It’s party season, and this Chipped Beef Cheese Ball recipe needs to be a part of your next spread! No matter what the occasion, this savory snack is always a guest favorite! 

Easy Chipped Beef Cheese Ball Recipe

Our Chipped Beef Dip is one of the most popular appetizer recipes on Garnish with Lemon. And while we love that hot appetizer, too, sometimes I don’t want to have to worry about the oven. And that is where this Chipped Beef Cheese Ball comes to the rescue.

Cheese balls are perfect party foods

Holiday party season is just around the corner, and cheese balls are a quintessential party food. They tick all of the party appetizer requirements on my list:

1. come together quickly with a short ingredient list
2. can be made ahead of time
3. friends and family devour them

What more could you ask for?

What is Chipped Beef? 

If you’re unfamiliar of the exact definition of chipped beef, or where to find it, here’s a little run down to give you some clarity.

Chipped beef is a form of pressed, salted and dried beef that has been sliced into thin pieces. While the meat is dried, it’s not nearly as dry as beef jerky and has a much lower fat content than beef jerky. 

Where to Find Chipped Beef

You can find chipped beef sold in small jars, cans or pouches. They will typically be sold in the refrigerated deli section with other prepackaged deli meats.

Don’t be alarmed if you can’t find anything that says “chipped beef”, it can also come labeled as “dried beef”. So if you spot either of those terms, you’ll be in good shape. I often grab a brand called Buddig Beef in small packages near the other packaged deli meats. 

What ingredients do I need to make this dried beef cheese ball?

• Cream cheese
• Cheddar cheese
• Chipped Beef (or dried beef) 
• Worcestershire sauce
• Garlic powder
• Green onions or onion powder
• Chives and extra dried beef for garnish

How to make the best cheese balls for parties

Making a cheese ball is super easy but there are a few tips to make it the best:

1. Use softened cream cheese. Not only does this make mixing up the cheese ball easier, you’re virtually guaranteed not to have any lumps. 
2. Finely chop the filling ingredients so they spread evenly throughout the cheese ball. No one wants to bite into a big clump of filling that hasn’t been well-mixed. 
3. Chill the cream cheese mixture and shape into a ball.
4. Let the cheese ball sit out for 30 minutes before serving so it’s easier to spread.

TIP: Chilling the cheese ball does double duty. The time in the fridge allows the flavors to meld together and helps it keep its shape. 

How to coat a cheese ball

Sure, it looks so fancy when a cheese ball is coated in a pretty topping, but don’t be intimidated by that sexy exterior. Rolling a cheese ball in the garnish is easy when you follow these simple steps.

1. Finely chop the chives and dice the reserved chipped beef
2. Spread 1/2 cup of each on a plate or place in a pie pan if you’re kind of messy like me
3. Gently roll the cheese ball around the plate and pat the toppings in as you go.

 Using a plate or pie pan keeps everything contained and makes clean up a snap.

When do you coat a cheese ball?

Well, that depends on when you are serving it. If you are serving in the next day or 2, you can roll it in the garnishes after it has chilled for an hour. If you are freezing it for later, wait to roll in garnish when you are serving.

Can you freeze a cheese ball?

Absolutely! It’s one of my favorite appetizers to freeze. I make a double batch and freeze one cheese ball for later. But always freeze it BEFORE it has been rolled in the garnish. Your garnish will not survive the deep freeze. 

Simply thaw it in the refrigerator for a few hours before you need to serve it and then add the garnish as directed in the recipe right before guests arrive. 

We can make a whole meal out of apps! Check out all of our appetizer recipes!

Although we may try, we need more than just cheese to keep our guests happy at a party! Add some of our other party favorites to your spread.

• Bacon Cream Cheese Bites
• Candied Bacon
• Warm Gruyere, Bacon, and Caramelized Onion Dip
• Green Olive Dip
• Layered Greek Dip
• Cheesy Olive Bites
• Thai Chicken Meatballs
• Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies

Don’t forget the cocktails! There is something for everyone with this list of easy cocktail party favorites! 

• Gin, Elderflower Prosecco Cocktails
• Elderflower Martinis
• Ginger Whiskey Cocktails
• Perfect Manhattan
• Bourbon Aperol Cocktails
• Smashing Pumpkin Cocktail
• Moscato Sangria
• Long Island Iced Tea

 

This Chipped Beef Cheese Ball recipe is an easy, make-ahead appetizer that is perfect for any party! It’s a great savory snack that will have everyone asking for the recipe.