How do you cook SPAM? I need ideas.
June 11, 2013 2:57 PM Subscribe
Unfortunately for those who have to hear me wax poetic about SPAM all of the time, this little tin of potted meat has been my obsession for the past week or so. I have tried a few things, and plan to try another, but I have two tins of SPAM, and only one recipe left.
I made SPAM quesadillas by shredding SPAM, frying it, putting the SPAM aside, and then adding it to quesadillas. This was delicious with shredded Tillammok cheddar, sour cream, and cilantro, especially the next day when I pulled them out of the fridge and ate them as cold leftovers. I also made grilled cheese SPAM sandwiches by cutting SPAM into suitable rectangles, broiling, and then making grilled cheese with the SPAM enclosed. This was good, but not half as good as were the quesadillas.
I plan on dicing up SPAM and frying it with frozen pineapples and then adding it to fried rice, but then I will be out of ideas.
I checked out the official SPAM Facebook page for recipes, but was intimidated by the thought of making maple syrup SPAM donuts for recipe number four. I was also intimidated by the extreme patriotism of many of the people that comment on Face SPAM recipes, but that’s beside the point.
What does the special snowflake hivemind at-large (or at least the small part of “special snowflake hivemind at-large” that eats SPAM) like to do with SPAM?
I made SPAM quesadillas by shredding SPAM, frying it, putting the SPAM aside, and then adding it to quesadillas. This was delicious with shredded Tillammok cheddar, sour cream, and cilantro, especially the next day when I pulled them out of the fridge and ate them as cold leftovers. I also made grilled cheese SPAM sandwiches by cutting SPAM into suitable rectangles, broiling, and then making grilled cheese with the SPAM enclosed. This was good, but not half as good as were the quesadillas.
I plan on dicing up SPAM and frying it with frozen pineapples and then adding it to fried rice, but then I will be out of ideas.
I checked out the official SPAM Facebook page for recipes, but was intimidated by the thought of making maple syrup SPAM donuts for recipe number four. I was also intimidated by the extreme patriotism of many of the people that comment on Face SPAM recipes, but that’s beside the point.
What does the special snowflake hivemind at-large (or at least the small part of “special snowflake hivemind at-large” that eats SPAM) like to do with SPAM?
Spam is great in eggs. Either do it hawaiian style and fry it in soy sauce and sugar before stirring it into eggs (plain or with pineapple chunks), or toss it in with some cheddar cheese and chopped onion.
posted by annekate at 3:11 PM on June 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by annekate at 3:11 PM on June 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
Tonkatsu-style Spam is also very good, and it can be added seamlessly to many Korean dishes.
posted by pullayup at 3:12 PM on June 11, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by pullayup at 3:12 PM on June 11, 2013 [2 favorites]
Classic po' folk Southern style is sliced, lightly dusted in corn meal and fried. And it. Is. Awesome.
If you haven't tried that, it's the quintessential way, far as I'm concerned.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 3:16 PM on June 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you haven't tried that, it's the quintessential way, far as I'm concerned.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 3:16 PM on June 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I am dying from thrill. Any confections?
posted by oceanjesse at 3:17 PM on June 11, 2013
posted by oceanjesse at 3:17 PM on June 11, 2013
I've eaten a lot of Spam in my life, but I've never found a lot of actual recipes since most people I know just fry it up and eat it with rice or throw it into whatever they feel like. Spam musubi is the classic, as mentioned. Occasionally I'll toss some into mac and cheese for that über-sodium kick, and it often gets tossed into whatever noodle soup concoction I might have on hand. It will work as a substitute for most recipes calling for breakfast sausage; I've used it very well in breakfast stratas and casseroles before. I'd share my dad's famous Spam fried rice with you, but that's less a recipe and more a state of mind.
posted by Diagonalize at 3:17 PM on June 11, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Diagonalize at 3:17 PM on June 11, 2013 [2 favorites]
It can be used in place of bacon, or as you would use ham.
Spam-n-beans. Fry spam, serve w/ baked beans.
Spam-n-eggs. Fry spam, cook eggs (possibly in spam drippings).
SLAT - fried Spam, lettuce, avocado, tomato on toast, with mayo, of course.
SpamFries - Homefies with spam.
