Military Food: 14 Mess Hall Classics to Cook at Home This Veterans Day

Military food has fed American service members through a hundred years of wars, deployments and long nights on watch, and some of those dishes came home and stayed on family tables for good. Creamed chipped beef on toast, war cake, chili mac and Navy bean soup all have a story. One cooking video that tastes 100 years of these meals has passed 14 million views, and Max Miller of Tasting History made his chipped beef episode for Veterans Day. Below you will find one dish for each era, a little of its history and an easy recipe for your kitchen. Veterans Day is November 11. Cook one of these, set an extra plate, and ask the veteran in your life what they remember..

Military Food Starts With Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast

If one dish stands for American military food, it is creamed chipped beef on toast. Generations of GIs in World War II and after knew it by a three letter nickname, S.O.S., and many of them came home still craving it. It is salty dried beef in a creamy white gravy over toast, ready in 15 minutes. Did someone in your family serve? This one is for them..

You will need: 4 oz dried beef (chipped beef), 3 tbsp butter, 3 tbsp flour, 2 cups whole milk, black pepper, 4 slices thick toast

How to make it: 1. Rinse the dried beef if it is very salty, pat dry and tear into pieces. 2. Melt the butter in a skillet and stir in the flour for 1 minute. 3. Slowly whisk in the milk and cook until thick. 4. Stir in the beef and plenty of pepper. 5. Spoon it over hot toast and serve right away.

1918: Slumgullion, the Trench Stew That Became Beef Stew

In World War I, American doughboys gave the thin stew from the field kitchen a funny name: slumgullion. It was whatever beef and vegetables the cooks had, simmered for hours in a big pot. Made at home with good beef and plenty of potatoes, it turns into the thick, cozy beef stew most of us grew up on. Do you call it stew or slumgullion at your house?

You will need: 2 lb beef chuck cut in cubes, 3 tbsp flour, 2 tbsp oil, 1 onion, 3 carrots, 4 potatoes, 2 celery stalks, 4 cups beef broth, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp thyme, salt and pepper

How to make it: 1. Toss the beef in flour, salt and pepper. 2. Brown it in oil in a heavy pot. 3. Add the onion and tomato paste and cook 2 minutes. 4. Pour in the broth, add thyme, cover and simmer 1 hour. 5. Add carrots, potatoes and celery and simmer 45 minutes more, until tender.

Military Food From Home: Trench Cake in the Mail

Families did not only send letters to the front in World War I. They baked trench cake, a sturdy eggless fruit cake made with vinegar and baking soda, so it could survive a long trip in a parcel. It is lightly spiced, packed with raisins and keeps for days. It is a lovely piece of military food history to bake today and mail to someone serving far from home.

You will need: 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 cup raisins or mixed dried fruit, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 cup milk, 1 tbsp vinegar

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and grease a loaf pan. 2. Rub the butter into the flour. 3. Stir in sugar, fruit and spices. 4. Mix the baking soda with the milk and vinegar, then stir it in. 5. Bake about 60 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.

1940s Home Front: War Cake With No Eggs, Milk or Butter

When eggs, butter and sugar were rationed, home cooks made war cake, also called boiled raisin cake. You boil raisins with water, shortening and spices, let it cool, then stir in flour and soda. The result is moist, dark and fragrant, and nobody guesses what is missing. Would you try it? A: yes, tonight, B: maybe for the holidays, C: I already make it.

You will need: 2 cups raisins, 2 cups water, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup shortening or oil, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt

How to make it: 1. Boil raisins, water, sugar, shortening and spices for 5 minutes. 2. Let the mixture cool completely. 3. Heat the oven to 350 F. 4. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. 5. Pour into a greased 8 inch pan and bake 40 to 45 minutes.

Field Kitchen Chili: Military Food Made by the Pot

Chili and beans have fed troops from field kitchens for generations, because one giant pot can feed a whole company and it tastes even better the next day. This home version is simple and meaty, with a little heat. Serve it with crackers or cornbread the way the mess line does. How do you top yours: cheese, onions or both?

