Beef Fritters

Recipe No. 174 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Fritters and Croquettes. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Bread — 8 pounds

Beef, cooked, ground — 20 pounds

• Onions, finely chopped — 3 pounds (3 No. 56 dippers)
• Salt — 1 ounce (2 mess kit spoons)
• Pepper — ¼ ounce (1 mess kit spoon)
• Milk, evaporated — 1—14½-ounce can
• Water (for milk) — 1 pint (½ No. 56 dipper)

Eggs, slightly beaten — 10 eggs (½ No. 56 dipper)

• Flour, sifted (for rolling) — 1 pound (1 No. 56 dipper)
• Fat (for frying) — as needed

Directions

Key ingredients

Evaporated Milk

1. Soak bread in water; press and discard water.
2. Combine bread, meat, onions, salt, and pepper; mix thoroughly.
3. Make into 3-ounce cakes.
4. Combine milk and water; add beaten egg. Dip meat cakes in mixture. Roll in flour.
5. Fry in deep hot fat (350° F.) until golden brown.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Bread — 10¼ oz Beef, cooked, ground — 1 lb 9⅔ oz Onions, finely chopped — 3¾ oz Salt — about ½ tsp Pepper — a pinch Milk, evaporated — ½ can (14½ oz) Water (for milk) — 2½ tbsp Eggs, slightly beaten — ¾ eggs Flour, sifted (for rolling) — 1¼ oz Fat (for frying) — to taste

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 174, Fritters and Croquettes. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.