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Why this recipe Matters

This beef and onion cheeseball is my easy, make-ahead party appetizer made with Buddig beef and green onions—and it always disappears fast.

If you live in Cincinnati, you know about Jungle Jim’s. For those of you who don’t, it’s an international grocery store you can get lost in for hours. It’s basically impossible to leave without spending way too much money on cheeses, throwback candies, baked goods, international sauces, and ingredients you can’t find at your regular grocery store.

And for us… it’s where we found the Beef and Herb Cheeseball.

Years ago, my husband Gordon and I were shopping when he yells across the aisle:

“Hey babe, do you want to get this Beef and Herb Cheeseball?” 

I look at the package he’s holding – I read the name silently to myself – then I say:

Um did you mean hERB?

Beef and hERB Cheeseball?

The H is silent… isn’t it?

After further review, I learned that many people in the UK pronounce herb with emphasis on the H. Most Americans leave the H silent and say ERB. Gordon’s dad has an English accent, so maybe that’s why he says it. But lessons in dialect aside, we’ve had way too much fun laughing over his pronunciation to ever refer to our beloved cheeseball as anything but Beef and Herb.

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Prepare your Taste Buds

Recently, the label changed from Beef and Herb and now reads “Beef and Onion,” which takes a good amount of fun out of the whole buying process.

This dried beef cheese ball comes together in minutes—just mix, chill, and serve. That, combined with the fact that the price has nearly doubled over the years, got me thinking… 

Is that really all that is in this cheeseball?

Beef and onion?

Why don’t I try to make this myself?

After a handful of tries, I learned the recipe was even simpler than I originally thought. Green onions were the obvious ingredient, and with a little thought, the beef mystery became clear too. If your childhood was anything like mine, there was always a deli-meat drawer in the fridge—bologna, Kraft American Singles, and an assortment of other packaged lunch meats. So I was no stranger to determining what kind of meat made up the “beef” part of the cheeseball.

Enter the classic, Carl Buddig.

And for those of you who may want to turn your nose up at buying a package of these old-school cold cuts of meat… don’t. Just don’t. Everyone needs a good ol’ Beef and Herb Cheeseball in their life, and now is the perfect time to grab a few ingredients and introduce it to the family.

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Print

Handy Hints

• Damp hands: Lightly wet your hands with a bit of water, shake off any excess, and shape the cheeseball—this helps keep the mixture from sticking to your hands as you roll and form it.
• Soft at first: The mixture may feel a little soft when you first mix it, but it firms up perfectly after chilling.
• Serving idea: Flat pretzel crisps are my go-to with this cheeseball, but it’s also delicious spread on Bruschettini.
• Party spread: If you’re putting out snacks for a crowd, serve this cheeseball with my Everything Bagel Pigs in a Blanket and Cincinnati Chili Dip.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Make ahead: This cheeseball can be made up to 1 week in advance. For the best flavor and texture, make it 2–4 days ahead, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Serving a crowd: This recipe doubles easily to make two cheeseballs.

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