You will need: 2 lb ground beef, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 2 cans (15 oz) kidney beans, 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, 2 cups beef broth, 3 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp cumin, salt

How to make it: 1. Brown the beef with the onion and garlic. 2. Drain the fat. 3. Stir in chili powder and cumin for 1 minute. 4. Add tomatoes, broth and drained beans. 5. Simmer uncovered 45 minutes, stirring now and then, and season with salt.

1960s: Pound Cake and Peaches, the Ration Dessert Troops Traded For

In Vietnam era C-rations, canned pound cake and canned peaches were the treats everyone wanted. Many veterans remember mixing the two in one tin and trading other parts of their meals to get them. At home, toast a slice of buttery pound cake and spoon peaches over the top. It may be the sweetest military food memory of all, so ask a veteran in your family if they remember it.

You will need: 1 pound cake (homemade or bought), 1 can (15 oz) sliced peaches in juice, 1 tbsp butter, whipped cream, a pinch of cinnamon

How to make it: 1. Slice the pound cake thick. 2. Toast the slices in a skillet with a little butter. 3. Warm the peaches and their juice with a pinch of cinnamon. 4. Spoon the peaches over the cake. 5. Top with whipped cream and serve warm.

Ham and Lima Beans, Made Better Than the Ration Can

Ask almost any Vietnam veteran about the ham and lima beans C-ration and you will get a groan, because it was the meal nobody wanted. Cooked fresh, though, it is a smoky, creamy pot of beans that is real Southern comfort food. Give it a second chance with a meaty ham hock and a long, slow simmer.

You will need: 1 lb dried large lima beans (butter beans), 1 smoked ham hock or 2 cups diced ham, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 6 cups water or chicken broth, 1 bay leaf, black pepper

How to make it: 1. Soak the beans overnight and drain. 2. Put beans, ham hock, onion, garlic, bay leaf and liquid in a pot. 3. Simmer gently 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until creamy. 4. Pull the meat off the hock and stir it back in. 5. Season with pepper and taste for salt.

Navy Bean Soup, a Military Food Classic Still Served in the Senate

Navy beans got their name because the US Navy served them to sailors so often in the 1800s. Navy bean soup with ham is still on the menu every day in the US Senate dining room, a tradition that goes back more than a century. It is cheap, filling military food that is perfect for a cold November night. Have you ever had it?

You will need: 1 lb dried navy beans, 1 meaty ham bone or 2 cups diced ham, 1 onion, 2 celery stalks, 2 carrots, 8 cups water, 2 tbsp butter, salt and pepper

How to make it: 1. Soak the beans overnight and drain. 2. Simmer beans and ham bone in the water for 1 1/2 hours. 3. Cook the onion, celery and carrots in butter until soft. 4. Add them to the pot and simmer 30 minutes more. 5. Mash some beans against the pot to thicken, then season.

Galley Cinnamon Rolls Sailors Wait For

On many Navy ships, the smell of cinnamon rolls coming out of the galley oven is one of the best parts of the week. Bakers make them by the hundreds, big and soft with plenty of icing. This home batch makes 12, and you can shape them the night before and bake them in the morning. Would you pick A: extra icing or B: extra cinnamon?

You will need: 1 cup warm milk, 2 1/4 tsp yeast, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup melted butter, 1 egg, 4 cups flour, 1 tsp salt. Filling: 1/2 cup soft butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp cinnamon. Icing: 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tbsp milk

How to make it: 1. Mix milk, yeast and sugar, then add butter, egg, flour and salt and knead 5 minutes. 2. Let rise 1 hour. 3. Roll out, spread with filling and roll up. 4. Cut 12 rolls and let rise 30 minutes. 5. Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes and ice while warm.

