What did WWII Soldiers Eat?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 พ.ย. 2022
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#tastinghistory #ww2 #sos
I only speak about the US Army in this video. What other countries/branches of the military would you like to see covered?
Thank you to the constant support from all of my Patreon patrons. www.patreon.com/tastinghistory
Always happy to see you upload, Max.
Throw a box off Crayola in the pan and you have a favorite snack of the Marines.
This was fascinating to see from someone with a familial connection! While it's probably much later, historically speaking, than much of what you've covered on the channel, it might be interesting to look into some of the recipes that've cropped up in the wake of US occupation and allied forces across the world. Spam got around!
The modern recipe i.e. Gulf War Era has A-1 and Worstershire sauce to give it that little burn.
You've admittedly peaked my interest mentioning Nazi meth pills, ngl.
Retired Air Force cook here. We still make this, although it’s now made with ground beef and usually served with biscuits. Happy Veterans Day everyone!
I wonder if there’s a desire to keep it on the menu just because it’s part of US military traditions at this point.
Ha, I remember wishing we had cream chip beef. But no, just that ground beef gravy in the Air Force, with Texas Pete of course
My go to breakfast is the ground beef version of SOS over biscuits with scrambled eggs on top. I ate this every day I could in garrison in Germany during the late 70s. It tastes even better with finely chopped onions and Worcester added.
@@mountainclawoutdoors I see the air force get extra luxury in any county
@@yuvalgabay1023 oh, we had it much better from what I saw and heard
My uncle was right
You mentioned the rations eventually added pasta and sauce, and that reminds me that chef Boyardee, who was an actual person, converted his factories over to produce rations during the war and actually recieved an award for just how much food he produced for the troops.
Ettore Boiardi.
He put the Boyardee on he cans so people would pronounce it right.
Then we salute and remember the man, for his legacy keeps people fed even to this day.
In fact, in commemoration, today I'm going to open a can of Ravioli to his name for my microwaved ration.
From Cleveland!!!
You just reminded me of that scene from Generation Kill. "Chef Boyardee, the master!"
He also sold his company after the war as part of a deal to ensure none of his employees would be laid off. By all accounts a great chef and a better person.
My grandfather lied about his age, and enlisted at age 16 during WW-I. Initially, they made him a cook's helper. Before Easter the menu (which was dictated from The War Department, in Washington DC) stipulated that they would be serving eggs. The only problem was that they only had two and a half dozen eggs --- to feed a company of over a humdred men!
When the time for Easter breakfast came, the cook was beside himself, because they hadn't received any more eggs, amd the men had really been looking forward to some eggs. My grandfather told him not to worry about it, and he scrambled what they had, and then "stretched" them with a 3 to 1 addition of milk and flour, seasoned up with a heavy amount of salt, pepper, and thyme. The head cook protested saying that the men wouldn't stand for it, to which my grandfather replied, "Don't worry about it. It's been so long since they've had an egg, that they won't know the difference."
As Easter morning breakfast was served, and the "scrambled eggs" were served up, the only complaints they received were from people not getting enough!
It's true: War is hell.
That would almost be a savory pancake batter so it would probably be pretty good.
To quote a famous show, war isn't hell.
There are no innocents in hell.
@@LazzurusMan
It's certainly very hell-like for those caught up in it.
Seeing how much you resemble your grandfather made me feel a sense of pride for both him and you
Yes, the resemblance is amazing!
No doubt who’s YOUR grandpa!
You two got the handsome genes! 😊
“Shit on a shingle” was my grandmas favorite response when asked what she was making for dinner. RIP Nina. ❤
Lol! I love it!! Reminds me of when my ex was bugging me about dinner so I smirked and told him DNS. He asked what's that?? I laughed and said dump n' stir. It became my standard answer after that. We were just kids who didn't a lot of extra money and I was always making something out of leftovers and odds n' ends.
It's really damn good food lol
my dad still says shit on toast so...
Lmao my father says that a lot.
My grandma and mom too! I had no idea it was a real dish until literally the day my grandmother passed away. I got the call that she'd passed and with encouragement and knowing she would have wanted me to live life, went to brunch with a big group of friends. There it was on the menu and what a sign! I'm glad it wasn't just my family that used it as a vague threat lol
I still love SOS. I can remember dad announcing, “It’s shit on a shingle!” and mom countering with, “It’s creamed chipped beef on toast!” for years until she gave up and called it SOS.
Hahaha
same here
My grandfather served as a U.S. Army MP during WW2. Both he and my grandmother enjoyed making this dish, though they too playfully fought over the name, 😅. I grew up eating this for breakfast at their house, though it was made with ground beef, onions, and parsley. I still enjoy it to this day even if I can't seem to get the recipe exactly the same. That might just be down to the ancient seasoned cast iron my grandmother had in her kitchen.
Good memories. A thanks to you and also Tasting History for making me think on happier times.
Creamed beef sounds more nasty in todays world…..
Shit on a shingle
".....so, so long ago." I'm 62 and served in the military in the early '80s, because I felt it was my turn to serve. I was inspired by so many men I'd talked to during my youth who'd served during WW2. That included my dad, uncles, an aunt, and many, many others. I was surrounded by vets who'd served in WW2, Korea, Vietnam, and even WW1. So, it does not seem long ago to me....at all.
Anyway, SOS is one of my favorite meals. I ate a lot at boot camp, because it was served for breakfast at least twice a week.
Dad was a WW2 and Korea vet. He used to make this all the time, I loved it! He would sub Sausage in for the beef for breakfast. When did the tradition Chipped beef, we would use the Buddig packets of beef instead of dry, better texture. Thanks for the memory!
I recall sitting around the table with my grandfather when I was a boy of maybe 7 or 8, and knowing he served in Korea, foolishly asked him "grandpa, did you ever kill anybody when you were in the war?" I will never forget the look he gave me and I knew I made a big mistake. He stood silent for a few seconds, no doubt remembering horrible scenes and atrocities from his tour of duty. Finally he looked me dead in the eyes and said "I dont know, probably. I was the cook".
There's a grandpa I would've loved to meet & talk to. Honest, thoughtful, gracious.
And truthful in a humorous manner.
I strongly urge you to look up the old time Southern comedian, Jerry Clower. He had a bit about the war, and one grizzled old veteran said that, "In my unit, Rambo would have been a cook." I guess you had to be there.
my grandpa never talked about the wars he was in either. He was in 3 of them, professional infantryman.
All I've left are some photos taken in lager when he was on deployment in the Dutch East Indies in 1947, and his old army chest.
My dad was a Vietnam vet, and there were stories he took to his grave.
Yuck
An MRE Steve-Max collab is the premium-quality content I didn't realise I needed in my life until right this very second. This has to happen - nice!
Yes! Seconded!
I'd put that onto a tray...
@@LeClaw Nice! Mkay...
Yes bring on the collab I say! Nice hiss 😂
Agree!!
This episode moved me to subscribe. It's clear how much you loved your gramps and nana. I can't imagine how much they loved you and was proud of you. Thanks for this heartfelt episode!
I genuinely did not know this was a military recipe. I grew up with this meal, but over boiled potatoes and with Buddig chipped beef. It was one of my favorite meals, even requested it for my birthdays.
As a former Army cook, you were pretty accurate with the history on this. We dont use dried beef anymore though, it's regular ground beef and I love that shit.
I've tried some modern day MREs, and they're not that bad. One of them had a vanilla cappucino mix, and it was better than anything I've had at Starbucks. That being said, I'm not actually sure if the body digests them properly...
