I have always loved this rich, creamy, smoky, salty dip – Old Fashioned Chipped Beef Dip or Spread! This recipe is perfect served cold as a spread, 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 or Spread
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:
This dip has 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 real thing. At any gathering, people always want their food to stand out. And while this recipe is a Classic Chipped Beef Dip, no recipe is ever immune to a little tinkering here and there if that’s you! Some like to vary the ratio of cream cheese to sour cream to chipped beef.
Others 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 in a refrigerated pouch rather than the Chipped Beef in the jar. It’s a little cheaper that way, but some of the character is lost, 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 Chipped 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.
Creamed Chipped Beef & Artichokes
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 rinses and pats dry. Still tastes as good, just way less salty!” (Again, I would advise patting dry before using.)
Variations on Old Fashioned Chipped Beef Dip:
- To make a Chipped Beef Cheeseball: 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 it in finely chopped pecans. Serve with crackers. Have a good, sturdy item to spread it with.
- To make Warm Chipped Beef Spread: Place the dip in a small baking dish and bake in a 350-degree F. oven for about 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Some add chopped pecans to the top before baking.
- Note: You may wish to toast the pecans first in either of these variations.
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 are 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.
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.
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.
Just mix, taste, and adjust any seasonings as you go along, and you just can hardly go wrong.
If you like this Dip, You might also like:
First, start with my menu for Appetizers and Munchies. I’ve been writing about food for a long time, and it’s pretty extensive. As far as other dips or spreads that have had staying power?
Classic Hot Artichoke Dip: another classic, retro dip. This predates the Spinach and Artichoke Dip that’s almost ubiquitous now. It even predates Olive Garden by a decade or two.
Classic Hot Artichoke Dip
Curried Shrimp Spread: speaking of retro, this easy dip shines in the spring and summer, although it’s good anytime. It’s been here on my site since 2012.
Curried Shrimp Spread
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 three to four days, tightly covered.
You will want to be aware of how long any dip/spread spends at room temperature. 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. If the coupon is on the jar, be sure to peel it off and hand it to the clerk so it’s not overlooked.
Old Fashioned Chipped Beef Dip or Spread
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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