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Hi All--

Thanks to everyone who responded to my query about a brand of dried beef
that is GF to make chipped beef on toast. It seems that bringing up this
topic made a number of people feel nostalgic about eating this great food as
children and asked for this summary. Most people didn't have an answer to
whether or not Swift still makes dried beef, but if so, it will be in a jar
in the canned meat section of the grocery. As to its GF status, we'll
probably need to depend on the label.

I did find a dried beef in a jar at Publix by Armour - the ingredients are:
beef, salt, sugar, sorbitol, contains 2% or less of sodium erythorbate,
sodium nitrite. I bought a jar for $1.79, but haven't tried it yet. For
those of you who can find Carl Buddig dried beef, it is GF.

One person, below, asked how I would make the gravy. Please see the recipe
at the end of the summary for my versions of an easy cream gravy or white
sauce.
_____
Labeling on meat products (& items that contain more than 15% meat) is
handled by the USDA which fixed its ingredient labeling in the early 90s to
prevent hidden ingredients, specifically hydrolyzed proteins.  That makes
meat, as well as poultry & fish-also covered by the USDA,  'read the label'
products.

There is a link to the USDA regs on various ingredinets.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Help/FAQs_Flavorings/index.asp#1
<http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Help/FAQs_Flavorings/index.asp#1>
_____
For the old fashioned kind that you had as a child you need the Swifts.  I
do not know if they make it any more. When I checked about six to
eight years ago it was GF. And I bought the jar I found at a large
supermarket. I remembered it from my mother making it when I was a child. I
used corn starch to make my cream sauce. Sorry my information is so old.
Good luck, I will probaby have to look again now that you mentioned it. It
keeps sounding better as I think about it. The jar I bought was in the area
where tuna fish was sold.
_____
What do you use for the gravy on the chipped beef and toast?  I always loved
that too but haven't had it in years.  Now you have made me crave it!!
_____
Ayn -- are you able to get any kind of deli-sliced GF beef (e.g. Boar's
Head)?  If so, buy some that is sliced as thin as possible. Take that, at
home, and then slice it into thin (1/4") strips.  Separate the strips, so
they are not all "glued" together.  Pile them up (all
loosened) in a Pyrex oblong dish and cook them in
the oven at about 425º.  Just keep checking on them until you see that they
have crisped up and dried out a bit.  How long?  Depends on your oven, but,
in ours, it is about 20 minutes.  Let the strips cool, and then use in
gravy.  NOW, all this said, I've not tried this with beef -- but have tried
it with deli ham, when I've wanted to
use it in a morning "breakfast gravy."  If it is particularly lean ham, I've
drizzled just a bit of flavorless oil over it --  not a lot, but just enough
to moisten the pieces.  This helps it crisp up!
_____
Cream gravy recipes (2): Since both of these recipes use rice flour, once
they are refrigerated and reheated, you will need to add more flour to
thicken the sauce when you reheat them. If you're cooking for one, you can
cut the recipes in half to avoid leftovers. I have not added salt to either
recipe as the dried beef is usually salty enough for me - add salt if you
like.

1) Using a medium to large dry skillet, sprinkle 2 Tbs of sweet rice flour
into it and place it on a medium heat. Stir constantly until the rice begins
to take on a golden brown color, taking care not to let it get too dark.
Remove the skillet from the heat and add 2 Tbs butter or margarine and stir
to combine. Add 2 c of milk (less if you like a thinner sauce). Add pepper
to taste and cook, stirring constantly until it begins to thicken. Add the
chipped beef cut into bite-sized pieces and heat through. Pour over dry,
freshly toasted GF bread slices.

2)  In a medium sauce pan, place 2 Tbs brown rice flour, add 1 to 2 Tbs
butter or margarine.  Stir until combined. With heat on low medium, add
milk, up to 2 c until you've reached desired thickness, stirring constantly.
Add pepper to taste and the chipped beef, cut into bite-sized pieces. Pour
over dry, freshly toasted GF bread slices.
_____
Thanks, again, to those who replied. Clearly, this is a good, easy dish that
can bring back lots of fond memories for those of us who grew up eating this
in our childhood. Enjoy!!  ~~Ayn in Alabama

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