I have always loved this rich, creamy, smoky, salty dip – Old Fashioned Chipped Beef Dip! This recipe is perfect served cold as a dip, but in case you’re wondering about it, this same concoction can be molded into a cheese ball or baked in the oven.
Old Fashioned Chipped Beef Dip
My fave way to eat? Gimme me the Old Fashioned Chipped Beef Dip straight up with a good sturdy cracker!
About Old Fashioned Chipped Beef Dip:
I have no idea what the history of this dip is; I know it’s been around for about as long as I have memory (and I’m gettin’ old!) and has turned up at Midwestern parties, church basement potlucks, and just about any festive occasion.
Small-town rivalry for the best of this or that is a thing at any gathering; peeps are always wanting their food to stand out. You gotta know that this Old Fashioned Chipped Beef Dip is not immune to a little tinkering here and there if that’s you!
I have a special touch or two of my own, but you’re gonna find if you look around, that some people vary the ratio of cream cheese to sour cream to chipped beef. Some add a little horseradish, maybe some dill, sometimes lemon, or more or less of any of the standard ingredients (Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder.) I’ve even seen it made with French Onion Soup Mix. And if you can believe it, Ranch sneaks into some varieties.
Now and then I see people who use Buddig Dried Beef rather than the Chipped Beef in the jar. It’s probably cheaper that way, but not as good, and best done only if you’re in a pinch.
What is Chipped Beef and Where do I Find it?
Chipped beef is not the same as corned beef. It’s dried, pressed, and thinly sliced beef, and it’s pretty salty. It comes in a jar and is shelf-stable. I noticed recently that one of the major brands (and the only brand I have ever seen at the grocery store) now calls this same product “Dried Beef.”
You’ll usually find Chipped or Dried Beef as it’s now called, in the same aisle as the canned tuna. It should be very close by and near any items like Deviled Ham, Vienna Sausages, or other shelf-stable meat items.
I use Chipped Beef in my recipe for updated Chippd Beef on Toast (SOS) too. It’s in a creamy sauce with the chipped beef, artichoke hearts, and a little white wine. Fabulous over biscuits or waffles for brunch.
Note on the Saltiness:
This product is salty! If that’s an issue, rinse and pat dry before using or follow the helpful instructions from Sara, left in the comments:
“My mom always told me to rinse off the beef for a recipe like this otherwise it is definitely too salty. Usually, she lets it sit in water for a little bit, rubs it between her fingers to help get off the salt a bit more, and then rinse and pat dry. Still tastes as good, just way less salty!” (Again, I would advise to pat dry before using.)
Creamed Chipped Beef & Artichokes
Variations on Old Fashioned Chipped Beef Dip:
- To make a cheeseball: Simply mix ingredients as for the dip, mold it into a ball and refrigerate. After it is stiff, shape it a little more if needed and roll in finely chopped pecans. Serve with crackers. Have a good, sturdy item to spread it with.
- To make a hot spread: To bake this, simply place it in a small baking dish and bake in a 350-degree F. oven for about 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Some add chopped pecans to the top before baking.
- Note: you may wish to toast the pecans, first.
Making Old Fashioned Chipped Beef Dip:
This is such an easy recipe to make! The cream cheese absolutely has to be at room temperature or you’ll never get it to mix well.
Other than that, the only hints I can give you is to carefully slice the beef into thin strips, then across into small pieces. Larger pieces of the beef are just messy to spread onto crackers and messy to eat! That’s no fun.
Make your Old Fashioned Chipped Beef Spread ahead if possible so the flavors blend well and take it out of the fridge a little bit before serving so it softens enough to spread well.
Old Fashioned Chipped Beef Dip
Adjusting the Flavor & Seasoning:
Of course, I make my Dip the way I like (my blog, my dip, lol!) but you can add any of the items mentioned above to yours if you want. Honestly, though, sometimes I don’t even follow my own recipe, and I find myself adding random items from the fridge or pantry if I see them and get inspired.
Just mix, taste and adjust any seasonings as you go along, and you just can hardly go wrong.
I do happen to love a little mustard powder, it’s an ingredient I use often in dips, spreads, barbecue-type items, potato salad, and my fave deviled eggs. I also recognize that a lot of people don’t keep that magic in their spice collection, so no worries if you wish to leave it out.
How to Store Old Fashioned Chipped Beef Dip:
Old Fashioned Chipped Beef Dip stores very well in the fridge and you can keep it around safely (as long as you’ve worked clean and have not left it out too long at room temperature) for four to seven days, tightly covered.
You will want to be aware of how long any dip/spread spends at room temperature. While cream cheese does better than many ingredients and the chipped beef is dried, any time an item is served at a party and left out all afternoon or evening, at room temperature, it is probably best to discard any that’s left. Usually, that’s not an issue with this dip – there is never any left. 🙂
Saving Money on Ingredients:
Has anyone else noticed how crazy pricey cream cheese has been lately? Look for it on a deep sale at your grocery before most major holidays (it keeps for weeks and can be frozen). The light cream cheese (Neufchatel) might be less costly than regular and generic is usually less than both. Either of those options will be fine in this dip.
An even better option may be your buyer’s club, Aldi or Lidl. You’re likely to find cream cheese at either that beats out the grocery store sales price.
Chipped beef is seldom on sale. I do find it now and then at the discount aisle as it approaches the Best if Used by Date. You might find coupons on the producer’s site or on top of the jars now and then.
Old Fashioned Chipped Beef Dip
Old Fashioned Chipped Beef Dip
Perfect for parties or game days! Serve with a sturdy cracker.
- Total Time: 10 minutes to mix, cream cheese needs to be softened
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Category: spreads & dips
Ingredients
- 2 8-ounce blocks of cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 jar (2.25 ounce) jar of chipped beef, sliced thinly into strips and then across into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (go by taste)
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic powder (go by taste)
- 1/2 half teaspoon mustard powder, optional
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced across, green ends only
Instructions
Mix together cream cheese and sour cream (may be done by hand or with a hand mixer). Add in the chipped beef, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, mustard powder if using and green onions. Stir well.
If time allows, refrigerate to allow flavors to blend. Take out of the refrigerator before ready to serve to let the cream cheese soften again.
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