@@nahor88 I'm not sure about US MREs but in my country, combat rations are meant to stop you up so you have to use the bathroom less when out on the field. Surviving on that for 3 days wreaked havoc on my guts so badly that I was actually glad to eat base cookhouse food
@@qq13563817153 Gives shitting out a brick, its meaning.
@@qq13563817153 same here in america there are bad stories of what happens when people eat something make them shit after eating mre
@@deathbringer9893 yeah we actually have laxatives disguised as fruit bars in our accessories pack and lemme tell ya, it's explosive
A Max Miller and SteveMRE crossover is the thing I never realised I needed most in my life.
Holy cow this comment blew up. I'd better say something witty:
I loved it when he said "its Maxin' time" and then proceeded to Miller all over the chipped beef. Truly one of the most TH-cams ever.
I was thinking the same thing.
I can imagine Max in front of a camera with Steve, Max looking somewhat against his will yet still willing, both eating a double decadent field ration from 2006, only slightly rancid, but still perfectly good, packed with lots of energy to keep them on the go. Sprawled out-how else-nicely, on a tray.
As soon as he talked about MRE's I immediately thought if Steve. Glad ha got the shout out.
Nice hiss, let's get that onto a tray o7
@@nessamillikan6247 I read that as 'eat a double DEODORANT field ration' and still went: 'Yup, sounds like a SteveMRE thing to do, alright' before catching myself and having to double back.
Recently found your video’s, and as Viet-Nam combat wounded veteran, THANK YOU, for caring enough to take your valuable time to make this video. This WAS/IS one of my FAVORITE MEAL’S which my kid’s “also greatly enjoyed- OK, as children they WERE REQUIRED to enjoy” when staying with ME. ALLONS!
Thank you for a wonderful video... My Dad was in the RAF in WW2. (flight mechanic) He loved it when his DC3 landed at an American airbase because the food was always so much better than the RAF, particularly breakfast..... Thank you for bringing back these memories (I'm battling Alzheimer's)..... Roger Pembrokeshire UK
My dad was a cook in the Marines in WW2. He made this all the time but with hamburger for us. I still make it today and i'm 73. I have found a new use for it and that is to add it to thick cut potato chips. Its delicious. I call it Gringo Nachos.
sounds delicious :)
i love this but i buy the canned sausage and gravy to make a sort of breakfast SOS
Oh hell yea
Itll be a little harder to breathe for a while after that
but so worth it@@koraegi
do i know you from somewhere or am i tripped out@@Pufflers
My Dad was one of 3 Black Navy photographers in Vietnam in the 60s. My sons loved hearing his stories and my oldest son went into the Navy. My Father is buried in Boulder, NV Veterans cemetery with my Mother. Thank you to the all those who serve and have served for you bravery.
When you next visit your father’s grave tell him I said “thanks for being there “
What does being black have to do with anything? I just can't understand this. Either you are a man or you are a woman. I just don't get this at all honestly, why would you even mention that? I am Chinese, so what? I am a man and my wife is a woman, I don';t see why race is such an issue these days. We are all inhabiting human vessels, that is crazy enough, why make it crazier?
Why not just say your dad was a navy photographer in Vietnam in the 60s? Had a friend from high school who was also a military photographer. If I had stated he was a White military photographer in Vietnam you probably would have been offended that I stressed his race. Stop making everything about your race and you'll find it won't matter as much across the board.
@@Travybear1989 These days, not so much I guess, but it would have been a rather big deal in 1968.
My uncle is there, also a Navy vet.
Man this made me miss my grandpa so much. He was a police officer in the Army and served in WW2 over in London, which is where he met and married my grandma. I always LOVED hearing her talk with that posh British accent and thought she was just the coolest most beautiful woman I had ever seen 😍 My sweet grandpa fell head over heels for her (and vice versa) and they moved back to TN, where he was from, once the war was over. He was the kindest most gentlest man you could ever meet. I’d give anything for one more hug from him 💔
My mother served this for years and our family loved it. I couldn't get enough of it. It's all about the seasoning you put in it.
OH WOW! My father was drafted into the Army in the early 50's and was made a cook. My best childhood memory was getting my father to cook us "SOS" for dinner! The only difference, he used hamburger, which he said the soldiers liked better than chipped beef. I loved it! Now, I've got a craving! He passed away years ago, but wow, what a memory!Thanks for the surprise trip down memory lane!
Yeah it's good with ground beef, good on rice too.
My mom would call it SOS too (my grandpa was a medic in ww2) but she stuck to the chip beef (idk I sorta liked the weird chewy beef texture)
This recipe wasn't too bad. The reason they used evaporated milk was because it was the only way to ship milk, so you could use whole milk. I grew up on evaporated milk as a kid. Dad was an Army lifer and served in Korea. When stationed in the Philippines we were restricted from drinking local milk so canned milk was all we could get. I guess the Army didn't want to get into dairy farming. Also, in the mid-60s in Germany we were limited. They shipped milk in from England but West Germany didn't test for TB in their cows so the local dairy products were verboten. He was a cook for the first 10 years and WOW, he can cook. Oh, the breads! Saying that, he used hamburger, more filling. Also, he added liquid smoke to his and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. He's still kicking it at 92 yo, but waning. Not as active anymore. But, I'm glad to have learned from a master because mom was really a lousy cook.
This is so sweet.
Non-military here. Back in the Dark Ages when I was a kid, my mother made this regularly. She heard from an unnamed neighbor that it was better served over rice. (Downright lie.) Also that it was healthy. (Lie #2 - that much salt can't be good for a 5y.o. kid.) Dad said it was "tasty". (Lie #3) I never acquired a taste for it but it was one of the few dishes mother never burned. The only truth was that in the early 50s it made for a cheap meal.
My grandfather actually talked about this. He never wanted to eat Spam, chipped beef or Butterscotch pudding again, and he told my grandmother as much. Also, he spent the rest o his life buying super warm clothing(goose down, thinsulate and ultra thermal clothing) so he would be never cold again because he was cold for 3 years in Europe. Bless you Virgil.
Likewise for my father. Late in the Battle of the Bulge, his hands were so frozen that he didn't know his finger was detached from his hand until he took his glove off.
Holy hell.
@@chopperdeath PC load letter... What the hell does that mean?
Bomber Harris once walked across the Sahara. After that he refused to walk anywhere he didn’t have to, and once a general officer would take his chauffeur driven Bentley even for incredibly short distances.
I can see how after extreme privations like that, you could easily be entirely over hardships of that kind.
it is lovely that you speak of how personal your Gramps made his stories because there is NOTHING more personal than food. Youre literally giving life to history and i love you for it.
My Dad was in WWII and he made us SOAS on Sunday nights. It was so good there was never any left.
My father was a merchant marine, who spent 40 years at sea. This was his ABSOLUTE favorite dish to the day he died. Always wondered how it was made.
The Navy's official recipe was different. They'd add veggies (including tomatoes) and herbs not found in the Army meals.
Shit on a shingle.
My grandfather was a merchant marine Liberty ship skipper during the war. I'm sure he ate plenty of SOS.
Luckily Max Miller googled it for you. -_-
My dad grew up very poor. He grew up during the depression and went into the army as soon as he graduated high school. To the day he died he loved this meal. He said when he got into the army and he got to eat this food it finally filled him up and he knew what it was like to have a full stomach. My husband also grew up poor and he has the same feeling. When he got into the army they were still serving this in the '80s. To this day he also still loves this food.
