This classic, old favorite recipe goes by many names: S.O.S. (don't ask, please), creamed hamburger, chipped beef, or even hamburger gravy. But among the Amish of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, it has the peculiar distinction of being called "creamed hamburg." In fact, in many of the Amish recipes from Lancaster County prior to, say, 1980, most of the time hamburger is referred to as "hamburg."
In doing some cursory research online, references to Hamburg Steak began occurring sometime in the mid-1800s. The meat "Hamburg" is uncooked ground beef, where "hamburger" is the patty version of uncooked hamburg. The past half century or so, though, people just call it ground beef or hamburger. Hamburg seems to have fallen out of favor as a term. The Amish, however, often lag behind on cultural customs, so not surprising to see a cookbook from the 1980s still calling it Hamburg.
So, in that vein, I will share a recipe with you from an Amish cookbook for "creamed hamburg." Very easy, tasty, traditional Amish skillet supper that has many variations in popular culture. My Dad was in the military (navy) and I think I remember hearing him talk about SOS (otherwise known as chipped beef or creamed hamburger) being served. Here are some photos and the recipe for Lancaster Creamed Hamburger.
📋 Step-By-Step Creamed Hamburger
Very basic ingredients, but you can use this recipe as a "base recipe" and add in extra items of your choosing. I like seasoning mine with black pepper, onion powder, or garlic powder. Sometimes I'll also add a splash or teaspoon worcestershire sauce for flavor.
The above photo is cooking the "hamburg" over a medium high heat. You don't ever need to drain this for the recipe, the grease will incorporate into the flavor and add to the taste! But use a large skillet that will give you plenty of room to work with. And, by the way, this recipe would work just as well with turkey burger or chicken burger.
Add milk. Most Amish cooks - and you should also - would add whole milk to this to make it creamier. I mean, if you only have skim or two percent, it'll work, but whole milk works best. This simmer stage is also where you could add some mushrooms. To me, everything is better with mushrooms!
This is after it has all been cooked and spooned into a bowl. Stir it well and then pile onto some toast and sprinkle cheese. Good stuff! You can use any kind of cheese, but a nice mild Cheddar is my preference.
Serve with some vegetables on the side. Green beans, peas, or some corn are probably my favorite veggies to eat on the side. I think I like corn best because I can sort of mix it up in the SOS, but you can easily do that with peas also. And for your toast, well, yes, grab a slice of store-bought bread and use. But if you have the time and bandwidth, bake your own bread, I love this homemade honey bread, and use a slice of that for more Amish authenticity!
❓ Creamed Hamburger FAQ
Yes, for a leanier version, feel free to swap out hamburger with ground turkey or ground chicken. Venison and ground sausage are also options
Well, I said, don't ask. But it appears to have military origins. The Pennsylvania Dutch love this dish (which is why it is featured here), but I don't think they call it S.O.S. You can read more here from Atlas Obscura.
🥩 More Amish Hamburger/Ground Beef Recipes
Bishop's Sour Cream Rice Beef Bake
🖨️ Amish Creamed Hamburger
Amish Creamed Hamburger
Ingredients
- 1 pound hamburger
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 /2 onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1 /2 cups cold milk
- 2 - 3 tablespoons flour
Instructions
- Melt butter, add hamburg, onion, and salt.
- Brown hamburger. After browned place over on pan and let cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
- Take from heat and add flour
- Stirring add milk and cook until thick. Serve on toast.
Nana
I grew up calling this hamburg gravy to be served over mashed potatoes. I use the word hamburg to meat the plain ground beef. Hamburger is the sandwich patty made form hamburg.
Nana
Sorry for two posts , but I meant to add that I had a friend from Connecticut who mentioned American Chop Suey to me. I was curious enough to ask what it was and when she described it , I had to laugh. it is a macaroni, tomato, hamburg dish that I knew at my childhood home as goulash until I went to school and learned the cafeteria menu called it Johnny Marzetti. As far as I can determine it is all the same dish.
Kevin
Interesting about "hamburg".....I had never heard the term before other than the city in Germany...
Diane
That to me sounds like the hamburger gravy mom made to put over our potatoes.
Kathy
I live in Michigan and a lot of people call it Hamburg here. I know when I moved here from Indiana it seemed strange, but I do the same thing now too.
Kevin
Seems to be a New England thing...
Cindy Craig
I grew up eating hamburger gravy on toast. I just made some night before last for our supper and served it over mashed potatoes. Yummy!!
Suzanne
My Mother used to make a creamed hamburg that was quite bland to me until she added Worcestershire sauce and cheddar cheese to it. Then she would make mashed potatoes and serve it over the potatoes. I believe she called it Sloppy Hamburg though, not creamed hamburg. It basically the same recipe as for creamed dried beef or sausage gravy.
Kevin Williams
Thanks, Suzanne, interesting...I definitely think the Worcestershire sauce is a great idea to add some flavor
Jen
I’m from southern York county in PA, the older folks still call it ‘hamburgs’. My husband (from Maryland) thinks it’s hilarious when we go to the Jefferson carnival in the summer and the menu lists hot dogs, sausage sandwiches, French fries, and ‘hamburgs.’
Kevin Williams
Wow, really, interesting, Jen...so you actually have seen that term on present-day menus there....I guess it is not just an old-timers term...
Deanne
Hey Kevin,
As I can see by the various posts this dish is pretty much all over the country under the guise of different names. In south Texas my Iowa born momma learned this recipe from my Colorado born daddy and he called it S.O.S and it was served on mash potatoes or toast.
I now make it with slight variations. After the hamburger meat is fried I sprinkle flour over it and mix it in then I add a can of Cream of Mushroom soup with 3/4 cup of milk. If it’s still too thick just add more milk.
Kevin Williams
Ah,thanks, Deanne, I've heard of S.O.S. (I'll not spell it out) and I actually wondered if this is what it was....glad to have that clarified.
Sherri
My folks in NE Indiana also called it SOS. They made it with the hamburger,flour,onion,milk. As I got older I used the soup called cream of onion. ..Thank you for all the great recipes.
Kevin Williams
I love NE Indiana, haven't been there in awhile, but I have been to Fort Wayne-Angola-Fremont, many many times over the years!
Mollie Simpson
Kevin,
In 1950 I made hamburger gravy over toast and my WW11, Navy husband said, "Oh you made SOS. Yes, he explained what it meant in the Navy. I tried to forget that explanation(:).
Kevin Williams
Yes, try to put the SOS part out my head (although I was told it could stand for "same old stuff!")
Harold Benjamin
I have made this many times and we love it here at our home. I leave to onions out cause they bother my wife tummy.
Traci K Stevenson
SOS was from wwII but it was creamed dried beef. The beef you buy in a small jar. not hamburger meat.
Kevin Williams
Yes, that is true, Traci, about using dried beef...he hamburger meat is sort of a modern-day variation
Sheila
I grew up calling this hamburger gravy to be served over mashed potatoes. One of our kids favorites! All four of them. This and a salad or veg and you had a quick dinner and awesome leftovers!.
Kevin Williams
Agreed, Sheila, the leftovers are great, the flavors really have a chance to meld overnight in the fridge!