Looking For U.S. Army S.O.S Recipe

[OV1kenobi]

To anyone who has ever served in the U.S. Army during the 1980's, you know what the acronym S.O.S stands for. So, I will not explain the definition here in potentially mixed company.

I am looking for a recipe recreating as closely as possible the classic, U.S. Army breakfast favorite that was ladled over toasted, sliced bread.

Not merely a hamburger gravy, but it was something more. Very rich, definitely NOT low fat, sort of brown instead of white in color, kind of salty and maybe even flavored with beef buillion.

I know.

Very plebe.

But God, that stuff was wonderful when ladled over two pieces of toast along with a two-egg omelette on the side with shredded cheddar cheese, diced ham, tomato and onion!

If anyone can help me bring back one of the few pleasant memories of Army service, I would be so very grateful.

Regards,

David

 

[Hammertime1]

Don't have the receipe sorry and yes I remember it. That was first place I ever experienced it was army. The SAMS club version is a big hit and I know lots of restaurants serve it as well and claim theirs is homemade. The cans laying next to dumpster a big give away it's from SAMS.

 

[RABIDMONKEY]

stoufers chiiped beef with worcestershire sauce

 

[TheVez2]

This series of links should get you what you are looking for:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chipped_beef

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Chipped_beef_on_toast

http://www.seabeecook.com/cookery/cooking/cooking_sos.htm

If not, just search online for chipped beef on toast, or "SOS' recipes (spelled out), you'll find tons and tons of different, but mostly similar, recipes.

 

[_JP_]

Here's the recipe:

SOS

Ingredients

---

• 1 pound ground beef shopping list
• 2 Tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup flour, all purpose
• 1 cube beef bouillon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper (or to taste)
• 2 1/4 cups milk
• 1/4 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

How to make it

---

• Brown beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Drain excess fat and set beef aside.
• Melt butter in skillet over medium heat.
• Slowly add the flour, stirring constantly, to form a brown roux.
• Add the bouillon.
• Gradually stir in the milk and Worcestershire sauce, mixing well.
• Add the cooked ground beef, salt, and pepper.
• Bring all to a simmer, stirring constantly. Serve hot over buttered toast.

And here is the whole cookbook: http://www.quartermaster.army.mil/jccoe/publications/recipes/cover.pdf

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

To anyone who has ever served in the U.S. Army during the 1980's, you know what the acronym S.O.S stands for. So, I will not explain the definition here in potentially mixed company.

I am looking for a recipe recreating as closely as possible the classic, U.S. Army breakfast favorite that was ladled over toasted, sliced bread.

Regards,

David

David:
The recipe from the Army's TM-10-412, Armed Forces Recipe Service is L-30, Creamed Ground Beef. I converted this recipe from 100 servings to 25 servings and most of the our soldiers wanted this served over biscuits.

Yield: 25 portions
Portion: 1 cup

Ingredients:

Beef, ground (and lean) - 3 lb
Flour, wheat - 8 oz
Black Pepper - ¼ tbsp
Salt - ½ tbsp
Soup and Gravy Base, Beef - 3 oz
Milk, nonfat, dry - 8 oz
Water, warm - 3 cups
Worchester sauce - ½ tbsp

Method:
​

1. Brown beef in its own fat in a roasting pan. Drain excess fat.
   
   ​
2. Add flour, pepper, salt, and soup and gravy base to beef; mix thoroughly and cook about 5 minutes until flour is absorbed.
   
   ​
3. Reconstitute milk; add to beef mixture.
   
   ​
4. Add Worcestershire sauce; heat to a simmer, stirring frequently. Cook until thickened.
   
   NOTE: In my Army food service career, I used 2% milk instead of milk, nonfat, dry...so it would be 3 cups of milk, (you can use whole milk if you like).
   
   

   

   "A smiling face is half the meal". Culinary Proverb
   
   "Up in the morning before day
   I don't like it no way
   Eat my breakfast too darn soon
   Hungry as a hound dog by noonWent to the mess hall on my knees
   I said, "Mess Sergeant, Mess Sergeant feed me please!"
   Mess Sergeant said with a big ol'grin
   "If you wanna be Airborne you gotta be thin"
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   ​

 

[OV1kenobi]

Thanks to all who have replied regarding my request. I will have to try them all just to experience the different varieties of this old favorite of mine!