Really puts things in a humbling perspective.
We should all be so thankful for what we have and the hard work put in by our forefathers should be acknowledged.
Comes in a jar with an Armour label, called "Dried Beef". Pretty expensive, but a lot of flavor compared to ground meat.
Your dad's story is so similar to my dad's, growing up in poverty during the depression. He was astonished and grateful that he could eat all he wanted in the mess hall. Went into the Army with a 27" waist and came out of basic with a 30" waist. SOS was one of his favorite meals and he was gleeful when he got the recipe from an Army cook. Doing the math to reduce the quantities was hilarious.
So it’s almost like the military motivates the poor instead of actually doing something to solve the hunger crisis?
@@user-ef2sz2rp7r Did you ever hear of the Great Depression? My father also grew up one of 5 kids with a widowed mother in the '30s and I think when he went into the Army in early 1942 it was the 1st time he had enough to eat.
Fun Fact: the TM-412 book that is referenced here is actually reissued and purchasable on Amazon, for about $16.
Btw, this is the video that got me in love with this channel. It's actually me buying the book before looking into the recipes that I saw this, and I'm glad I did both.
I appreciate the brief glimpse into your mindset and inspiration for your passion. Makes everything hit home a little bit harder.
My grandfather was a cook in WWII and he tweaked the SOS recipe. He added cayenne pepper and Worcestershire sauce on top of bacon or sausage fat for just a little depth of flavor. I loved it.
My grandpa was also a cook during WWII. He was stationed at a base in Utah that did work on the Manhattan project. He and my grandma were actually married on Dec 7th (that Dec 7th). Right after they finished the ceremony a buddy of his ran into their synagogue and was shouting about Pearl Harbor having just been bombed. But no one really knew what that was at that point, so he though it was a bar on the north side of Pittsburgh.
@@jewishjedi I could definitely see a bar in Pittsburgh being named "Pearl harbor" lol.
My father who was in the Army Air Corp during WWII as a Master Sergeant loved SOS. My Mother would make it but used ground beef because it was too salty for my sister & I when she used the chipped beef. Every once it in a while to make him happy she would make a batch using the chipped beef (man that stuff is salty as she did not know about soaking it to remove some of the saltiness).
I am happy he never overseasoned like Frank Costanza. There are some war experiences you never truly come back from.
@@salvadorromero9712 LOL!
My Grandad was in WW2 as a radio operator. He's 100 now. He often talks about the war. He was very proud of his service. Yesterday was remembrance day.
Both my grandfather's were in WW2. They have both passed away. They told so many stories. Very proud of them both and all that fought.
My Grandad also served during WII. He was a truck driver in the army. He got got shot multiple times in the leg and was left for dead by the allies. The Germans picked him up, saved his leg, and then put him into POW camp. Fortunately, the war ended a few months later so he didn't spend a significant time in the camp. He rarely spoke about the war.
You mean Veteran's day?
@Zach Hayes Veterans day in the US, remembrance day in the UK.
@@PurpleHazeVanNederlands Remembrance day in Australia too
Not military, but I am an eagle scout. We used to eat SOS quite a bit when camping. After a long day of being in the sun and sweating, it’s a dang near perfect meal.
Fellow Scout here as well. I remember those S.O.S. camping meals we used to have, even had it at one of our Jamborees once. KP was always easy after that meal. Only had to clean one Dutch oven! 😁🤠💚
This video sparked memories of 15:25 my childhood. My dad served in WWII, and while he later said that he had mostly terrible memories of that time (he was assigned to a graves detail at the end of the war), he must have liked eating this dish, since it was a staple of our family in the 1950s. My mom called it creamed chipped beef on toast, and it was a favorite of mine. Mom also made a variation on it; creamed tuna on toast. She was actually a very good cook and often made "fancier" dishes than this, but we didn't have much money and this was a good way to stretch a dollar. Thanks for the memories!
My grandpa, who was born in 1905 and served in WWII overseas as a cook, looooved eating and fixing creamed chipped beef on toast or homemade biscuits. And he always made huge portions because he said he was used to feeding lots of people. I grew up thinking it was strictly a Southern breakfast meal! Thanks for the history on one of my still-favorite breakfasts which is harder to find nowadays!
Stouffer's makes a Creamed Chipped Beef that you can find in the frozen foods section at many grocery stores. Just put the pouch in boiling water and simmer for 17 minutes and it's ready I like to serve it over rice.
My grandpa was born in 1915, but since he had a child (my father) in 1942, he was assigned to a POW camp as a cook. He would make this dish sometimes when I was a kid and he even still called it "shit on a shingle."
It's so easy to make. I made it when I was much younger and had bought Joy of Cooking. The recipe was in there. Don't know about later editions, because they are slightly different.
I thought it was a southern thing as well! My grandpa in Halletsville, Tx made it for me a few times, and is also a veteran, so it makes sense with the true origin of the dish. It’s a very cool video as well!
Not a Southern thing. I was born and raised in Chicago. We ate chipped beef on toast growing up. My parents were born in 1916 and 1918.
Two Tasting History eps in one week? We are blessed!
Yes
you know that's exactly what I said minus the we are blessed when I saw it pop up on TH-cam. great minds think alike
regardless of Max's uploads, you are and beyond that you are loved and appreciated..
dont be afraid to be yourself..
Max isn't the hero(cook) we deserve, but the one we need!
Thank you for this episode. My grandfather was in the army in WW1. I had at least 2 uncles in WW2. I was in the navy for Granada, Yugoslav Wars, and the gulf war.
I think this channel is fantastic. Educational, Informative, thorough, entertaining, interesting foods, it has everything I love. So well done, keep up the good work!
Max, you suggesting viewers go ask their grandparent to tell them a story made me all weepy. That was a very touching gesture, and you'll have made many an older person happy with that.
Sad to say, many from the WWII generation have passed on. But I'm fortunate to have heard some stories, although most of the guys just got on with their lives after the war and didn't talk about it !
Made me miss my grandpa terribly. He was a civilian engineer on the Naval base in NYC during the war, and the stories he told were always fantastic and interesting.
From the time I was about 14 or 15, we’d sit at the kitchen table with a bottle of Manischewitz wine (don’t judge; he had zero concept of legal drinking age) and stay up after Grandma went to bed talking - trading our generational knowledge. I’d explain new technology to him while he’d listen with amazement, and then he’d tell me stories of the 1940’s and 50’s. I am now 35 and he’s 11 years gone, and I can’t even begin to describe how much I miss the man.
@@julscatten2640 Lovely memories, continue to cherish them! I grew up drinking (homemade) wine at a young age. It's a cultural thing.
@@julscatten2640 My grandpa was almost too old to be drafted (they lowered the age after his number came up, but he still had to report) and as the child of his youngest child, he passed away when I was still a pre-teen, but I too both miss and appreciate him and the stories he told (he was the camp cook in an Alaskan camp). I do still make his canned tomato soup sauce and pasta though, and I'm passing it on to my kids, because when done right it's freakin' awesome!
Three of my grandparents are gone and my last grandpa lives a 12-hour plane ride away 😭
My dad was an old Marine who served between Korea and Vietnam. This was his favorite breakfast... even years after he left the service.
Same here. I liked biscuits and gravy too.
My GrandDad told me about SOS too. Except he was in WWI
@@anitafowler524 im a nurse working in geriatrics. An elderly patient told me about his father who was a ww1 veteran. He told me about the Christmas truce and what an incredible story it was!
