There’s just something deliciously decadent about a ball of cheese surrounded by buttery crackers. It can make anytime look and feel like a fun celebration! With so much to handle in our day to day lives, it’s the little moments when we make time to enjoy each other that turn yummy food into an opportunity for gratitude and good times. We want to bring that kind of party to you and your loved ones with the cheesy, meaty flavors of this Creamed Chipped Beef Cheese Ball. We know firsthand that this is a crowd pleaser – it was gobbled up the second we put it out on the table!
The Worcestershire sauce turns up your taste buds and the bright bite of spring onions runs throughout, thinly diced so that they complement rather than take over this delicious combination. We love how the bright green of the onion and the reddish color of the beef look so festive against the white of the cream cheese. Chipped Beef was a new introduction to us, even though it’s definitely not new! An ingredient of the past, Chipped Beef came in handy in the army and during lean times dating back to the 1930s. Speaking of lean, the beef is cut very thin and is also compressed, dried, salted, and cured so that it can last a while in a can or a jar.
Beef jerky, sausage, or cured salami make great substitutes for the chipped beef. After all, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to a cheese ball! When shopping for this short list of ingredients, please keep in mind that every brand of dried meat is not going to be labeled ‘chipped beef.’ Some brands will read ‘dried’ or ‘cured’ beef and that works just fine. It is all about flavor with this festive dish and sharing it with people who matter!
Ingredients:
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 (8 oz.) package chipped dried beef, finely chopped, if necessary
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
3 stalks green onion, finely chopped, plus extra for garnish (optional)
Ritz crackers, for serving
salt
Instructions:
Place softened cream cheese in a large bowl. Using a mixer or wooden spoon, mix in chipped beef and green onions.
Once incorporated, mix in garlic and onion powders. (Mix in salt if you’ve tasted it and think it needs more seasoning.)
Transfer mixture to a sheet of plastic wrap, then seal tightly and shape into a ball.
Refrigerate at least 20 minutes or until firm.
Unwrap and serve with crackers, garnish with more green onion, if desired.
