Brown the beef in its own fat in a skillet. Drain excess fat.

Add flour, pepper, salt and bouillon to beef; mix thoroughly and cook about 5 minutes or until flour is absorbed.

Reconstitute dry milk (mix with water); add to beef mixture. Add Worcestershire sauce; heat to a simmer, stirring frequently until thickened.

Serve over hot toast or biscuits.


Each branch of the U.S. Military has a different version of this recipe. It is affectionately referred to by our dogfaces as "Sh*t On A Shingle". S.O.S. made its debut about 1910. The recipe presented here is a home version of that served by the Army circa World War I.

Mr Breakfast would like to thank Mr Breakfast for this recipe.

Overall Average Rating = 5 (out of 5)

Based on 51 votes.

View all 56 comments for this recipe.

From USAF Retired

Rating (out of 5):

Had it in Air Force (22 yrs - retired), Army, and once at a Navy chow hall. AF & Army are the best and about the same. Navy - Nah (they used tomatoes or paste & it was runny). Build it like this from the bottom up - toast, bacon, fried spuds, 2 over easy, then SOS over it all - with a hot cup of coffee on the side.

Comment submitted: 9/1/2019 (#20843)



From Dusty

Rating (out of 5):

My Dad served in the Korean War and this was one of my favorite breakfast that he made for me. SOS with two over easy eggs and toast the best ever!!

Comment submitted: 10/12/2017 (#20426)



From Gigawat

Rating (out of 5):

Toast, two eggs over easy and a solid helping of this awesome SOS and a cold glass of milk and a hot cup of coffee! Now that's just righteous!

Comment submitted: 7/10/2017 (#20354)



From PRArmyBrats

Rating (out of 5):

We are 5 Army Brats of a Puerto Rican retired MP who served during WW2 and Korean War who ate this creamed beef over toast all the time for breakfast. To this date, we all enjoy this recipe and many others from the Armed Forces. Love it!

Comment submitted: 6/4/2017 (#20321)



From Izzy

Rating (out of 5):

Reminds me when I was in the county for 18 months. Very good - had it with tomatoes. Over all: very good recipe.

Comment submitted: 4/14/2017 (#20258)



From USAF Vet

Rating (out of 5):

I've read that the Navy used tomatoes in their SOS... Not going to say it's evil, however, I do enjoy my Louisiana gumbo without tomatoes. I also love SOS even unto today... some 40 years after basic training.

Comment submitted: 1/3/2017 (#20161)



From USMC-4

Rating (out of 5):

Brings back old memories when I was in the Marine Corps. They would bring it to the infantry men out in the field training. Best breakfast ever.

Comment submitted: 8/13/2016 (#20022)



From CharlyD

Rating (out of 5):

Retired Army... Had it first in basic... Was good then, and still good today... Back then it was s#%t on shingles. That was before "politically correct" ruled.

Comment submitted: 8/3/2016 (#20009)



From Oldrgr

Rating (out of 5):

My dad was a combat veteran of WWII and served in the Natl. Gd and Reserves after the War. We would always end up having it for a couple weeks after he came home from his annual two weeks training in the summer. We loved it. I spent 27 years in the Infantry and loved it as well. This recipe is as close as I recall from my days on active duty. I have tweaked it just slightly by adding a tad more Worcestershire sauce.

Comment submitted: 5/28/2016 (#19952)



From mazzie

Rating (out of 5):

Actually, should be served on cold toast which is sturdier. I delete the Worcestershire sauce, use whole milk, increase the pepper and use only a half pound of ground beef, fatter the better. I understand the recipe is a blend of grease and dairy. It is essentially gravy of toast so not so much beef. Loved this #&@% (stuff) when I was in the Air Force.

Comment submitted: 9/24/2015 (#19563)



From jitterbug (Team Breakfast Member)

Rating (out of 5):

I was a Sentry Dog Handler in the Air Force and after a long cold night of Guarding B52's there was nothing like SOS with 4 eggs on top to warm the body and soul. Good Memories.

Comment submitted: 5/23/2015 (#19427)



From Spangdahlem

Rating (out of 5):

SOS -- My absolute favorite dish while sitting nuclear strike with an F-4E Phantom at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, during the heart of the Cold War... Yum,Yum!

Comment submitted: 4/5/2015 (#19350)



From Hank from FL

Rating (out of 5):

I was in the Army in the mid-50s. Loved this stuff. Look, I'm a pretty good cook, but this is one thing I don't try to "fancy up." I was never served chipped beef when I was in the Army. On toast for breakfast, that's the way we do it.

Comment submitted: 11/10/2014 (#19104)



From Success!

Rating (out of 5):

Now that was the stuff I remember my dad making for us as kids! He was a mess sergeant in WWII and Korea. I didn't have the bouillon (don't remember him using it either) so I added a dash more Worcestershire sauce, bam! Even my wife loved it! Never tried it for breakfast but now I know what to do with the leftovers! I'm going to make a few more gallons and take it to the VFW Hall for Memorial Day breakfast!

Comment submitted: 5/22/2014 (#18878)



From Don P (Team Breakfast Member)

Rating (out of 5):

I am retired from the Coast Guard SOS was always a favorite. We used to get together as a group and have it, usually after a night on the town... brought back a lot of memories. Good recipe. I added chopped boiled eggs to mine.

Comment submitted: 4/12/2014 (#18580)



From DebH.

Rating (out of 5):

Raised in the South, Daughter of an Army cook, soldier in the '80s (pulled KP first day in Basic), wife of AF retiree whose dad was Navy cook - this is the only dish I can't get right. Hubby won't touch "gravy" so he's no use and mom never fixed it. FYI: sausage gravy & creamed chipped beef are not true variants. I've never seen SOS anywhere but chow halls and homes. Try SOS or sausage gravy on pancakes with butter and syrup. I also use evaporated milk and water for these gravies... whole milk for basic bechamel.

Comment submitted: 1/27/2014 (#17275)



From Andy

Rating (out of 5):

Air Force midnight chow... two or three scrambled eggs, four pieces toast covered with SOS, a glass of cold milk topped with a cup of hot coffee... Best ever!

Comment submitted: 12/11/2013 (#17203)



From Emerson

Rating (out of 5):

We grew up on this too, but I don't remember having it for breakfast. It was always a dinner thing for us. It makes sense having it for breakfast... not sure why we never did. Anyway, I loved it. Haven't had it in a long time.

Comment submitted: 10/4/2013 (#16710)



From Jazzygirl1971

Rating (out of 5):

My dad made this for us when I was growing up. He was in the Army during the Vietnam era. I still make it today. The only difference, I use evaporated milk (PET or Carnation). Delicious!!

Comment submitted: 9/10/2013 (#16446)



From M.R.L.

Rating (out of 5):

There is more than one-way of making this delicious breakfast meal. The recipe here, calling for ground beef, is the first. There is also "Chipped Beef on Toast", which is made using "chipped beef" (beef sliced very thin, and seasoned with salt... often packed in a jar with a lid... very salty). The third kind is known as "Sausage Gravy over Toast", which uses ground sausage in place of ground beef. All three are considered very, very delicious.

Comment submitted: 7/9/2013 (#16136)



View all 56 comments for this recipe.

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