti. Or maybe you think of ... chipped beef?

A staple of military eating since at least 1910, chipped beef on toast has been designated as S.O.S., or "same old slop" (among other, more colorful appellations), partly out of affection and partly out of abhorrence. But what exactly is it?

Chipped beef is, essentially, a "by any means necessary" version of biscuits and gravy. The meat in question is highly salted, dried beef, traditionally requiring no refrigeration before opening. How salty is it? A single serving often contributes over 40% of the recommended daily value for sodium. Different makers of dried beef use different types of beef, with one company using beef knuckles, while others use beef rounds. To make the iconic dish, you just need to make a white gravy out of butter, flour, and milk, then add the dried beef and serve the whole sloppy meal on toast. Onions, peas, and herbs or spices like parsley or cayenne can be added depending on personal preference. While the gravy originally included beef stock, that practice seems to have been phased out for a creamier result.

The first recipes for chipped beef on toast might have come from the Army, but the meat itself actually originated with the Pennsylvania Amish, along with other iconic dishes like Pennsylvania-style chicken pot pie. It began being sold in local supermarkets in the area, and from there, became the Army staple we know it as today.

While chipped beef on toast is the most common application of the dried beef, it's far from the only one. Scrambled eggs and chipped beef is a salt-packed, quick-preparation breakfast that anyone can whip up in a flash, and dried beef can make itself at home in an Italian sandwich or charcuterie board. There's also the Midwestern classic dried beef cheeseball, an all-purpose appetizer made by taking a ball of cream cheese, rolling it in the dried beef slices, and eating it with Ritz crackers, with the beef adding a powerful punch to the more mild cheese.

If you are planning on adding dried beef to your larder and experimenting with the wartime ration, one common piece of advice is to taste it first so you can get a proper gauge on its saltiness. Don't be afraid to rinse it off in the sink to remove some of the sodium and keep it from overpowering your other ingredients.