Appearances aren’t EVERYTHING! Let’s just remember that even when you were awkward with puberty and tight with braces, you wanted to be asked to dance. Often, the less than perfect pups at the pound can be the biggest lovers. And, the rattiest t-shirt in your drawer likely offers the most comfort. No, this recipe is not likely to grace the pages of Gourmet, Bon Appetit or Saveur any time soon. Yes, I was hesitant to photograph and post about it thinking that some things are best left in one’s personal repertoire. However, this is one of my favorite lunches and all-time favorite comfort foods. So, it is making a Whipped debut in the hopes that you won’t judge this recipe before trying it.
When I was a child, my mom often served us Creamed Beef on Toast. It was a quicky Sunday lunch or dinner on babysitter nights. It is fast, easy, salty, warm and filling. My husband thinks it is absolutely disgusting and it isn’t exactly the sort of thing you would serve guests. So, this favorite is relegated to the days when I happen to find myself home alone for lunch.
Also known by some as Chipped Beef on Toast, Cream Dried Beef and in some circles, Shit on a Shingle, you will find this dish on the daily lunch menu of nursing homes in Iowa, in military cafeterias and in the Whipped kitchen.
Creamed Beef on Toast
Makes 2 servings:
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 8oz. package beef lunch meat (I use Budding brand)
salt & pepper
nutmeg
2 slices of toast
Melt butter in a saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook a minute. Whisk in milk slowly. Cook on low heat until thickened, stirring frequently. Add salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg to taste. Cut beef slices into small 1 inch squares. Stir into the sauce. Spoon mixture over a slice of toast.
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February 24th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
isn’t it funny how sometimes the nastiest looking things are indeed the tastiest? it sounds like your husband (and guests) are missing out!
February 25th, 2008 at 8:54 am
this was total comfort food when i was a kid. my mom called it chipped beef on toast, and we too had it when the babysitters came.
yours looks yummy. when you post stuff like this it makes me totally love your blog even more than usual.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:47 am
We called it creamed chipped beef. It’s been years since I’ve had it. YUM!
February 25th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
My grandmother used to make this for my brother and I…legit.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
I’ve heard of this but never had it. It sure looks like perfect comfort food to me. Food does not have to be beautiful to be great. Enjoy your lunch — photos be damned!
February 26th, 2008 at 12:21 am
Ah… creamed chipped beef, as it was called when I was growing up. It was a comfort food specialty of my grandmother’s. Enter my boyfriend (now my husband) raised by British colonials (a New Zealander and a South African) he had not grown up with this dish (though it seems quite British to me). He comes to visit at Granny’s, she aims to please and presents the creamed chip beef with a flourish…he turns pale. Turns out the only time he had ever seen or smelled the stuff was the one night he had spent in a Virginia jail! He literally could not touch it. Needless to say, it has not been a family favorite in our marraige. But now I have a new idea for lunches alone.
February 26th, 2008 at 12:37 am
Yep, chipped beef on toast was a family end-of-the-month regular when I was growing up. Another version we ate had tuna (and sometimes peas!): a thrifty way to make a small can of tuna feed seven for supper.
(P.S. Recently discovered your blog, and I love it.)
February 26th, 2008 at 12:45 am
talk about total comfort food!
February 26th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
My wife makes this, but she includes peas. I have to be in the proper frame of mind to enjoy it, but when I am, I really like it…
February 28th, 2008 at 11:04 am
What unappetizing (but awesome) names! Well, whatever it is it looks good! I have never heard of this comfort food dish before, but then again I grew up in NJ where it was all about PORK ROLL.
March 1st, 2008 at 10:04 am
I’m sorry to say that when I was around 8 years old and my parents were out of town, I was served this by an elderly babysitter. Then we made carmel popcorn balls (fun!) and then I got the stomach flu. It was 20 years before I could eat anything remotely creamy and I still get sick if I smell melting carmel. Sorry, Caroline ~ I will not be trying this at home.
March 5th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
we called it creamed chipped beef too. my grandmother would make the bechamel with a pinch of fresh nutmeg, then slice the dried beef that she picked up from butcher billy and let it swim in the cream for an hour..all on top of crisp white sandwich bread.
sos?
March 11th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
My Mother made this with mashed taters.
Shit on the shingles was at least once a month for years.
My Dad says it was diff. in the Navy made with Hamburger and tomatoe sauce on toast.
Larry Greth
March 26th, 2008 at 7:42 am
Holy moly! Now, that’s a blast from the past, girl. Brings back memories of when we were pups.
May 1st, 2008 at 5:52 pm
My mom used to make this for me whenever I was sick. Always a comfort food. We called it Chipped beef and she also used Carl buddig meat. Now Im craving it, but like you my husband thinks its nasty, so I hardly ever make it.
May 9th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
“on the daily lunch menu of nursing homes in Iowa, in military cafeterias and in the Whipped kitchen.” Giggle. great line.
June 22nd, 2008 at 5:24 pm
We use hamburger as the meat and call it shit on the shingles. Never used corned beef. I do not like corned beef for some reason lol