MRE Military Food Favorite: One Pot Chili Mac

Chili mac has been one of the most popular MRE meals for years, and it is easy to see why. Macaroni, beef, beans and tomato sauce all in one, ready in minutes. This stovetop version cooks the pasta right in the sauce, so there is only one pot to wash. Top it with cheese and call the family to the table.

You will need: 1 lb ground beef, 1 onion, 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce, 2 cups beef broth, 2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 2 cups elbow macaroni, 1 cup shredded cheddar

How to make it: 1. Brown the beef and onion in a large pot and drain. 2. Add tomatoes, sauce, broth, beans and spices. 3. Bring to a boil and stir in the macaroni. 4. Cover and simmer 12 to 15 minutes, stirring, until the pasta is tender. 5. Top with cheddar and cover until melted.

MRE Cheese Spread on Crackers, Made From Scratch

The little pouch of jalapeno cheese spread is one of the most traded items in an MRE. Service members squeeze it onto crackers, tortillas and almost everything else. A homemade spicy cheese spread tastes even better and takes 5 minutes. Set out a bowl with crackers for Veterans Day and watch this bit of military food history vanish.

You will need: 8 oz sharp cheddar finely shredded, 4 oz cream cheese softened, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 to 2 pickled jalapenos chopped, 1 tbsp jalapeno juice, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, crackers to serve

How to make it: 1. Beat the cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. 2. Stir in the cheddar. 3. Add jalapenos, jalapeno juice and garlic powder. 4. Chill 30 minutes so the flavors blend. 5. Serve with crackers or celery sticks.

Midrats: Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup at Midnight

Sailors standing night watches get midrats, short for midnight rations, a late meal served when most of the ship is asleep. Simple comfort food like grilled cheese and tomato soup is a classic there. It is the same meal so many of us loved as kids, and it is still perfect after a long shift. Who in your house loves a late night grilled cheese? For more cozy bowls, see our high protein soup bowls for cold nights.

You will need: 4 slices bread, 4 slices cheddar or American cheese, 2 tbsp butter. Soup: 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, 1 small onion, 2 tbsp butter, 1 cup chicken broth, 1/2 cup cream, 1 tsp sugar, salt

How to make it: 1. Cook the onion in butter, add tomatoes, broth and sugar and simmer 15 minutes. 2. Blend until smooth and stir in the cream. 3. Butter the bread and fill with cheese. 4. Cook the sandwiches in a skillet over medium heat, 3 minutes per side. 5. Cut and dunk.

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy, the Military Food That Starts the Day

Ask veterans about the best mess hall breakfasts and biscuits and sausage gravy comes up again and again. It is hot, filling and made from cheap pantry staples, which is why it feeds a crowd so well. Make the biscuits from scratch or use a can, the gravy is the star of this military food breakfast. Biscuits and gravy or creamed chipped beef: which wins?

You will need: 1 lb breakfast sausage, 1/3 cup flour, 3 cups whole milk, 1/2 tsp black pepper, salt, 8 warm biscuits

How to make it: 1. Brown the sausage in a large skillet, breaking it up. 2. Sprinkle the flour over it and stir 1 minute. 3. Slowly pour in the milk, stirring all the time. 4. Simmer until thick, about 5 minutes. 5. Season with lots of pepper and spoon over split biscuits.

Military Food at Thanksgiving: The Mess Hall Turkey Dinner

Every November, military dining facilities around the world serve a full Thanksgiving dinner, and leaders often put on aprons and serve the line themselves. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and pie remind people far from home of their own family table. Thanksgiving is November 26 this year. If someone in your family is serving, save them a plate and send a photo.

You will need: 1 turkey (12 to 14 lb), 1/2 cup soft butter, 1 onion, 1 lemon, fresh thyme and sage, salt and pepper, 2 cups chicken broth

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 325 F and pat the turkey dry. 2. Rub it with butter, salt and pepper. 3. Fill the cavity with onion, lemon and herbs. 4. Roast with the broth in the pan, about 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until the thigh reads 165 F. 5. Rest 30 minutes before carving.