@@Carnage7209
Those wars should have never happened at all, and I’m ashamed that my American ancestors were on the wrong side of it.
My mom would make it occasionally as well and my dad was in the Air Force and he loved it and honestly I did as well
I served in the Navy and Marines as a Hospital Corpsman, I have been in Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine chow halls or Mess halls over many years and the SOS was always exactly the same in every one and I loved it.
What a beautiful dedication to your grandfather, you look just like him! When you said he was a great storyteller I immediately thought that's why you are such a good storyteller. Whenever I talk about your channel I describe it as being about food throughout history but always mention how good you are at telling stories. What a gift. Thank you for your fantastic content.
My veteran Grandfather wouldn’t talk about the war (WWII), except for the food. He used to make this recipe. It’s such a beloved memory sitting in the kitchen watching him cook it up, this video made me tear up. Thanks for this, Max!
Same. My grandpa was fighting Soviets in Continuation war and he never spoke about it. Most combat role veterans don't want to talk about war for obvious reasons.
My great grandpa was the same way was a cook for his unit even serving Patton at one point. The family history ik is that he rarely cooked except when a cut of meat was to hard for great grandma to cook. Dad likes to say when my great grandpa would cook the toughest cuts of meat he would make it as tender as can be
Had a neighbor who was a cook in the Navy.
My dad was a WW2 Army vet that was at Pearl Harbor, it was one of his favorite dishes for him to make.
My grandfather also would never talk about the war. It was a shame towards the end by the time he finally started to open up, his memory went. I wonder what really happened.
My mom bought Armour dried chipped beef in glass jars. She used a cast iron skillet. Melted butter and shredded the dried beef.sauteed in the butter. Added flour to make a roux. Added milk. Thickened and brought to a bubble. Black pepper, sometimes baby peas added. Served over boiled or mashed potatoes or buttered toast. Was a childhood favorite. Loved the gravy.
From your accurate directions it would appear you didn't just enjoy it as a child, but are able to make it yourself so, presumably, continue to do so as an adult!🙂
That makes me rather jealous as my own grannies were both very good cooks. The British one traditional for sure, but everything exceedingly well done....roast beef on Sunday with roasties parboiled in salty water then blasted in lard at 230C - the ideal temperature for getting a muffin tin dangerously hot and the lard smoking like an accident about to happen which told her it was time to ladle VERY carefully - but quickly - a rich eggy batter into each of the depressions a third full of molten fat and through the miasma of vaporised animal grease you could see the Yorkshires puff up nearly as fast as those smokeless fireworks🎉
The other one was Dutch so a more exotic, Indonesian spiced selection was available including a shredded beef in white sauce very similar in sound to the SOS that stars in this vid and of which you speak. There was nutmeg in it I'm sure but the major thrill of it was that it was individually portioned in clam shells and gratinated under the grill (broiler I think you call it over there 😂) with a dib of butter so it came to the table bubbling and again, hotter than the sun😂 it seems both my grannies had a death wish and despite them not having their lives cut short by their kitchen antics, I could kick myself for not paying closer attention - like you did - to how they did it❤
@@mrkiplingreallywasanexceed8311 Your descriptions are wonderful, the pop-overs I bet were divine....the Dutch recipes also....variety is the spice of Life!
Mine too. It was pretty salty though. She called it creamed chipped beef. No military in our family, so I don't know how she got on to it...
@@StromBugSlayerwe ate it too. It kinda just became part of the American cuisine during that time. I’m sure the recipe was on a box or something lol.
I’m 55 years old my ww2 Hungarian decent grandfather would have my nanny aka Scottish grandmother make this for us on occasion on toast I really like it thank you
Before microwaves were a thing, Swanson or Banquet had the "Boil-in-Bag." Single portion meals were sold frozen, and you'd just drop the bag in a pot of boiling water. The best thing they had was creamed chip beef. As a kid I ate it a couple times a week.
Same, I remember them. Lol, tell me, we're old without telling me we're old 😢
That was my dad's go to
Thanks for this one! My Grandfather was the cook for an Anti-Aircraft Battery in the US Army Air Corps, stationed in Hawaii AFTER the attack on Pearl Harbor -thankfully the IJN never made it back, so his War was pretty quiet.
I never had SOS, due to my milk allergy, but he used to cook SPAM for us, and he was my hero.
Having served in the field, this is definitely comfort food. Out in miserable conditions such as cold / wet, any grub like this gave a sense of back home and normality, it was greatly appreciated. My entire squad could not wait for hot meals delivered in the field when we were lucky enough to receive it, real moral booster.
What war was this you were in?
After eating cold MRE I could imagine it would be a huge boast. Most of the time you don't get time to heat up the MRE when in the field any hot food is great.
Canadians never get their due when it comes to working alongside allies. Thank you for your service.
i literally make this at home with ground beef its freakin delicious
Yep because mostly you get those packs of food that are dried and vacuum sealed or in a can or just bars of something and then you just heated it up, if you had time to eat it at all and a lot of the time you just ate it on the go constantly being under attack.
As someone who works in the education department at the National D-Day Memorial, I can tell you that the “boring” part of soldier life, like food, is something most people don’t know about, so it’s great that you’re shedding some light on it. As someone from South Central Pennsylvania, I can tell you that creamed chipped beef is still something pretty popular now, though I usually have it over fried potatoes
Strange that it's so unknown, since it's one of the biggest parts of military life. At least modern offerings are better than dried beef and hardtack (clunk, clunk).
I prefer having a fried egg over mine. Gives the meal a little something extra.
Was a MED200 discharge (sunken chest, episode with tear gas, Medical Colonel said it was 'never had before' asthma, all during Clinton's BRAC) in 1995 during Army Basic, so my remaining weeks were typically spent on KP. I already had some experience with mass cooking from my college studies in Nutrition, namely 'Food for 50', which gave formulas for less eaters or more, scaling up to stupid levels, and had worked in that University's cafeteria as Dishwasher, Prep and Pre-Prep. As for the military, meals were nothing fancy, and very pedestrian. Soldiers not from the South had issues, since this was at Ft Knox, Kentucky, and the serving line was more Southern in nature. Those from Guam, Hawaii and the West Coast had the most issues during mealtime.
At least on TH-cam MREs and chow are very popular video genres
Ooh, I imagine this could be pretty good in a hash.
Dear Max I enjoy your videos so much that I was almost tempted to make your SOS even though it was the most awful thing my parents made us eat. My Dad was in the Navy and Army reserve and loved this stuff, I wish he was still with us so I could make it for him !!
Love your videos so much, thank you for creating such fascinating content.❤️
Thanks for this video Max. Good one.
Max and Jose, My dad was in WW2 and told us lots of fun stories (my dad was the eternal optimist). But my 'shit on a shingle story comes from my neighbors, the husband fought in Korea and it was his wife who when asked what was for dinner, she'd reply SoaS with piss gravy. I must have heard that phrase hundreds of times and never really bothered to investigate what it meant. I always thought she had made it up. Thank you for solving a mystery from my childhood and early adulthood 😁 Best wishes to you both Jim Oaxaca Mexico
ha! My neighbor used to say, when asked what was for dinner "cat ass & sauerkraut"...LOL
We grew up on various kinds of gravy, cream chipped beef, sausage, ground beef and even bacon! The latter was great on baked potatoes.
Dad NEVER used Sh$t on a Shingle term with the kids, so I didn't hear that until I was in college.
@@alexcootieart2210 I like her.