Roasted brussels sprouts-n-spam Toss brussels sprouts in olive oil, begin roasting on a baking sheet at 400. Toss sprouts every 10 minutes. After 20 minutes, add spam, cut in strips, roast for another 20 minutes, tossing/ stirring every 10 mins. Timing is approximate. Other veggies can be roasted - cauliflower, sweet and/or white potatoes, onions, etc.
Grilled spam - baste with soy sauce and brown sugar or your favorite barbecue sauce. The sweet smokiness of grilling goes well with the saltiness of spam, and grilling gets id of a lot of the fat.
Now I am going to be singing the song all evening. Also, it has excellent menu ideas. Spam, spam, bacon and spam.
posted by theora55 at 3:28 PM on June 11, 2013
Spam-n-beans. Fry spam, serve w/ baked beans.
Spam-n-eggs. Fry spam, cook eggs (possibly in spam drippings).
SLAT - fried Spam, lettuce, avocado, tomato on toast, with mayo, of course.
SpamFries - Homefies with spam.
Roasted brussels sprouts-n-spam Toss brussels sprouts in olive oil, begin roasting on a baking sheet at 400. Toss sprouts every 10 minutes. After 20 minutes, add spam, cut in strips, roast for another 20 minutes, tossing/ stirring every 10 mins. Timing is approximate. Other veggies can be roasted - cauliflower, sweet and/or white potatoes, onions, etc.
Grilled spam - baste with soy sauce and brown sugar or your favorite barbecue sauce. The sweet smokiness of grilling goes well with the saltiness of spam, and grilling gets id of a lot of the fat.
Now I am going to be singing the song all evening. Also, it has excellent menu ideas. Spam, spam, bacon and spam.
posted by theora55 at 3:28 PM on June 11, 2013
My wife's late mother had a SPAM recipe: fry the spam. Line a backing pan with said SPAM. Pour in some backed beans. Top with American (or whatever kind you like) cheese. Bake until bubbly. Mmmmmmmmmm......
posted by brownrd at 3:31 PM on June 11, 2013
posted by brownrd at 3:31 PM on June 11, 2013
Best answer: Diced-up fried SPAM is amazing in macaroni and cheese.
posted by fiercecupcake at 3:36 PM on June 11, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by fiercecupcake at 3:36 PM on June 11, 2013 [2 favorites]
I assume you're young and healthy, because once a cardiologist gets a hold of you, she'll be pointing you to Spam's lack of nutrition, and excessive salt and fat.
Still, sometimes I can't stop myself. Once or twice a year, I'll cut two, half-ounce (i.e. wafer-thin) slices per person and fry them without additional fat into crisp "chips," then serve with a poached egg, chopped atop sourdough toast.
I throw away the rest of the contents of the can to avoid temptation, because Spam.
posted by Short Attention Sp at 3:52 PM on June 11, 2013
Still, sometimes I can't stop myself. Once or twice a year, I'll cut two, half-ounce (i.e. wafer-thin) slices per person and fry them without additional fat into crisp "chips," then serve with a poached egg, chopped atop sourdough toast.
I throw away the rest of the contents of the can to avoid temptation, because Spam.
posted by Short Attention Sp at 3:52 PM on June 11, 2013
Cut into small cubes, fried until crispy, and added to the mac & cheese of your choice. Hot sauce and peas optional.
posted by Lulu's Pink Converse at 4:00 PM on June 11, 2013
posted by Lulu's Pink Converse at 4:00 PM on June 11, 2013
Fried Spam and potatoes, maybe some onion. Add ketchup at the end.
posted by kamikazegopher at 4:06 PM on June 11, 2013
posted by kamikazegopher at 4:06 PM on June 11, 2013
I was instructed to point out that none of you have suggested kimchi fried rice with spam and a fried egg on top.
posted by janell at 4:20 PM on June 11, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by janell at 4:20 PM on June 11, 2013 [2 favorites]
I think anything that you could put diced ham in you could put Spam in. My favorite spam treat in Hawaii was a fried rice with shrimp, spam and egg. It was so delicious and sweet.
posted by Jaelma24 at 5:42 PM on June 11, 2013
posted by Jaelma24 at 5:42 PM on June 11, 2013
I have no recipe, but I know there is something to be done with deviled eggs and spam.