Again, thank you, and warmest regards!

David

 

[gearchow]

Wow, the hamburger kind is way different then what I grew up with the 60s

white cream sauce
1 - 2 jars of salted, chipped beef - I don't recall Mom rinsing out the beef, but maybe she did? Seems now it would be too salty.
black pepper
buttered toast

Put the cream/beef on the toast, top with a small pat of butter. canned corn on the side.

I grew up in a Navy family and my lifer Dad loved this stuff. I never even considered that SOS was made differently.

edit: BTW, if my wife tried to make this I know she would attempt to use whole wheat bread. No whole wheat bread. White bread only.

-jim

 

[SteelCity]

Not in the military but huge fan of SOS. The best I had was at Sylvia's Diner in N. Wildwood, NJ. A local diner in a beach town that was open all year for residents. Every morning the place was packed with locals and heaters (What they called tourists) lined up for their SOS.

I ate it each morning I worked their summer of '75................

 

[SuperJew]

Here's the link the the current official recipe, taught at the US Joint Culinary Center of Excellence.
https://nll.ahf.nmci.navy.mil/publications/docs/recipe/L05200.pdf

Also, if anyone's curious, here's the official Armed Forces Recipe Service lookup page, again, the same they use to teach new Army cooks.
https://nll1.ahf.nmci.navy.mil/recipe/

 

[SuperJew]

1. "Up in the morning before day
   I don't like it no way
   Eat my breakfast too darn soon
   Hungry as a hound dog by noon
   Went to the mess hall on my knees
   I said, "Mess Sergeant, Mess Sergeant feed me please!"
   Mess Sergeant said with a big ol'grin
   "If you wanna be Airborne you gotta be thin"​

As we used to say during this cadence at Ft. Drum:
"I don't go to anybody on my knees!"

 

[gearchow]

Here's the link the the current official recipe, taught at the US Joint Culinary Center of Excellence.
https://nll.ahf.nmci.navy.mil/publications/docs/recipe/L05200.pdf

Also, if anyone's curious, here's the official Armed Forces Recipe Service lookup page, again, the same they use to teach new Army cooks.
https://nll1.ahf.nmci.navy.mil/recipe/

yep, that is the recipe. Now I'm sure she did the soak. It would have been the Navy way.

-jim

 

[SuperJew]

It would have been the Navy way.

This way is the Navy, Army, USMC, & USAF way
The JCCoE is a multi-service cooks school, just happens that the recipe database is hosted on a navy site.

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

As we used to say during this cadence at Ft. Drum:
"I don't go to anybody on my knees!"

Cool man...I retired out of Fort Drum (I was in 2-14 Inf Regt [Golden Dragons], 2nd Brigade Combat Team), in 03!!!.

"You will never know the true nature of your nationality, until your Nation calls you to Serve". CBJ


PS Not to get 'off thread', but you do know that you can get either your Active Duty Tag or Veteran Tag here on the B & B.

 

[insomniac]

A good substitute for chipped beef is a package of Buddig beef (found in the luncheon meat section.) I've tried it a few times, works like a charm.

 

[Alacrity59]

It is a great way to use up the end of the roast beef you make for a Sunday dinner. Like corned beef hash, I'd eat it a breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

 

[gearchow]

It is a great way to use up the end of the roast beef you make for a Sunday dinner. Like corned beef hash, I'd eat it a breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

that will never happen if I'm around. The end piece is the first piece I snag. Oh man, it's been a long time since I've had roast beef. I got to make that happen.

-jim

 

[SuperJew]

PS Not to get 'off thread', but you do know that you can get either your Active Duty Tag or Veteran Tag here on the B & B.

Yup, clicked it yesterday, still waiting.

I spend 3 years up in Drum at 2-87 Inf Regt, 08-11

 

[Alacrity59]

that will never happen if I'm around. The end piece is the first piece I snag. Oh man, it's been a long time since I've had roast beef. I got to make that happen.

-jim

Yes . . . you must do this. It was a life changing experience for me a few years back when I came to the conclusion that I could pull off a roast beef dinner with all the trimmings for less than a pizza ordered out. And then get a couple more meals out of it mid week.

 

[DogHair]

Wow. Haven't had SOS for over 15 years. I never liked the creamed chipped beef but the SOS was great. I'll give it a try this weekend. Maybe the kids will eat it.