Spam®

[ironchef]

Being born and raised in Hawaii, eating SPAM® was a part of growing up for me and for practically everyone. I don't think you could find one person who has lived in Hawaii for at least 5 years and has not tried it. Tattratt will be finding this out first hand.

For those that don't know, Hawaii is the world's second leading consumer of SPAM® per capita (Guam is actually #1, but since most people don't even know where the heck Guam is, Hawaii is still considered the #1) and although it may be an oxymoron to some, there is a proper way of cooking it. It should be cut relatively thin so that it gets a crispy, golden brown crust while still being soft and moist in the middle. A popular way of making it is adding equal parts of soy sauce, water, and sugar near the last minute of cooking and letting it reduce and thicken which in effect, gives you teriyaki SPAM®. As for me? I like it just how I described in in the first method. Nothing is worse than soggy SPAM®.

So yeah, IMO there's an "art" to cooking SPAM®, and if I ever make it to Top Chef and I have to use it in a competition (since it makes an appearance every year), I will gladly tell it so to Padma, Chef Colicchio, and the guest judge.

So, here's how your SPAM® should look like (at least to me):

 

[kitchenelf]

I know exactly where Guam is - I used to live there! I lived there back in the "good ol' days" when it was a beautiful tropical island though - living reefs, fish galore and NO walkway to Talofofo falls! GEEZ, that irks me!

And every few years I must have a Spam sandwich - but I like mine crispy on the outside.

 

[Buck]

That's the only kind of spam I'll tolerate online.

 

[Uncle Bob]

I have enjoyed a Spam Sammich from time to time IC and, I will try both of your methods of preparing it in the near future! Thanks!!




Have Fun & Enjoy!!

 

[Fisher's Mom]

My dad was a lifer in the Navy and Navy folk eat a lot of Spam, too. My kids love it still, especially the teen boys. We make it just like you do, with no sauces or anything else. Makes a great sandwich. The boys like slices of it when we have a plain pasta dinner. And one son cubes it and then fries it and then stirs the cubes into mac and cheese. It a favorite when we have lots of kids sleeping over.

 

[Buck]

You know, of course, this MUST happen.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6745985312692217176

 

[ironchef]

I know exactly where Guam is - I used to live there! I lived there back in the "good ol' days" when it was a beautiful tropical island though - living reefs, fish galore and NO walkway to Talafofo falls! GEEZ, that irks me!

And every few years I must have a Spam sandwich - but I like mine crispy on the outside.

Hey, I dated a girl from Guam. She was from Agana. I actually learned a new way of making Spam: Spam Kelaguen. Did you ever try that before?

 

[Katie H]

I like Spam salad sandwiches. I use my good old Universal clamp-on grinder to grind the spam coarsely, add some mayo or Miracle Whip, chopped dill or sweet pickles and combine. Spread on bread. Enjoy!

 

[kitchenelf]

Hey, I dated a girl from Guam. She was from Agana. I actually learned a new way of making Spam: Spam Kelaguen. Did you ever try that before?

I don't think Spam had "arrived" yet on Guam. I was from Tumon Bay. Where we lived was right on the Pacifica Highway and there was NOTHING in between where we lived and the ocean except for some huts where people lived IN the boonies - there was absolutely NO downtown Tumon Bay (gets to me every time I think about it)!!!! Tumon Bay was pretty much a bunch of dirt and coral roads. I used to watch the most awesome sunset every night - it was HUGE! The first high rise was going in beside us - a whole 3 stories! LOL

OK, enough about Guam - back to Spam. Like I said - I'm sure Spam was around but it wasn't a "thing" like it must be now. That recipe sounds pretty good! I like the idea of the citrus and the salt of the Spam.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Hey - I LOVE Spam. Always have a can or 2 in the pantry. And since hubby doesn't eat red meat, also keep turkey Spam on hand as well - it's just as delicious.

Also - I currently have a "Collector's Edition" can of Spam that my mom sent me, which has a label depicting a caricature of "Monty Python's Holy Grail" from the Broadway play "Spam-A-Lot". I'm thinking once I consume the contents I'll keep the can as a pencil holder or some such thing.

I pretty much enjoy my Spam cooked up as a side with eggs, or as part of a Spam & Egg sandwich.

 

[Barbara L]

I like Spam salad sandwiches. I use my good old Universal clamp-on grinder to grind the spam coarsely, add some mayo or Miracle Whip, chopped dill or sweet pickles and combine. Spread on bread. Enjoy!

That was always my favorite sandwich spread and now it is James' also. I like mine with Miracle Whip and dill pickles.

I like to make ham and beans now and then, but being extremely short on money I have made it with Spam (I cube it and cook the cubes until the outsides are crisp, then add it toward the end) and it wasn't bad at all.

Barbara

 

[Barbara L]

Also - I currently have a "Collector's Edition" can of Spam that my mom sent me, which has a label depicting a caricature of "Monty Python's Holy Grail" from the Broadway play "Spam-A-Lot". I'm thinking once I consume the contents I'll keep the can as a pencil holder or some such thing.

At the Renaissance Festival last year in Charlotte, they were giving out Spam samples and selling Spam sandwiches!

Barbara

 

[Fisher's Mom]

I like Spam salad sandwiches. I use my good old Universal clamp-on grinder to grind the spam coarsely, add some mayo or Miracle Whip, chopped dill or sweet pickles and combine. Spread on bread. Enjoy!

I've never tried it ground up like a potted meat type of spread. Do you heat this up at all? I can't wait to tell my boys about this!

 

[Katie H]

No, I just take it out of the can and grind it up. Of course, it's refrigerated after I make it into Spam salad.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Thanks Katie. But there won't be any left over to put in my fridge - my sons are bottomless pits!

 

[Katie H]

Thanks Katie. But there won't be any left over to put in my fridge - my sons are bottomless pits!

They must be teenagers. When our 4 sons were teenagers, I almost considered having a secretary's chair available by the refrigerator so they could just open the door and roll up with their forks and have at it.

 

[Jeff G.]

We ate a lot of it in college. Slice 1/8" thick, fried in a HOT skillet so it's really crispy. Served it with Big John Beans....

tasty!!!

It makes a great sandwich with horseradish and a little mustard.

 

[kitchenelf]

Katie - my mom used to combine canned ham and - oh, I bet they don't make it anymore - it was a jarred pineapple spread. It was deeelish. I bet I could grind the Spam and make it like you said but add some pineapple cream cheese? We just spread it on crackers - it was very 50's - so much before my time!

 

[Katie H]

Katie - my mom used to combine canned ham and - oh, I bet they don't make it anymore - it was a jarred pineapple spread. It was deeelish. I bet I could grind the Spam and make it like you said but add some pineapple cream cheese? We just spread it on crackers - it was very 50's - so much before my time!

Yeah, I think adding the pineapple cream cheese spread would be delish.

About "so much before your time."..................

 

[sattie]

Love fried spam and egg sammiches.... I tend to cook my spam just a tad darker than what you have pictured. As a child, it was something that occupied our food pantry on a regular basis. I use an old cheese slicer to slice my spam so they are nice even slices every time!