Creamed Chipped Beef Remix
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Dried beef soaked twice to tame salt. Browned in butter bits for that punchy crust. Roux made from butter and flour till lightly nutty, then whole milk whisked in slow till thick. Worcestershire and Dijon kick it up. Beef reintroduced for a warm hug in creamy sauce. Laid over thick toast—no limp bread here—topped with cracked black pepper and parsley. Salt cautious here since beef sneaky salty. Timing bends to visual cues not clocks. Toast must hold sauce or disaster. Leftover friendly, reheats decently if saved right.
Prep:
6 min
Cook:
16 min
Total:
22 min
Servings:
4 servings
#American diner
#comfort food
#dried beef
#creamed beef
#toast recipes
#quick cook
#savory sauce
Chipped beef—salted, dried, a relic of diner days—but that punchy bite demands respect. Rinsing and soaking not optional unless you want a salt bomb. Butter browns beef bits into crispened morsels that float in thickened cream, roux slow cooked till nutty, milk whisked until the sauce whispers luxury. Worcestershire and Dijon mustard aren’t garnish — they punch it into savory gear. Toast must be thick — soggy bread is failure. I learned over many attempts that timing is less about minutes and more about watching sauce dance on the spoon. Keep salt wary, the beef already a secret salty agent. A humble dish that struts flavor if done right—not for the faint salt tongue.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried chipped beef
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- seasoned salt to taste
- 4 thick slices sturdy bread for toasting
- freshly ground black pepper
- chopped fresh parsley
About the ingredients
Dried chipped beef varies wildly in saltiness; always rinse and soak twice—cold water does the trick to strip excess. Unsalted butter gives control; salted versions throw off seasoning balance. If whole milk feels too rich or heavy-handed, 2% works but thins sauce slightly—just lower heat longer. Flour not just thickener but flavor builder—brown it too little, sauce tastes raw; too long, roux gets bitter. Worcestershire and Dijon add punch, but if missing pantry, a splash of soy sauce and a pinch of dry mustard substitute well. Toast has to be substantial; cheap sandwich bread turns to mush fast. Parsley freshens and softens the dish’s heavy notes. No parsley? Use chives or even a tiny sprinkle smoked paprika for color contrast.
Method
- Start by breaking down the dried chipped beef—rinse thoroughly then soak submerged in cold water for about 12 minutes, drain and rinse again to wrestle away excess salt and grit.
- Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a spacious skillet medium heat. Toss beef in as it melts, shredding into smaller hunks by hand or spatula. Hear slight sizzle, little crackle—that’s flavor locking in.
- Keep beef moving, sauté 4-5 minutes until edges crisp just right, color deepens but no burnt bits allowed. Remove beef to plate, keep it warm or pan rest to cool, don’t overcrowd.
- In that same skillet, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat, stir in flour fast making silky roux. Watch closely, after 5 minutes it turns soft tan smelling faintly nutty—crucial stage to avoid raw flour taste.
- Slowly pour in whole milk while whisking vigorously. The sound changes from quiet to a gentle bubbling pop—lumps must disappear like magic, slow thickening signals readiness, richness developing.
- Stir in Worcestershire and mustard; sharp tang adds complexity. Let mixture gently bubble without heavy boil, about 8 minutes, texture creamy but spoon coats back cleanly—use that as your sign.
- Return browned beef to sauce, fold together, letting flavors marry over gentle heat 2-3 minutes, sauce clinging around beef as ribbon falls back to pan.
- Give final taste; seasoned salt may or may not be needed—depends on how rigorously beef was soaked and rinsed. Always better to under salt at this point because dried beef stores excess.
- Toast thick slices bread sturdy enough to hold sauce without sogging. Pile beef cream sauce generously, then scatter cracked black pepper and parsley for fresh bite and color pop.
- If cravings hit later, this reheats well on stovetop low heat with splash of milk to rescue cream texture. Avoid microwave unless desperate—it ruins cream. Bonus: leftover bread crumbs toasted can lift dry beef remnants into snack.
Cooking tips
Key is rinsing beef thoroughly, soak long enough to take down salt but not mush. Shredding beef before frying means better caramelization, small pieces get edges crisp faster. Butter heats to sizzle point before beef hits pan—listen for crackle, smell nutty aromas, and see color deepen for browned-not-burnt. When making roux, stir continuously to prevent lumps and foam from getting bitter. Milk must go in slow with whisk, sauce thickens as it cooks but avoid boiling or cream curdles. Worcestershire and mustard bring acid and spice; add before beef returns to heat to balance flavors. Sauce should cling to beef without running off. Final salt adjustment critical—better to add less initially and test. Toast topped last keeps crunch beneath sauce, black pepper and parsley finish each bite fresh. Leftovers reheat on stovetop gently, add splash milk to loosen sauce texture otherwise it tightens into glue.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Rinse beef twice cold water to yank out salt—don’t rush. Soak about 10-12 min, drain well both times. Salt still lurking if you skip. When browning, keep heat medium, listen for sizzle crackle sweet spot—too hot scorches, ruins sauce flavor. Shred beef small chunks before frying; faster crisp edges, better texture grip for sauce.
- 💡 Roux needs attention constant stir; not too dark or bitter but definitely nutty smell, light tan color. Flour raw taste kills cream sauce. Pour milk in slow, whisk steady before lumps form. That bubbling sound changes—pay attention. If sauce flattens or curdles, temp too high. Adjust heat low for silky finish.
- 💡 Mustard and Worcestershire add acid and spice punch, mix in after base sauce thickens but before beef returns in. Skip if missing but sauce flat then; soy sauce and powdered mustard can patch gap. Salt cautious, dried beef salty already; add post-mix, taste often, under-salt beats over-salt here.
- 💡 Toast slices thick and sturdy. If too thin or soft, sauce sogs bread, disaster. Crisp edges hold up best. Layer beef cream sauce hot to meld flavors but not melt bread immediate. Fresh cracked black pepper top brightens, parsley adds bit of herbal lift but no parsley? Chives or pinch smoked paprika swap works too.
- 💡 Leftovers reheat slow on stovetop with splash milk, stir watch thickness fix. Microwave usually wrecks sauce texture, grainy or rubbery. Bonus tip: toast leftover bread crumbs, toss dry beef scraps for quick snack boost—deeply savory, crunchy contrast. Timing fluid, watch sauce movement spoon, not clock.
Common questions
Why soak beef twice?
Pulls excess salt out, must rinse multiple times. Skip and you get salt bomb. Cold water best, soak about 12 min each time. Drain thoroughly or sauce ends salty still. Timing varies by beef salt level, test taste after first soak.
Can I use less butter?
Butter browns and flavors beef and roux; less means dull sauce. Use salted butter if unsalted missing but adjust salt after. Substitute some butter with oil—less flavor, texture changes. Roux needs fat to cook flour right, so cut too much sauce thins, loses that body.
What if sauce lumps or burns?
Lumps form if milk poured fast or inadequate whisking. Fix by strain or whisk vigorously. Burnt roux tastes bitter, kills sauce—better scrap and start roux fresh. Heat low when adding milk and stirring. Avoid boiling, sauce breaks or curdles, use simmer heat only.
How to store leftovers?
Cool sauce quickly, store covered in fridge up to 3 days. Reheat gently on stovetop, add splash milk to loosen. Bread separate if possible, toast again or skip soggy bread. Can freeze sauce but texture slightly changes, better fresh. Avoid microwaving unless desperate, ruins cream texture.