It's spam destiny.
posted by 58 at 6:00 PM on June 11, 2013
It's spam destiny.
posted by 58 at 6:00 PM on June 11, 2013
Mom used to slice it and fry it like ham, and serve with grits and eggs.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:16 PM on June 11, 2013
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:16 PM on June 11, 2013
I have not tried it, but it sounds delicious: SPAM carbonara.
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:21 PM on June 11, 2013
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:21 PM on June 11, 2013
Best answer: I had Spam for the first time last summer while out in the woods on a trail crew. Heaven! I've never actually tried this, but my wildland firefighter friend always recommended coating it in orange Gatorade powder (or "gato" as he called it) and frying it up that way. I guess the gato turns into an instant glaze? Not exactly spam foie gras, but probably better than MREs on spike. Offered in the spirit of inclusivity.
posted by Polyhymnia at 8:39 PM on June 11, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Polyhymnia at 8:39 PM on June 11, 2013 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Gato faux gras! I'm marking it as beat answer because it's hilarious. I think the gato counts as a confection, too.
I just bought some furikake, and I'm super super excited about the adventures to come. Thanks everyone for enabling my fleeting vice!
posted by oceanjesse at 9:48 PM on June 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
I just bought some furikake, and I'm super super excited about the adventures to come. Thanks everyone for enabling my fleeting vice!
posted by oceanjesse at 9:48 PM on June 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
re: SPAM chips; baking until crispy in the oven (on cookie racks, which are on baking sheets) works too - delish! I used these to spread with blue cheese cheesecake...mmm...
posted by Acer_saccharum at 12:33 PM on June 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Acer_saccharum at 12:33 PM on June 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Does anyone know a good recipe with both SPAM and chocolate as ingredients? The SPAM musubi was delicious, especially once everything cooled down.
posted by oceanjesse at 8:31 PM on June 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by oceanjesse at 8:31 PM on June 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
You may or may not be shocked that chocolate-covered Spam is a thing.
posted by pullayup at 11:00 AM on June 13, 2013
posted by pullayup at 11:00 AM on June 13, 2013
There is an excellent instructional video here on how to construct some tasty-looking sandwiches with spam, if you happen to have on hand a Japanese sandwich cutter with a panda on it.
posted by slightlybewildered at 2:04 AM on June 14, 2013
posted by slightlybewildered at 2:04 AM on June 14, 2013
This thread made me buy some SPAM (I bought the "lite" and I can't even tell the difference), and I've been having SPAM-spinach-tomato sandwiches on toasted wheat with mayo. Delicious, even if it does rip up the roof of your mouth.
posted by fiercecupcake at 5:58 PM on June 16, 2013
posted by fiercecupcake at 5:58 PM on June 16, 2013
Response by poster: Just to follow up, I made chocolate covered SPAM a few weeks ago, and wouldn't do it again unless I was using at least twice as much chocolate. I figured that one can of SPAM and two symphony bar-sized regular Hershey chocolates would do the trick, but I probably should have used four chocolate bars instead.
I cut the SPAM into four, then thinly sliced it and broiled for ten minutes. Then I tried to temper chocolate without a thermometer. Obviously that didn't work. I took the hot SPAM from the oven, laid the pieces flat onto wax paper, and poured gooey melted chocolate all over it. Then I rolled it up and stuck it into the freezer for two hours to encourage solidarity. It was a controversial housewarming gift.
Jalepeño SPAM brunoise, fried with scrambled eggs, and topped with halved cherry tomatoes, that was a bigger hit. Whisking the eggs with a little milk helped boost the yumminess a few more centimeters.
posted by oceanjesse at 9:51 AM on July 20, 2013
I cut the SPAM into four, then thinly sliced it and broiled for ten minutes. Then I tried to temper chocolate without a thermometer. Obviously that didn't work. I took the hot SPAM from the oven, laid the pieces flat onto wax paper, and poured gooey melted chocolate all over it. Then I rolled it up and stuck it into the freezer for two hours to encourage solidarity. It was a controversial housewarming gift.
Jalepeño SPAM brunoise, fried with scrambled eggs, and topped with halved cherry tomatoes, that was a bigger hit. Whisking the eggs with a little milk helped boost the yumminess a few more centimeters.
posted by oceanjesse at 9:51 AM on July 20, 2013
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posted by rtha at 3:01 PM on June 11, 2013 [13 favorites]