My dad made this for my sister and I when times were hard. He used ground beef instead of chipped beef. My mom was deployed at the time and was always the cook but he made it work. SOS is still one of my favorite comfort foods and it still holds so many memories of my dad trying his best with what he knew.
They made and instilled the love for it in us from their experiences even if he used ground beef. Of all the things I’m thankful for, #1 is my upbringing as an Army brat for most of my youth, so many qualities we were exposed to and able to adapt to our lives. The whole family serves when you consider the deployments and the sporadic changes of assignment. I read some have difficulty with that, but I count it as one of the most awesome benefits and exposures to the rest of the world. Thank you for your whole families service and we in return get to enjoy this humorous, but awesome love of SOS that most haven’t even been lucky enough to be exposed to! :)
@Repent and believe in Jesus Christ What pray tell makes you think she hasn’t? Or are you just a bot meant to target Christians?
@@J1mInOH I think it's just a bot. Kind of ticks me off that they're always leaving those messages and things that don't have anything to do with what the video was about.
My mother also used ground beef, we called it hamburger gravy and it is still a favorite of mine today.....60 years later!!!
Same here. My mom still makes it now and then with ground beef. It's definitely one of my childhood comfort foods.
My father, a ww2 army cook. Didn't say much about his time during the war. Other than, they took his spackle and gave him a rifle . But he did make sos while I was a kid. Only once did he make it with chipped beef, that can remember. He served it with fried eggs, just to make it more appetizing. But all in all it was very good. Especially the way he made it. He was a very good cook in his own way.
So glad you came out with this great taste of history. Makes me want to make this dish once again. And I'm now 71 years younger now !
Chipped Beef was my gramps favorite meal grandma would make for him. Although when she wasn't around, he would tell me and my cousin the real name of it, "Sh%T on a Shingle" lol. He served in the Army in WW2 and landed on Normandy. He never really spoke of his service unless we asked and his favorite stories where always of chow and his buddies. One time he did speak of fighting the Waffen SS and how they were "tough SOB's and never surrendered". We lost gramps when I was 20 and I miss him still to this day. His love of hunting and fishing taught me so much and the memories of those trips with gramps and my dad are treasures to me that I hold near and dear. Thank you for a excellent video and bringing back memories of my gramps and all the stories I wish I could hear him tell me today.
Shit on a shingle was a semi-regular breakfast in my household growing up. We called it creamed chipped beef, though. I can totally believe it being a huge morale booster for troops. Thank you for covering it and I hope you enjoyed it!
It was breakfast at my house too. My Korean War-vet father called it "creamed chipped beef" until I was older, then it was always "shit on a shingle."
We had it for lunch more often and yes I believe it's called creamed chipped beef - that's what the box says now LOL
I grew up eating this for breakfast as well and no one in the family is military nor even knew it was a military meal. It's just delicious and seems to have become a common breakfast staple, at least here in scrapple land
Yes, our household as well. Not a favorite of mine, personally, I would have preferred waffles. But I did like the cream sauce on the toast.
I had something similiar as well, but instead of beef it was chicken, 'Chicken a la king'. Though we had it for dinner, not breakfast
OMG! Max, I grew up eating this. I was an "Air Force Brat". I actually liked eating this. And, yes, we called it "Shit on a Shingle" (or, S.O.S." for short). My father flew bombing missions over Italy during WWII so that puts a date-perspective on things. thank you for this.
you ever been to Yokota AB? Sudden slightly unrelated question ik, but I live near Yokota and was curious lol
@@mcfarofinha134 No, I haven't. The only overseas AB I lived in was in Germany--Wiesbaden. And that was when I was in my late teens just out of High School in 1965. thanks for asking, though.
Hmm, I wonder if your father was one of the bombers who St. Padre Pio turned back from bombing his monastery & the town of San Giovanni del Rotundo. There's an incredibly famous incident where a bunch of American bombers and their commander testified on record that they were met in the air by a flying monk who forced them to turn away. After the war, St. Padre Pio and the commander became friends. You should Google the story. It's pretty awesome. Padre Pio is one of the greatest saints who has ever lived, and it's wonderful and amazing that God continues to work extraordinary supernatural miracles even in these times, with like, flying monks and stuff, lol. He never stopped. It's just that fewer and fewer people have taken notice. But this particular story is well known and well documented, with the airmen involved going on the record.
Same. I made it for dinner literally last night. Dad was Navy. We do add Worcestershire to ours though.
Yeah, Army Brat here. Also a Veteran. Dad was a cook, then off to the Korean War in infantry. He switched to the intelligence branch. Dad always made the stuff when we were kids. Using ground beef and he added a little liquid smoke. By the time I joined in 1974, SOS was off the menu.
My great grandfather, died in '16 at 93, not sure what war. Anyway, he liked "macaroni, meat and potatoes. Obviously macaroni, small pieces of ground beef and lastly chopped potatoes. heavy salt and pepper. He must've liked it so much that it became dinner while raising his children. My grandmother made it often for dinner with her kids and then me. It was pretty good. Def a hearty meal. It was simple and served its purpose.
Yo the Steve1989MREinfo shoutout made me smile! Steve's an absolute legend, and he is putting up lots of content lately! -NICE!
This was wonderful Max, thank you so much. My grandfather, 'Pop' as we called him, drove a tank during the Battle of the Bulge, He was the only member of his unit to survive. His tank's wheels were disabled by German explosives and with smoke filling the vehicle, the Germans waited for the crew to abandon the tank and they were picked off one by one. They missed my Pop, though he was wounded when shrapnel from the shooting hit him in the leg. He played dead for a long time, eventually crawling back to the closest US position. He received the Purple Heart and was sent home soon after. He passed away around 2004 or 2005 in his mid-to-late 80s. He was fond of telling me about the Brooklyn Dodgers, the dawn and heyday of old Hollywood, and Swing Music. He told few tales of his time in the Military, noting it to be a sad and painful period he preferred not to purposely recall. Please do that Ration/MRE episode! Until then...
His story is very similar to the movie Fury
@@alexhuynh1066 As I understand it, it was a common tactic of the Axis forces for defeating enemy tanks.
@@alexhuynh1066 I guess something like this happens quite often in such a conflict, on either side, in every army. I know a similar story from my Großvater, he was in the other team, the tank was a troop transporting lorry, and it was somewhere in the outskirts of Stalingrad. The shrapnel hit his lower arm, another took out his incisors. it was his ticket home to hospital.
I'm thankful he survived! And today, which is Veteran's Day, I'm remembering those who did not
He sounds like an awesome guy despite his invisible wounds. PTSD is living hell. May his memory be a blessing. 💖
My grandfather fought on the other side of the war and was captured by American troops (he later said that's why he survived the WWII). Funny thing is that he claimed he was fed better as a POW than as a soldier of the Japanese Navy.
My buddy's grandpa who was a German Soldier during the war said the same thing back in day. Lol. It kind of funny because him being a pow gave him a firsthand insight of the American Soldiers, which in turn helped him find out what b.s. propaganda the Nazi govt was feeding their people. He said that 1 of the soldier (a Jewish man named Eli incidentally) was such a decent guy to him, that it helped him make up his mind to move to the U.S. after the war .
@@BigDrewski1000 same thing is happening now in Ukrain.
