Soldiers deserve so much respect. Young men and women sign up, sometimes for educational benefits, but they’re willing and ready to go fight for us anywhere in the world. And back in my granddad’s day, it was pure patriotism.
My granddad fought in World War II. When he came home, he brought a solid work ethic home with him. A whole new set of skills. And one recipe that has become the stuff of legends in our family.
Creamed chip beef on toast. Except he called it SOS gravy. S.O.S. is a colorful acronym or google it. I can’t type it here! Or go with “Same Old Stuff” like my granny did whenever kids were around.
The back story on this World War II breakfast is very interesting. Dried salted beef didn’t have to be kept in the fridge, so it was a handy meat for military cooks to have on hand in mess halls.
Flour, butter, milk. All super cheap back in the day. Army cooks could whip up dried beef gravy fast and feed hundreds of soldiers before sunrise. Toast gave them the calories they needed to go out and have days that were crazier than anything you and I can ever imagine.
When they came home, they kept cooking it SOS gravy on toast. A perfect fit for big farm families with lots of hungry kids.
And that’s how a mess hall staple found its way into my granny’s kitchen. It’s one of the best vintage recipes I’ve ever had the honor of carrying forward. One of those World War II recipes that stuck around because it just works.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The history behind SOS gravy is worth knowing all on its own. But beyond the story, this easy breakfast recipe just flat out delivers.
- Ready before your coffee gets cold: Ten minutes is all you need. Hot SOS gravy on toast, done. One of those breakfast recipes you can pull off half asleep.
- Barely any ingredients: Flour, butter, milk, dried beef. That’s the whole list. Stuff you probably already have sitting in your kitchen.
- Old school comfort food: This is one of those vintage recipes your grandparents made. Tastes exactly like what you remember.
- Good for any meal: My granddad cooked this on the rare nights he was in charge of dinner. I like making it for lunch sometimes.
- Kids go wild for it: My kids and nieces and nephews ask for SOS gravy by name. They still giggle because my granddad told them what S.O.S. really stands for.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
When you’re feeding hundreds of soldiers, you work with what you’ve got. Same goes at home. Swap things around in this creamed chip beef on toast recipe and you’ll still land on something good.
- Dried beef: Usually sold in jars, sliced or shredded. If it’s too salty, run it under cold water for a few seconds. Can’t find it? Order online or grab thinly sliced deli roast beef.
- Unsalted butter: The dried beef already brings a ton of salt. You don’t want more. But salted butter works if that’s all you’ve got.
- All-purpose flour: This is what makes your dried beef gravy thick and smooth. Gluten free flour works fine too.
- Milk and heavy cream: Both gives you the best texture. But my granddad made it plenty of times with just whole milk.
- Bread for toast: Granddad was a white bread man. But I’ve used biscuits, thick Texas toast, and cornbread. All good.
Tips for Success
Here’s what I’ve learned after making this military breakfast more times than I can count.
- Rinse the beef first: Run it under cold water for a few seconds and pat dry. Pulls off extra salt without messing up flavor.
- Keep that whisk going: Constant whisking while the sauce builds is how you get smooth gravy with zero lumps.
- Too thick? Splash in a little more milk and whisk until it’s where you want it.
- Toast the bread last: Pop it in the toaster right at the end. You want warm, crispy toast when that hot gravy hits it.
Storage and Reheating
If you want, you can make the dried beef gravy and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat slowly on the stove and add a little milk to thin it out some. Make some toast and dinner’s ready!
Put any leftover creamed chip beef on toast gravy in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll keep for about 2 days.
When you reheat, warm it gently in a saucepan over low heat. It thickens up a lot when cold, so stir in a splash of milk until it loosens back up.
You can freeze this too. Airtight container, up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove. Skip the microwave on this one.
Serving Suggestions
Spoon hot SOS gravy over toast or homemade biscuits. Or even store-bought biscuits. The gravy is the star of the show here, so whatever bread you want to use works.
You can even have it over egg noodles, hashbrowns, rice, anything. Granddad took over the stove and used Granny’s cast iron skillet to make this. Served it with whatever he had on hand. It’s really good alongside scrambled eggs and fresh fruit.
Notes
My granddad stood at the stove with his cast-iron skillet every Saturday. He’d make this for all us kids while granny was out doing the shopping. I can still smell the butter and cracked black pepper when I think about those mornings.
I make SOS gravy for my own family now. It’s one of our favorite weekend breakfast recipes. Some vintage recipes carry more than flavor. They carry the people who made them first.
SOS Gravy on Toast
Ingredients
- 4 oz. Dried chipped beef such as Buddig or jarred Hormel
- 4 tbsp. Unsalted butter
- ¼ cup All-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups Whole milk warmed slightly
- ¼ tsp. Garlic powder
- ½ tsp. Coarse black pepper or more to taste
- A pinch of ground nutmeg optional secret ingredient
- 4-6 Slices of thick-cut white or brioche bread toasted
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Stack the dried chipped beef slices on a clean cutting board. Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice them into bite-sized strips or small squares roughly ½ inch wide. Pro Tip: If you are sensitive to salt, place the chopped beef in a colander and rinse it briefly under warm tap water, then pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels to strip away excess surface sodium.
- Melt the 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a medium skillet set over medium heat until it bubbles gently.
- Drop the chopped chipped beef straight into the hot butter. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the edges of the beef begin to curl slightly and darken in color, infusing the butter with its smoky, cured essence.
- Sprinkle the ¼ cup of all-purpose flour evenly over the beef and butter matrix. Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. The flour will absorb the butter completely, coating the meat and cooking out the raw starch flavor until it turns a light blonde color.
- While stirring vigorously with one hand, slowly pour the warmed whole milk into the skillet with the other hand. Whisking continuously as you add the dairy ensures a perfectly smooth emulsion without any stubborn flour clumps.
- Stir in the garlic powder, black pepper, and optional pinch of nutmeg. Do not add extra salt yet; the cured beef will naturally release a high volume of salt into the surrounding gravy baseline as it simmers.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce the flame to low and let it cook uncovered for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the milk sugars from scorching on the bottom of the pan. The gravy is ready when it thickens into a glossy, velvety consistency that completely coats the back of a spoon.
- Taste the hot cream sauce. Adjust with an extra pinch of black pepper or a tiny speck of salt if preferred.
- Lay your freshly toasted, warm bread slices flat on serving plates. Ladle a generous portion of the hot creamed chipped beef directly over the toast, allowing the gravy to cascade over the sides.
- Scatter fresh chopped parsley across the top for a bright, texturized contrast and serve immediately while steaming hot.
