Cheese Ball With Dried Beef

If you are looking for a tasty, easy, and classic appetizer for your next potluck, you should check out this Cheese Ball with Dried Beef recipe! Creamy and salty, this spreads perfectly on your favorite cracker and is great for any holiday or gathering. It has very little active time and can be ready in a flash. Give this potluck superstar a try today!

What makes this recipe special?

This recipe was handed down to me by my cousin and my aunt Kay brought this to many holidays. While we often have a similar cheese ball at our gatherings now, I always think of Kay when this is served.

I have many great memories of Kay and this recipe is one small memory I have of her. Do you ever have those recipes where a recipe reminds you of a person? That is what this is for me, and now that I got my hands on the recipe, I will share it with you!

Maybe my aunt’s recipe for this awesome cheese ball can find its way into the traditions of your family and your special events. Other appetizers and potluck favorites are this Dill Pickle Spicy Deviled Eggs recipe, my Potluck Pickle Wraps (also called Minnesota Sushi), and this Crab Stuffed Mushrooms.

Jump to:

• What makes this recipe special?
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Variations
• Storage
• FAQ
• Tips and tricks
• Products used in this recipe
• Did you make this recipe?
• 📖 Recipe

Ingredients

Cream cheese and dried beef are the superstars here, but all of the ingredients really come together, along with a bit of time, to make a great Cheese Ball with Dried Beef. 

Most are items found in many kitchen pantries and fridges already. I may have to go to the store for dried beef and cream cheese, but we usually have some other stuff already in stock. This recipe uses:

• Cream Cheese
• Mustard
• Onion
• Mayonnaise 
• Whole Milk
• Horseradish
• Dried Beef

Check out the recipe card below for quantities.

Instructions

This recipe is as simple as setting one half of the chipped beef aside and then mixing everything else together in a large bowl. Once mixed, place in the fridge for a bit. 

After the ingredients have cooled and hardened, form it into a nice ball. Coat with the remaining dried beef. 

You could serve it immediately, but I suggest making this the night before and allowing it to sit in the refrigerator overnight. 

Place the ball on a nice plate surrounded by your favorite crackers. Harder veggies would work, too, but I prefer crackers. 

Hint: You might have to get your hands dirty on this one. Maybe not for mixing the ingredients initially, but I really 

Variations

The recipe I give is well tested and me-approved, but there are some other ways you could spice this up a bit to make it better for your family.

• Spicy - add a ½ teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper to bring a little heat to the cheese ball. 
• Garlic - do you love garlic as much as I do? Add a clove or two of minced garlic when mixing all ingredients to add a bit of that flavor. 
• Green Onions - add a few minced green onions when mixing the ingredients. This adds a bit of flavor and color to the mix. 
• Beefier - I call for six ounces of dried beef, more than one Armour package. You could add more beef to the mixture. The outside cannot use much more than already provided, but the main mixture could have more dried beef. 

Storage

While this can be stored in the fridge for up to a week (possibly longer), I see this as a recipe a person makes the night before a party. Like anything, if it smells, looks, or tastes funny… get rid of it. If there are leftovers, put them in the fridge and if you are using commercially made mayonnaise, use it within a week. 

If you are using homemade mayonnaise, keep it refrigerated and use it within a few days. 

In terms of food safety, there is some mayonnaise in this, so I would not leave it out for an extended period of time, particularly if you are using homemade mayonnaise. If using commercial mayo (which I bet most of you are), 4-8 hours out at a party or potluck should be fine. Check out this article on mayonnaise safety.

You can freeze this cheese ball by wrapping it in cling wrap and putting it in a freezer bag. I would use it within a month or two. 

FAQ

Tips and tricks

• It can really be any kind of milk, but I use whole
• Find Chipped Beef in the canned meat aisle. If you are looking for it, check out the same aisle as tuna. 
• If you buy Armour dried beef, these containers make great frugal small everyday water or juice glasses! I know it sounds silly, but they really are great and don’t have the grooves of a mason jar. 

Products used in this recipe

• Armour dried beef
• Large bowl

Did you make this recipe?

Thank you so much for giving it a try! I hope you like this cheese ball as much as I do. If you gave it a try and like it, you could do me a real favor by leaving a rating in the comment section below and let us know if you liked it. This helps me and helps other people decide if they want to make the recipe. Most of all, thank you for visiting Ramshackle Pantry, and I hope you check out some of our other recipes!

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📖 Recipe