Its funny that in ww1, both sides thought the other side had much better stuff to eat but in ww2 we can basically all agree one side had far superior food
Italy
@@infinitsai I doubt Italy fed their soliders and sailors better than the US, especially when they even struggled to ship the food across Mediterranean Sea from Italy to North Africa. I think it is the US had far superior food hands down. I will give you example. The US had a dedicated ice cream ship that was designed to produce & feed ice cream to American soldiers and sailors in Pacific Theater. Meanwhile, my grandfather who served in the Japanese Navy never had ice cream in his life up till he actually tasted one in the POW camp. A lot of Japanese soldiers left memoirs stating that they were fed better in the POW than they were in the Japanese army & navy.
@@Greenfield-yf1wh the US was a rich nation even with the depression in comperison to all adversaries and allies. And they joined the war later on, never had a home front. You naturally would have had much better rations and a higher calorie count then all other nations, provided the politics, general staff and logistics department didn't duck up big time.
So yeah, unless you were in the mentioned marauders or a comperable troops situation, you were thr lucky guys.
Love your videos. Subscribed!
This reminds me of a guy from my childhood. He looked like an older version of a ZZ Top member with a beard liner than I was tall. I called him Oldtimer, and I always asked him for stories because I was bored while my dad was having coffee and talking with his friends. He told kid friendly stories about the war, and other things from longer ago than I could comprehend. He was such a kind man.
Creamed chipped beef on toast is traditionally served on Saturday mornings in the Navy. Once it was served on Friday and two sailors went AWOL. Their defense was that they thought it was Saturday and went on liberty. They were found innocent.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
That’s hilarious lol
Yup......I served on 4 different submarines during my time in the Navy, and invariably Saturday breakfast was SOS, followed by 4 hrs of "field day" (known to civilians as CLEAN THE HELL OUT OF EVERYTHING), and then "Sliders and fries" for lunch.
My grandpa was a soldier during WWII, and when they'd announce:"Seconds on creamed spinach!" in the mess hall, the soldiers would all stomp their feet like everyone was running to get some.
If anyone wants to try this the easy way, Stouffers makes creamy chopped beef TV dinners that are the same thing..
@@jonslg240 It just isn't mom's!!
Blegh.. creamed spinach
@@burpostockings Anything made by a bad cook sucks. Creamed spinach is delicious if done right.
@@burpostockingscreamed spinach is only as gross as you want it to be. palak/saag paneer is technically a creamed spinach dish and it's nothing like you're expecting when you say "creamed spinach"
Grandpa made me this as a kid and still makes it whenever I come over. Love this stuff
My mom used to make this as one of our default meals when i was growing up, using the cheapest sliced sandwich meat from Aldi. She called it “SOS” and explained it as “stuff on a shingle”. She learned it from her father who was in WWII. I didn’t know until i was an adult what SOS actually stood for.
My mom used to do this with beef or turkey leftovers. Never was a top 10 meal but I do miss it from time to time and I now know why she would make it. Breaks up the monotony of left overs and doesn't break the bank to change it up
@@cornfed123567 Making this with real cream and stock perfectly hides the fact that it's reheated leftover meats. And if it's started with a handful of sweated diced bacon and a bit of onion it's outright wonderful regardless of whether you serve it on toast, pasta or mashed potatoes.
My parents also made this for us. Our version was called "chip-beef on toast". For us kids it was a treat because we would toast the bread and assemble our meals at the table. I suppose the only thing I didn't like about it was the horrible canned green beans they'd serve with it.
I know this dish gets a bad reputation, but I grew up eating it and to this day I love s.o.s. try making a sandwich out of it. It's delicious. 😊
@@ansonwallace4140Where do you get your information? I can't think of ANYBODY but a bunch of prissy sissified panty waists who would give this a "bad reputation."
My Dad was a Korean War veteran and he made this for us kids with hamburger instead of chipped beef. He also put a fried egg on top - it was so delicious that I still make it occasionally as comfort food!
Yooo the egg on top is a stroke of genius! And VERY asian (they'll put a fried egg on anything lol), so I wonder if he picked that little mod up during his time in Korea 🤔
@@ValkyrieTiara probably alot of local chickens around which would mean plenty of eggs for the troops
That sounds delicious - I bet the ground beef also improved the texture problem Max mentioned. I'll have to try this with a fried egg on top, yummy!
That's how they served it to me when I was in the USAF in the early 60's. SOS with ground beef and and egg on the top. Still make that shit.
Chef reporting. You're channel is incredibly well researched and extremely interesting.
Max I'm so glad you had a great relationship with your gramps. I was very close with Mike Gramps as well. I learned so much about the world
My grandmother used to make this for my grandfather because he missed it from WW2. Man, I miss those two.
May the Rest In Peace Ik they’re looking down and wishing the best for you!
My Mom made it growing up.. Dad was in the Army before they met, assigned occupation Duty in Austria just after the war.. Something I still make on occasion for my Mother in law, her dad made it all the time.. Being a WW II Navy vet.. Then my time in the US Air Force during the cold war,.. early 80's.. before they switched to using hamburger to make it..
I use the Buddig Sliced beef as it's far less salty.. but ends up tasting the same.. and real milk rather than canned evaporated milk.. Sometimes over toast, sometimes biscuits..
But it is still made in America.. at least among older family members..
It is comfort food. Imagine the small respite from hell that meal gave him if he missed it from WW2.
I was born in 1957 & my mom made this at least every once a week all through until the 1970's. In general, it wasn't that bad - which is saying a lot considering how often I had to eat it as a kid.
Of all the things I imagined I might see on this channel, I never had good ol SOS on the list. My dad used to make this quite often and he had 3 versions. He said that they changed it up with what they had on hand. First was the chipped beef version, then there was the super fancy ground fresh beef version (known as hamburger gravy now a days) and finally, the spam version where the spam is raked out of the cans with a fork making it into kind of strings of salty meaty stuff that made a decent substitute for the chipped beef. 😊
It's funny how this recipe evolved, and had so many versions depending on who was making it and what ingredients they could afford. When I was a kid, my parents used to make a version that was basically biscuits and white gravy with ground beef and boiled peas and carrots. For "poverty food" it was pretty tasty, and I'd have no problem eating it today.
@@AngryAlfonse Yeah we would keep the toast, sauce, beef, but we would throw in potatoes as well to fill it up. As a poor family at the time it was a taste you got used to and eventually miss it after a while.
Yep, my Dad was an Army MP in the 70s and my Grandpa was in the Army & fought in Korea.
Anyway my Dad would make this meal occasionally as I was growing up and he always added peas & black pepper to it.
When I make it myself I also add onions to it and specifically use Rye Bread.
My great aunt made the hamburger version of this with white gravy (she used milk for the liquid). The cooks at the schools I attended made a version with brown gravy, and there were many that called it sos. My father, who was a cook in the Army National Guard (until he was demoted and transferred to artillery for mouthing off to a colonel) and later served in WWII never made it for us (I wonder why). I have since made my great aunt's version for myself and my brother and we both enjoyed it.
We did the chipped beef and ground beef versions. Interesting about raking the Spam.
I am an Air Force veteran, my Dad an Army veteran and my grandfather was a Navy veteran during WWII. Both introduced me to SOS and biscuits and gravy as a kid. SOS was my meal of choice while I was in the Air Force. Many of the northern guys I served with wouldn’t touch it, but us Southerners loved it. I still love it today 40 years after I joined the military. I make it from scratch and also enjoy Stouffer’s version.
My grandfather served during WWII and his battalion loved a version of this. They replaced the dried beef with ground beef and ground pork (or sausage) in equal measure. He made it for my siblings and me when we visited, and we certainly ate more then our fair share. Of course, this was also linked with getting up WAY too early... long before the crack of noon.
