![Southern Living Dried Beef Cheese Ball ready to serve with crackers](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.southernliving.com/thmb/-vdhitxtPIXcOqtbTAz5hvDF7Dw=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Southern-Living-Dried_Beef_Cheeseball_008-f77dbc8b0b334a828e7820e84b9b3958.jpg)
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Cheese balls are a favorite retro appetizer that are welcome at any Southern party, and this dried beef cheese ball is a surprising variation that most folks probably haven't tried before.
Dried beef cheese ball is made with, you guessed it, dried beef, which is a salty, pressed kind of beef. It's perhaps most well known for its starring role in Creamed Chipped Beef.
But if you have a jar or two in the pantry, you have a new way to use it: in this ultra-savory appetizer for your next party.
Ingredients for Dried Beef Cheese Ball
We have a few ingredients in this recipe for dried beef cheese ball that make it quite special.
- Dried beef, also known as chipped beef, is a super savory (and salty!) form of pressed beef. It's usually found in the canned meats aisle, near the tuna. It is shelf-stable, so it's never a bad idea to have a jar or two in the pantry. It is also very salty, so don't add any extra salt to your cheese ball before you've had a chance to taste it.
- Cream cheese is the base of this cheese ball, with gournay cheese (such as Boursin) adding notes of herb and onion and a creamy texture.
- Gouda cheese is smoky and nutty, which is a nice balance to the dried beef. Most other dried beef cheese ball recipes use Cheddar cheese as the second cheese, but we like Gouda better for a more complex flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce, spicy brown mustard, and black pepper provide additional flavor.
- Parsley adds freshness, which balances the dried beef, but it's also used on the outside as a colorful coating for the cheese ball, along with pecans.
- You'll also need crackers for serving, such as round butter crackers (Ritz), rectangular buttery crackers (Club), or shredded whole-wheat crackers (Triscuits). Pretzels or vegetables would work, too.
![Southern Living Dried Beef Cheese Ball ingredients](https://www.southernliving.com/thmb/QWzZG8NrUMAfTTop0pJarZQBlrA=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Southern-Living-Dried_Beef_Cheeseball_001-45d3cee22d084f8db3ab4429a41c5efa.jpg)
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
How To Make a Dried Beef Cheese Ball
Making a homemade cheese ball is so easy you won't ever be tempted to buy an expensive store-bought kind.
Step 1: You'll start by mixing the cream cheese and gournay cheese with a hand mixer. You could combine these cheese by hand if you don't have an electric mixer, but it'll take some elbow grease. Mix until whipped and nearly fluffy.
Step 2: Fold in Gouda, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, black pepper, some of the dried beef, and some of the parsley.
Step 3: Form a ball with the mixture, and set aside.
Step 4: Place the toasted pecans and remaining dried beef and parsley in a shallow bowl. Roll the cheese ball in the pecan mixture. Press the pecans, parsley, and beef gently into the cheese ball to help it stick.
Step 5: Place the cheese ball on a plate, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until the cheese ball firms up. When ready to serve, pull the cheese ball out, add crackers, and proudly display.
![Dried Beef Cheese Ball](https://www.southernliving.com/thmb/QDScBVCrXgOsV4ezCFQoZN5ihWM=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Dried_Beef_Cheeseball_009-69c8f1ca548449c9b8da16035bee2b7e.jpg)
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Tips for Making the Best Cheese Ball
While this dried beef cheese ball is easy to make, there are a few key steps that can make it easier:
- Let cheeses come to room temperature. When warmed slightly, the cheeses will blend more easily.
- Make ahead. This is a great appetizer if you need to make several dishes for a party. It can be made up to 3 days in advance. If you want fresher parsley, skip rolling the cheese ball in the beef-parsley-pecan mixture until just before serving. You'll have to press a bit harder to get the ingredients to sick, but they will.
- Use bacon bits. If you can't find dried beef, reach for another dried meat product, like bacon bits.
Other Cheese Ball Recipes:
If you love serving this retro appetizer, here are a few others you might want to consider:
Ingredients
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2 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
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1 (5.2-oz.) pkg. caramelized onion & herbs gournay cheese (such as Boursin)
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4 oz. smoked Gouda cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
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1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
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1 tsp. spicy brown mustard
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1 tsp. black pepper
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3/4 cup chopped dried beef slices (such as Hormel), divided (from 1 [5-oz.] jar)
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6 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
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3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
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Crackers, to serve
Directions
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Form the cheese ball:
Place cream cheese and gournay cheese in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer on high speed until whipped and incorporated, about 1 minute.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Fold in smoked Gouda, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, black pepper, 1/2 cup of the dried beef, and 4 tablespoons of the parsley.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Form into a ball, and set aside.
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Finish the cheese ball:
Place pecans, remaining 1/4 cup dried beef, and remaining 2 tablespoons parsley in a shallow bowl.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Place ball in bowl, and roll gently in pecan mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Place on a plate, and store, loosely covered, in refrigerator until ready to serve or up to 3 days. Serve with crackers.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox