What did WWII Soldiers Eat?
Tasting History with Max Miller・14 minutes read
Hot meals, like "creamed dried beef on toast" known as $#!t on a shingle, boost troop morale, with the dish being recreated on Veterans Day to honor a veteran's grandfather who created it during World War II. The original recipe from the U.S War Department in 1944 featured specific quantities of ingredients like dried beef, fat, flour, evaporated milk, water, and pepper, with varying versions evolving over time with unique cooking instructions.
Insights
- Hot meals, even with unappealing names like "creamed dried beef on toast" or "sh!t on a shingle," were crucial for boosting troop morale during World War II, highlighting the significance of comfort and familiarity in military sustenance.
- The meticulous planning of soldier menus by nutritionists in Washington ensured that troops received essential nutrients through field rations like the C ration and K ration, emphasizing the importance of balanced and varied meals for soldiers' health and well-being in combat situations.
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Recent questions
What is the history of creamed dried beef on toast?
Creamed dried beef on toast, also known as "S#!t on a shingle," was a popular dish during World War II. It is being recreated on Veterans Day to honor the creator's grandfather, a veteran. The original recipe dates back to 1944 from the U.S War Department, calling for specific quantities of ingredients like dried beef, fat, flour, evaporated milk, water, and pepper. The dish evolved over time with different versions during World War I and World War II, with varying quantities of chipped beef per serving.
How was creamed dried beef on toast prepared during World War II?
The World War II version of creamed dried beef on toast involved soaking the chipped beef, preparing a creamy sauce, and simmering the mixture. The recipe called for ingredients like chipped beef, fat, flour, evaporated milk, water, pepper, and bread for toast. The dish was cooked in field kitchens equipped with gasoline-powered stoves, immersion heaters, mermite cans, and Lyster bags for water purification.
What were the nutritional considerations for soldiers during World War II?
Menus for soldiers were carefully planned by nutritionists in Washington to ensure troops received necessary minerals and vitamins. Field rations like the C ration and K ration provided soldiers with pre-packaged meals, offering a variety of items such as meat, spaghetti, tomato sauce, eggs, potatoes, pork and beans, hardtack biscuits, coffee powder, lemon drink, sugar, salt, chocolate, cigarettes, and gum, totaling 37 to 3,800 calories per day.
How did soldiers in World War II survive on field rations?
Soldiers in World War II were provided with field rations like the C ration and K ration, which were common meal options near the front lines. The C ration was a heavy but varied meal, while the K ration, designed for remote or paratrooper use, contained 2830 calories per day. Some soldiers, like Merrill's Marauders, survived on K rations for months in Burma, despite less edible items like fatty pork loaf and maltose and dextrose tablets.
How can the recipe for creamed dried beef on toast be enhanced?
The recipe for World War II creamed dried beef on toast involves simmering the ingredients, toasting bread, ladling the beef mixture onto the toast, and serving. To enhance the dish, bacon fat, more pepper, or alternative meats like ground sausage or bacon can be added for improved texture and flavor. This makes creamed dried beef on toast a relatively palatable military meal option reminiscent of gravy over biscuits.
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Summary
00:00
"Hot Meals Boost Troop Morale"
- Troop morale is boosted by hot meals, even if the name is unappealing, like "creamed dried beef on toast," known as $#!t on a shingle.
- The dish was popular during World War II and is being recreated on Veterans Day to honor the creator's grandfather, a veteran.
- The original recipe from the U.S War Department in 1944 called for specific quantities of ingredients like dried beef, fat, flour, evaporated milk, water, and pepper.
- The recipe measurements were unique, using terms like No. 56 dippers for quantities, with specific instructions for preparation.
- Ingredients needed for a smaller portion include chipped beef, fat, flour, evaporated milk, water, pepper, and bread for toast.
- The dish evolved over time, with different versions during World War I and World War II, with varying quantities of chipped beef per serving.
- Instructions for making the World War II version of the dish involve soaking the chipped beef, preparing a creamy sauce, and simmering the mixture.
- Field kitchens during World War II were equipped with gasoline-powered stoves, immersion heaters, mermite cans, and Lyster bags for water purification.
- Menus for soldiers were carefully planned by nutritionists in Washington to ensure troops received necessary minerals and vitamins.
- Field rations, like the C ration and K ration, were common during the war, providing soldiers with pre-packaged meals, often the only option for sustenance near the front lines.
12:23
World War II Military Rations and Recipes
- During World War II, soldiers were provided with meals that included a variety of items such as meat, spaghetti, tomato sauce, eggs, potatoes, pork and beans, hardtack biscuits made of soybeans, wheat, egg, and lard, coffee powder, lemon drink, sugar, salt, chocolate, cigarettes, and gum, totaling 37 to 3,800 calories per day, which could be eaten cold but were better when cooked.
- The C ration was a heavy but varied meal option, while the K ration, designed for remote or paratrooper use, contained 2830 calories per day and less edible items like fatty pork loaf and maltose and dextrose tablets, often discarded by troops. Soldiers sometimes survived on K rations for extended periods, with stories of units like Merrill's Marauders living on them for months in Burma.
- A recipe for World War II creamed dried beef involves simmering the ingredients for 10 minutes, toasting bread, ladling the beef mixture onto the toast, and serving. The dish, reminiscent of gravy over biscuits, can be enhanced with bacon fat, more pepper, or alternative meats like ground sausage or bacon for improved texture and flavor, making it a relatively palatable military meal option.