Max this is fantastic. Thank you. I am a former National Guard Army cook, and we also made SOS in the 90's. The recipe evolved, as recipes do. Later version was made with ground beef, and seasoned with onions, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce along with copious amount of black pepper. I love those old Army recipe cards. We also cooked in tents in the field using those metal box ovens with gas fired burners. Thank you for the memories and sharing your grandfather's memories too.
I was a National Guard medic and we loved hanging out with the cooks. I was assigned to a infantry company so us medics and cooks where the only non infantry guys so we stuck together.
My dad was in the navy and we made that at home regularly (the ground beef version).
@@jellybeansbud3610 I had the ground beef version a few times in the Navy in the 1980s
I have my grandfather’s diary from 1944. He was a British Paratrooper in the 6th Airborne, 12th Devons. He kept a diary every day he was in Normandy after D-Day. After 30 days there, he wrote “A real treat today, half a slice of bread. First food other than biscuits since we arrived “. Unbelievable. These men defined the meaning of the word “heroes”.
My mother's uncle was one of the "Rats of Tobruk". He never talked about the war.
The shit that veterans went through is unreal. And then they were expected to just go back to their pre-war life like nothing had happened.
Now the equivalent of the western military today is whether or not they will get dilatation time and whether their standard issue crossdressing is up to par.
Your Grandfather was no ordinary “Hero.” Your Grandfather saved the world!
@@fatasssquirrel1731 I can see why you are called that! SAD!
It's great all of us expressing our memories about dads or our grandfather's. Great memories I hope for everybody.
My grandfather used to make this a lot as he served in WWII as an army tank Sergeant and did his fair share of Kp duty it was always great and I loved the stories he would tell that went along with making it
My mom used to make this for us all the time as kids as an easy weeknight meal, except we called it s.o.s. and I wasn't allowed to know what it stood for 🤣. Her dad loved it so even though we never got to meet him, it was nice to at least get to have some of his favorite foods. Just shared this with her so she could see it too ❤
S.O.S. I love it 😁
That's how I remember it as well. S.o.s., except we heard what it was but, we were not allowed to say it. Except, my brother and I would say quietly to each other, "Oh, this shit again." Lol.
My neighbor growing up used to make it, they called it s.o.s too. She wasn't my mom tho, so she told me what it meant. I called it poop on a panel after that.
I love childhood memories.
I grew up on it. We called it S.O.S too 😊
@@robzombie5 My brother would say "sh" and i would say "it"... i was the one who learned mom's recipes tho.
Me and my brother both ended up learning to cook. I was the one that got $30 a week to cook for the family tho :)
Been cooking since like 11-12 lol.
Edit : I started working in my Chinese friend's parents business when I was 12. My parents taught me how to set a table, prep, cook, serve, and clear a table in like 4th grade. $30 was a new video game every other week.
As a kid growing up in the 60s I remember my mom making "creamed chip beef on toast." I remember liking it, but not sure how it would taste to me today. Thanks for a blast from the past.
Grandpa made this for me in early '70s. I liked it. I think he said SOS but he also just said chipped beef.
@@nitaniceyeah its not sos without the chipped beef
My mom added peas to the recipe.
my mom made it too !!!!
Yep mom made this in the 70s and it was called SoS in our house
Happy Memorial Max and family~
When the kitchen is done could you maybe cover smoked herring used as rations. I read a novel as a child and they roasted the smoked herring over camp fire (this was near the end of their food supply). This floored me as a kid and made me wonder what kind of smoked herring, because the one I was familiar with was super smoky and salty. It's a memory that stayed with me for 30 years. (dang, lol)
I had this many a time in my childhood and was excited for it every time. As soon as I saw the title i could instantly taste it (something that rarely happens with the recipes you do).
My dad was a Korean war vet who, well remembering The Great Depression (potatoes, potatoes, potatoes + jail if you stole a chicken), found other soldiers' complaining about this meal and calling it *that* nearly unforgiveable. He said it was meat, it was a hot meal, it was filling; it was fine with him.
😷
If you ever went hungry...You loved this meal!!
both my parents served, all their sons (me included) enlisted and their daughters *married* military, we ate plenty of it growing up and loved it partly because it was quick; filling and while it wasn't gourmet we'd certainly ate worse.
I don't go hungry now, but when we were kids we did. I think it permanently changes your attitude to food. I love simple food, as well as fancy food.
@@tamlandipper29 it certainly does. My grandmother lived through the great depression and would often bake sweets that barely passed as sweet and would have you shitting pure mortar. On the other hand, she was exceptional even among grandmothers for cooking, especially if it was her native Italian food, but could also make many other dishes, especially German and Japanese dishes. Grandfather was lifer in the US Army, but I just realized my grandmother was an Axis of Cooking.
My dad told me a few stories of his father's time in the military. One in particular wasn't from WW1 or 2, but from Korea. When Grandfather went over there as a mechanic, there was a time when they were staying in a bunker that was a nearly perfect dome-shaped hill, hollowed out. Trenches and sandbags without, and inside the hill-bunker, was a ring of bunks along the wall, lining it. In the center was a firepit (for cooking whatever they could forage, heating up MREs, burning Dear John letters, ect) with a little smoke-hole above, dead center in the dome of the hill.
One day, about half the men were out on patrol and maneuvers, and the rest were on down-time, relaxing inside on their bunks. There was a whistling sound, and a mortar round dropped down the smoke-hole and landed in the firepit, and went off.
Every bunk that had a man on it was untouched. Not a scratch.
Every bunk that was unoccupied was shredded. Completely ripped apart by shrapnel.
Every man in the platoon swore his mustering fee to their favorite church that day.
That's one hell of a story, Yeesh. A mortar round just slipping into that hole is both lucky and terrifying. Those men sure are lucky
I would do that too! That sounds absolutely horrifying.
My dad was in the airforce during the 80's, I can still remember him getting this every once in awhile while we were growing up to eat.
I'm 44 years old, and I grew up on SOS. My grandfather was in the Navy, and my mom learned how to to make it. The gravy part had a more runny consistency, but I still love SOS today.
I would absolutely love to see a Steve1989 crossover episode. Steve bringing and trying a selection of MREs from various eras, with you recreating them as faithfully as you could? Or helping to fill in parts of the MREs that are no longer edible, so they can be tried. That would be amazing!
My mom used to make this for us because it was cheap and fast. She never really told us where it came from, but when my grandpa was down for the winter he made this. He then went on telling us about the first time he had it. He has eaten nothing but rations for months, until that's what was made for them in Germany. He said that nobody cares what it was, long as it wasn't another ration.
My parents did the same, a shitload of ground beef mixed with added salt and pepper as well as milk and lard. Had my first heart attack recently, was a bitch I will admit, thought I was going to die. Not having this again personally, raw veggies don't make me feel like I am going to die after a lifetime of meat and potatoes. i wish I changed diets earlier but here we are, dying now. I am a fucking idiot.
@@Travybear1989 don't forget to work on that cardio man. Glad you made it though. I feel like one of the largest issues with heart attack sufferers, is that they ignored cardio for too long. Keep up the good work,.
*11:33** Awesome mention to an Awesome TH-camr.*
My sisters and I sat our dad down and asked him all the questions about his WW2 experience. He couldn’t respond to some of them, too deeply upsetting. But he also told us about the food. One that comes to mind was what he called “monkey brain stew. (Mostly beef. )He was also in the space program and we put all of the answers on a computer so each of us got a copy of. I can’t bring myself to listen to it because it’s my dad’s voice and I don’t think I can handle hearing him without it breaking my heart. The stories he told about food remain in our minds.
