Would you mind sharing your SOS recipe?
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prisondoc,
WITH PLEASURE.
Let me FIRST tell you that the circa 1913-1914 recipe that I found in one of the historical displays at FT DRUM, NY in 1987 is NOT the original Army recipe from the 1870-80 era.
The original recipe can only be GUESSED AT, as the original is "lost to memory" BUT the idea of SOS was created as a means to feed a crowd of hungry BUFFALO SOLDIERS breakfast "on the cheap" & from easily sourced local ingredients.
(It is generally believed that the dish has always been some sort of ground or chopped meat, cooked in a white flour/milk meat gravy & served over bread, toast, biscuits, rice or whatever other "base" was available. = The MESS SGT of the 9th CAV REENACTORS stated to me in 2017 that he has seen period information that SOS was in the "old days on the Texas frontier" made from beef, pork, a mixture of beef & pork, venison and/or horsemeat & sometimes served over white bread, biscuits or corn bread.)
By circa 1910, it was COMMON to ask soldiers if they wanted their SOS "topped" or not. = "Topped" meaning: With or W/O eggs cooked fried/scrambled/poached/etc. & served on top of the SOS.
By about 1913-14 the 10th Infantry Division was using the following recipe for SOS & at least in that one Division, the recipe was "more or less" fixed.
(The Tenth was NOT yet designated as a "Mountain" Division in the pre-WWI era.)
The 10th Division recipe, suitably reduced from enough SOS to serve an infantry COMPANY follows.
Break up & brown a fist-sized lump of hamburger meat, pork bulk sausage or a mixture of sausage & beef in a heavy skillet.
Add & MELT 2 tablespoons of butter into the skillet.
After the butter is melted/stirred in, add 2 tablespoons of WORCHESTERSHIRE SAUCE & stir well.
Then add 2-3 tablespoons of general purpose flour to the skillet & MIX WELL.
Once the flour is well-mixed in, add milk to the skillet & STIR BRISKLY to avoid sticking/scorching.
SIMMER until the mixture is as thick as you desire.
Serve over bread, biscuits, toast, rice or pasta., with or W/O topping with eggs.
This is enough to serve TWO HUNGRY GIs. ENJOY.
yours, satx
USAMPR, Retired
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