The only real difference I can see is what kind of fat is used in each. Yeah, sausage drippings are different from butter, but not all that different, as foods go.
And if you want to go one step cheaper even than SOS, one common dinner when I was growing up was creamed eggs on toast. Hardboil some eggs, slice them up, arrange them on toast, and pour white sauce over the works.
Love the stuff, though I’ve not had it recently; it was a fairly regular dinner when my dad worked second or third shift. When he came on first, it disappeared from the menu–he had it in the army and was… not a fan.
Being unacquainted with the finer points of whether it’s a bechamel or a gravy, I always loved putting lots of black pepper on it. Should get some and make it again…
Liked it, but it’s been a good while…
It is edible. That is all.
Timely. This was one of grandpa’s favorites (he was a WWII vet). He recently passed, and I might need to make a batch.
something in my eye, excuse me.
Dude, it’s like making love to Scarlett Johannsen or Moms Mabley. The “only real difference is the type of woman.”
The difference is that one (sausage gravy) is the Food of the Gods, and the other (SOS) is total garbage. But really, what can you expect from someone who thinks beans define chili? 
Beans define real American Chili, lack of, simply defines a vast infertile chapped area. A desert of culture and humanity.
Why, its almost like it defines Barren areas of chile.
Everyone knows it’s the Fritos that define chili.
Why is it, that I like the Fritos better than the Tortilla Chips? They should be the same, but I find Fritos more savory… more angry and delicious. I’m sorry, but I llove them regardless… They are another New Mexico invention I do believe.
San Antone.
Fritos taste very different from tortilla chips. That’s why they’re called corn chips. And, yes, I suspect they have more grease in them.
When I went through Marine boot camp back in '61 it was a staple in the mess hall. We all made gagging noises when it was mentioned, but actually it wasn’t bad. No one admitted this, of course,
For years it could be found on the menus of diners in San Clemente and Oceanside, but lately it seems to be MIA. Waitresses just stare at me when I ask about it’s availability.
I prefer it served over cottage fried potatoes rather than toast.
Fritos are corn chips made from corn that has not been nixtamalized (treated with lime water–not the fruit, but the chemical). Tortilla chips are nixtamilzed. It’s basically the difference between something being made from corn and from hominy, or corn meal vs. masa harina.
I love it, but when I was a kid my mom always served it over white rice instead of toast. I think I’m going to have some tomorrow night now that I’m thinking about it.
I bought a jar of dried beef over the weekend. I might try making it this weekend.
It’s usually best when you’re very hungry and served outside.
I love it, my dad absolutely hated it with the passion of a thousand burning suns. Back in WW2 they had the great idea of sending bread baking trucks to the front lines, so for weeks on end the only hot meals you got was bread, toast, and anything that can be made with powdered milk, powdered eggs, flour, dried beef … he positively refused to eat SOS, eggs in any form except fried sunnyside up runny or poached runny, no form of pancake …
Yeah, I was like “creamed chipped beefed what?”
We used to call it Cow Chips at school.
Possibly the only thing more delicious than biscuits & gravy. I’ve had it twice in my whole life.
They are almost the same product, with the type of meat substituted. To say they aren’t even close is ridiculous