I fondly remember my Dad (Marine) talking about SOS and how much he hesitated to eat it but, he said "either you eat it or you starve". The name alone intrigued me and I asked him to prepare it for me one Sunday morning. He obliged my request and I was awestruck. I said "how could anyone refuse to eat this, it was delicious (I guess my palette wasn't as refined as it it is today). He told me that he changed up a few things. I got the recipe from him and through the years I made it for my sons and they gobbled it up. I still make it today but, not as often due to the salt content. But when I get a chance to have it I eat it like a madman. Then I didn't have to eat it seven times a week either. Great episode.
Even scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, toast, and pancakes can get old when that IS the breakfast menu day in and day out. On the positive side, when you are in a hurry one can always slam a sausage patty between two pieces of toast, drown it in cheap hot sauce, wash it down with black coffee, and call it breakfast. This got me through Navy boot camp...
Sh%t on a shingle, from my great-grandpa's point of view, was seen with such uncertainty because
first: you usually knew it was beef, but never knew what cut it was, so for all you knew you could be fed beef fat and you would probably not know. (corned beef was called "monkey meat" for this exact reason too)
and two: it is really bland. just like bechamel cream, if you don't add something, anything, even salt, in the cream to give it some taste, you'll feel like you're eating a toast witha really fat meat yoghurt on top.
but yeah, if you season it a bit, it becomes a simple confort food.
@@kevincrosby1760 I bought a case of modern british rations recently and the main thing I've learnt from it is just how quickly monotony and repetition will ruin food. The first one I had, I was like "Wow this is honestly kinda delicious, I don't get why people complain about it all the time!". At this point, I can absolutely see how you'd go insane eating those for days or weeks.
Nothing wrong with high salt content in your food sir. It's the sugar you ought to be bothered about.
@@carnedulce *High blood pressure has entered the chat*... perhaps, if you're eating all that salt, you oughta change your name to MeatSweats...
I remember my dad, a WWII veteran, making this for the family one night for dinner. We loved it! It was a hit! We were also shocked; especially, since my father was NOT a cook.
I am looking at this video and yes i'm thinking to myself this looks delish!
Pretty much everyone who has served learns how it is made 😉 after all, you eat something that many times and you figure it out lol
Another gross nickname for the food is "creamed foreskins"!
Shit on a Shingle! Shit on a Shingle! There!
Yeah it’s pretty tasty
My grand-dad wasn't in the service, but he was in the Federal prison service. He used to tell me fascinating stories about his experiences at a young age. He gave me my first book, an American Heritage American history book for children. I still have it on my bookshelf. It literally ignited my interest in history.
love your channel
The way you talk about your grandfather, you could tell he had a huge impact on your life and how much love you had for him. Had me in tears man, not gonna lie.
His voice breaking slightly fucking got me
I never thought I would cry at a Tasting History video.
My Grandmother and my Mother made it with a twist. They both browned the chipped beef in the rue and then deglazed the pan with the milk and simmered until it thickened like gravy. The beef tastes better and the texture is much better.
It was really sweet to see you so moved by your memories of your Grandfather.
SOS with a side of eggs was a breakfast staple of my youth. Milk, flour, butter, pepper, and a jar of dried beef sure warmed up my bones on cold mornings.
Love this stuff. Enjoyed it in boot camp and beyond. I worked in a restaurant where they added toasted chopped almonds and served it over rice, which I do to this day. Pure comfort food.
Not only did we have this as, part of our school lunches in the 70s (in SE Ohio) but my mom also used to do creamed beef on occasion. We LOVED it. But you can imagine my surprise when I was a volunteer camp counselor with a minister friend about 10 years ago and this was on the menu. And the kids still went nuts over it. They'd have to make a ton extra for all of the requested second helpings!
My uncle was a sniper in Merrill’s Marauders, but never talked about the war. The only thing he mentioned was how hungry they were most of the time so much so that even k-ration tasted good.
Merrill's Marauders' biggest problem wasn't the food, it was the jungle: they went into Burma with just under 3000 men and came out with 130. The vast majority of their losses (like 80%) were due to malaria and scrub typhus. More men died of disease than wounds, a record that hadn't been matched since WW1. Merrill himself caught malaria and then had a heart attack and had to be sent back to the States. It was actually a lesson on how sheer perseverance is no match for bad medical support.
@@jasoncarswell7458 yeesh
@@Broockle As a consolation prize for their sacrifice, they gave every surviving man a Bronze Star, which is normally an individual award.
those guys had it very very tough ..........they were genuine badasses
@@slackthompson6984 Out of all of the terrains I've experienced as a former soldier, I can honestly say dense jungle is the worst. Literally everything wants to eat you, infect you or suck your blood, and there's more living creatures per square meter than any other place on earth. I'd rather cross Antarctica than spend a week in a Southeast Asian jungle, much less months and months!
Thank you for this Max. While my dad was a medic in the Royal Canadian Air Force, we were posted to a NATO base in Germany from 1962 to 1966. I turned 6 just 2 1/2 months after we got there. We saw that there was still so much WWII damage everywhere. He took our small family, mom and 2 little girls, around Europe to learn what was done and why it must never happen again. We went to Berlin, Frankfurt, Madurodam, Dieppe, Flanders and many more places. The Berlin Wall had just been built. It was amazing to see a country divided by a wall. Yes, everyone, please ask your family member who served for their stories. If you don't have anyone near you, visit the veterans in the seniors homes. They'd love to see you, and talk to you. I listened to their stories when I worked as a care aid. They deserve so much more than they receive from our governments today, so much more for their dedication and sacrifices.
Sometimes I wish I could spend my days just visiting with veterans and recording their stories. So many incredible experiences.
Thanks for his service. Big respect to him.
Well, my one of great grandfathers served in the Wehrmacht as an officer. He shot himself after the war ended. I tried to find out what he did/why he shot himself, but that remains a family secret that was lost when my grandpa/his son passed away a year ago.
Another was an engineer who built infrastructure in Persia, during WW2 he built airbases in Norway for the bombing of GB.
The other two were Swiss, one was a lumberjack and farmer in a village (ca. 500 people) where most people had the same surname. The last one was a dude who worked in a machine factory who built parts for stuff.
There are terrible losses on both sides in any war. Not everyone can deal with what they were forced to do. I know for a fact that many Germans were conscripted at gun point. We had friends among the German population who were forced into the Hitler Youth, and went on to become soldiers, airmen and naval personnel. Not their choice at all. It was join or die. They were some of the nicest people we met over there. I expect that your great grandfather was one of those gentle souls who was forced to carry out duties that he would never do if given a choice. I'm so sorry for your loss.
I was also a medic in the US Chair Force! I ate MRE’s exactly once… during a training exercise in Basic. My dad fought in WW2 when he was 12 and later did 2 tours in Vietnam for the US Army. When I told my dad I was joining the army after dropping out of college, my dad told me “No! Join the Chair Force! You’re not cut out for the Army!”
Good call, Dad!
I'm just now finding your videos and they are great! Did the MRE Steve collab ever happen??
She wasn't a Veteran, but my grandma would tell me stories about her life when she was a little girl, and she told it so well that it inspired in me a love of history, just like you and your grandfather. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful story from your life, and thanks for another great video Max! You have one of the best channels on youtube!
SOS - could eat it once a day every day.