As an easy to prepare entrée for quick meals, chipped beef is both hailed and vilified by people in many countries. Here are some basics about the preparation of chipped beef, as well as some ideas for including chipped beef in meals.

Sometimes referred to as dried beef, chipped beef is simply sections of meat that has been thinly sliced and cured with smoking or salting methods to dry out the meat. Just as with beef jerky, chipped beef can be stored for long periods of time, making it an ideal way to keep a ready source of meat protein handy without the need for refrigeration. Typically, chipped beef is cut into thin round or rectangular sections that are about the size of a saltine cracker. While in the past chipped beef was usually sold in airtight aluminum cans, this cured beef can often be purchased and flash sealed pouches.

When paired with gravy, chipped beef can be used as a main dish over rice, or make a quick and easy open face sandwich. However, there are a number of other ways to use chipped beef. Perhaps the single most popular method is preparing chipped beef on toast. This is the simplest of meals, requiring only a toasted piece of bread and the smoked beef placed on top. Variations can include the inclusion of gravy, while others simply use a little ketchup. This sliced beef can also be used as meat stock in vegetable soups. Since chipped beef is already cooked, it can be added after the vegetables have simmered from some time.

While chipped beef is dried, it is not a tough cut of meat at all. In fact, some people enjoy chipped beef as a snack, placing a section or two on a cracker. Others will use chipped beef in hot cheese dips made of cheese, tomatoes, chili peppers, and chipped beef. Chipped beef can also be used to dress up legumes such as black-eyed peas, pinto beans, and navy beans.

While chipped beef has long held a reputation of being a meat that was produced for people with no cooking ability, the fact is that many cooks keep a container of two of chipped beef around the house. While the pre-mixed cans of chipped beef with gravy can be somewhat less than desirable, using dried chipped beef and making gravy from scratch will yield a superior result. From a simple meal on toast to nourishing and filling soups, chipped beef is a tasty and easy way to incorporate beef into the diet.