Creamed Sweetbreads

Recipe No. 356 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Meat. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Sweetbreads — 25 pounds

Water, cold — as needed

• Onions, chopped — 1 to 2 pounds (1 to 2 No. 56 dippers)
• Salt — 6 ounces (¼ mess kit cup)
• Vinegar — as needed
• Water, cold — as needed
• Butter, melted — 1½ pounds (¾ No. 56 dipper)
• Flour, sifted — 1½ pounds (1½ No. 56 dippers)
• Milk, evaporated — 12—14½-ounce cans
• Water (for milk) — 1½ gallons (6 No. 56 dippers)
• Pepper — ¼ ounce (1 mess kit spoon)

Directions

Key ingredients

Evaporated Milk

1. Cover sweetbreads with cold water; soak about 30 minutes. Drain. Remove membrane and fibers.
2. Cover with fresh water; add chopped onions, ½ salt and ½ ounce (one mess kit spoon) vinegar for each quart (1 No. 56 dipper) water used.
3. Heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Drain. Drop into cold water or allow cold water to run over sweetbreads. Drain.
4. Remove any remaining membrane; cut sweetbreads into ½-inch cubes.
5. Mix melted butter and flour; stir until smooth.
6. Mix milk and water. Add to flour mixture. Heat to boiling point; boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add pepper and remaining salt.
7. Add sweetbreads; reheat.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Sweetbreads — 2 lb Water, cold — to taste Onions, chopped — scale to taste (1 to 2 pounds (1 to 2 No. 56 dippers)) Salt — ½ oz Vinegar — to taste Water, cold — to taste Butter, melted — 2 oz Flour, sifted — 2 oz Milk, evaporated — 1 can(s) (14½ oz) Water (for milk) — 2 cups Pepper — a pinch

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 356, Meat. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.