I have always been interested in food history, and learning about food from the Great Depression (which impacted the world from 1929 to 1939) is definitely worth learning about, especially in our times now. With rising costs of food, I thought it would be a great lesson (and perfect for our homeschooling) to learn about foods eaten when times were horribly tough.
We enjoy trying recipes from the Great Depression. It is a great way to use simple ingredients to create delicious meals that can feed a hungry family! Not to mention a fantastic way to use up leftovers. It also reminds us to be much less wasteful when it comes to food. My family is careful to not waste food, but cooking in this manner reinforces the importance of eating what has been cooked and eating leftovers as well.
When I selected this meal from the 1930’s, I was not sure if it would taste good or if it would be a disaster meal. But surprisingly enough, it was super delicious and is a meal my family asks for often!
Creamed chipped beef (also called frizzled beef) originated in the 1700’s when the British navy fed it to their sailors. It was also fed to soldiers during World War I. They had used a dried, cured beef that was smoked for more flavor, pressed and sliced thin. It was sold in jars or plastic packets. It later became more popular in the 1800’s and made a resurgence during the Great Depression.
Creamed chipped beef essentially was the chipped, dried beef cooked in a milk gravy and then served over toast or potatoes. I served it on potatoes which really was quite yummy. I was not sure where I could find chipped beef today, so instead, I purchased beef jerky since it is a smoked, dried and cured beef which I thought would be similar. I added onion and peas since I read many books that described how it was sometimes served with vegetables like peas, corn or carrots. I found adding peas also bulked up the meal which helped to stretch it further. We really did enjoy this meal.
Let’s get to it!
First, cook the onions. I used one onion and sauteed in a bit of oil and water.
Once the onions are tender, add chopped dried beef. I used an original flavor beef jerky so the flavor would be neutral. I added a cup of water as well, and continued to do so until the beef had softened and onions were completely cooked, about 20 minutes. Add water if pan goes dry.
Once onions are tender and beef is reconstituted a bit, add peas, 1 spoon of butter and 3 spoons of flour. I used whole wheat flour, but you can use any flour you like. Stir until thick and flour slightly browns.
Add milk and cream. Stir until slightly thickened.
Once thickened, it is ready to eat. Serve on mashed potatoes or on toast. We opted for mashed potatoes.
Since bread was served at nearly every meal during the Great Depression to help bulk up meals, I made our favorite loaf of Depression Bread (recipe coming soon) made with whole wheat flour and some white flour to help keep it less dense. I also served the chipped beef with mashed potatoes because potatoes were affordable in those days. One hundred pounds of potatoes costed $1 — it was an easy way to feed a large family with hungry tummies. Today, I purchased 10 pounds of potatoes for $9 and sometimes I stock up when I can get 10 pounds for $5 on sale! I am definitely looking forward to growing a garden this summer, another important feature of the 1930’s!
Chipped Beef from the Great Depression
1 onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste
80g beef jerky, cut into small pieces
1 cup water
1 cup peas
1 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour – I used whole wheat flour
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cream
Place onion in skillet with salt and pepper and a splash of water. Cook until onion is tender, adding more water to pan if it goes dry. Add beef jerky and remaining water. Cover and let cook about 20 minutes, or until onion is completely cooked and beef has reconstituted slightly. Add peas, butter and flour. Mix well and cook until flour is slightly toasted. Add milk slowly, stirring well to avoid lumps in the white gravy. Add cream and stir well. Taste for seasonings. I added enough milk to give enough gravy to feed my family. Serve with boiled potatoes.
enjoy from Our City Homestead to yours