Tuesday’s Cupful: Background on Beef S.O.S.

A U.S. military tradition

This austere dish was invented by and for personnel serving in the U.S. military. Some recipes may refer to it as Chipped Beef, Creamed Beef, or Beef S.O.S. Meanwhile, sources mention that the dish has been around since the 1930s. Basically, this dish is comprised of cooked, dried, and shredded beef or ground beef that’s creamed in thickened-white gravy. S.O.S. stands for “Sh—on-a Shingle.” or “Stew on a Shingle.” Again, creamed beef usually gets served on a piece of toasted bread with a fried egg placed on top or served on the side. Beef S.O.S. became a staple since it’s easy to cook massive amounts to feed a crowd or large group of hungry soldiers. Recipes vary from simply seasoned to ones calling for bouillon and chopped parsley. Have you ever tried creamed beef on toast?