I think that is an empty can. A full can would have deformed somewhat from the 8000 PSI water pressure. A new can is never completely full–hence the ‘hiss’ of entering air when opened.
Except that it’s not true. Canning requires a container completely removed of air, otherwise it would collapse under pressure during retorting. Hence the undamaged can of spam.
“Do you realize that in addition to fluoridating water, why, there are studies underway to fluoridate salt, flour, fruit juices, soup, sugar, milk, ice cream? Ice cream, Mandrake? Children’s ice cream!…You know when fluoridation began?…1946. 1946, Mandrake. How does that coincide with your post-war Commie conspiracy, huh? It’s incredibly obvious, isn’t it? A foreign substance is introduced into our precious bodily fluids without the knowledge of the individual, and certainly without any choice. That’s the way your hard-core Commie works. I first became aware of it, Mandrake, during the physical act of love…Yes, a profound sense of fatigue, a feeling of emptiness followed. Luckily I-I was able to interpret these feelings correctly. Loss of essence. I can assure you it has not recurred, Mandrake. Women, er, women sense my power, and they seek the life essence. I do not avoid women, Mandrake…but I do deny them my essence.”
General Jack D Ripper
Stucky
January 30, 2018 9:31 am
A single serving of spam has about 53% of the recommended amount of sodium. It’s high in cholesterol and fat, and it has no nutrients or vitamins. It also doesn’t have actual meat.
No other country in the world has people stupid enough to eat that shit. What does that say about Americans?
OTOH, no one has ever offered me spam. I have never seen anyone eating spam. I’ve never seen a can of spam in a shopping cart. I’m not into conspiracies, but this Spam Shit sounds like a massive conspiracy. I believe my town uses spam to fill potholes.
It’s chock full of protein, vitamin B-12 and necessary fat and cholesterol. Plus you get 53% of your sodium from it – so you don’t have to go looking for more sodium.
There are other funny comments too …. rectangular cows …. Spabbit …. used as a rock …. eat the plank ….. eating Spam Lite for health reasons …. hilarious.
But, my friend, I must tell you that I am stunned ….. STUNNED!!!! ….. that we have folks here who eat that SHIT! And pretend to do so for valid reasons. Emergency food??? For fuksakes dried beef jerky …. REAL MEAT … lasts for years! And if you’re a dude … you have a dick you can cut off and eat … in an emergency.
Wow. You’re taking this kind of personal. Why the hostility?
There are good fats. There are bad fats.
There’s good cholesterol. There’s bad cholesterol.
Iska Waran
January 30, 2018 9:33 am
It’s made in Austin, MN. Good stuff. They eat a lot of it in Hawaii. It’s emergency meat. You should always have at least one can on hand. I go with Spam Light because I’m attuned to my health.
It’s quite popular in the U.K. Probably got used to having it in the American food imports after WW2.
unit472/
January 30, 2018 9:41 am
I think the word ‘Spam’ was Hormel’s contraction of spiced ham as it is a pork product. It is high in sodium thus this ‘reduced sodium’ variant found at the bottom of the ocean but I find it tasty if seared in a pan and you are out of bacon.
hardscrabble farmer
January 30, 2018 9:49 am
Actually that photo is from Mars.
And if you have never eaten musubi, you haven’t lived.
Exactly! And you hooked the key in a little tab and rolled the metal around the key, theoretically. I simply rolled the tin lid off and sliced up my little clumsy fingers, causing my mother to declare I would eat school lunches from then on.
Ah, the good old days. Time for Eric Peters to write a column about how you can’t even find a good pliers-assisted twist-off can anymore.
Steve C.
January 30, 2018 9:58 am
Although we all laugh at it, Iska Waran is right that it is a good emergency meat. It has a long shelf life.
I’ve tried all of the varieties and I have found that SPAM Lite is the only one that is edible for me.
I fry it like bacon. It actually makes a pretty good breakfast sandwich – scrambled egg, slice of fried SPAM, slice of cheese, on a toasted English Muffin. Sort of a SPAM-McMuffin…
Always good to keep a few cans in the pantry for hurricane season down here in the Swamp. Power was out for two weeks with Hurricane Ike and about four days with ‘The Harv’, so even if you don’t like the stuff it’s a good idea to keep some on hand at least for emergencies.
The best way to prepare SPAM: Get a cedar plank, slice the SPAM thinly. Tack it to the plank. You must roast it, on the plank for 30 minutes, at 350 degrees. Remove from oven, let it rest (like a good steak), remove the SPAM from the plank. Throw the SPAM away, and eat the plank!
And I could offer them with or without the testicles.
Seriously, Stucky’s right… there are a lot of ways to have emergency protein supplies that don’t involve the animal remnants that are in that can of SPAM.
HaHa……”Bit ‘o’ Bunny” , that is really clever Mags. (I laughed)
I still like Bit-o-Honey candy, if you can find the stuff.
John Prokovich
January 30, 2018 11:41 am
Fried spam and eggs 2-3 times a year is good breakfast.
James M Dakin
January 30, 2018 11:50 am
Spam is gross, but it is that or $15 a pound freeze dried meat for the apocalypse. I bought mine while Koger was offering generic for $1.30 a can just a few years ago. Don’t buy the Wal-Mart generic-reports are the can isn’t sealed well for long term storage. Meat in the wet can will last as long as freeze dried. Don’t fall for the hype. I only opened my 12 year old cans because I stored them improperly and the rust started getting serious. Still good.
You seem incapable of understanding the Two Golden Rules; 1) you are what you eat, 2) you are what you eat ate.
You seem incapable of understanding GIGO; garbage in, garbage out.
You seem incapable of understanding that eating shit food WILL lead to your body becoming sick and diseased.
You seem incapable of understanding the saying; pay me now or pay me later. That the money you save by buying shit food today will cost you dearly down the line … perhaps even with your life.
You ate 12 year old spam from a rusted can. You are a fucking moron.
The safe shelf life of canned meats is around 5-6 years. James D, you are taking a real risk eating that old meat BUT as you are not dead, I guess it can be done. I would not try it myself.
I think the shelf life may vary as to the specific type of food but if properly canned it is a lot longer than we think.
An example is the steamboat Bertrand which sank in 1865 on the Missouri river and remained buried in the mud until discovered about 100 years later. The cargo contained canned food such as peaches, oysters, plum tomatoes and mixed vegetables. The National Food Processors Association tested the food for bacterial contamination and nutrient content and found the food safe to eat with high protein and calcium levels but lacking in some vitamins like A and C.
Anonymous
January 30, 2018 12:04 pm
Iska Waran
January 30, 2018 12:21 pm
Based on multivariate social analysis, consumption of Spam clearly keeps you from going insane, bending down to smell another guy’s butt, raping little girls and chopping people’s heads off. Avoid Spam at your own peril.
Spam is nasty. Even if you can manage to carmelize it perfectly, it’s still not worth a bite. Never heard of Lite Spam. The Lutherans up your way even added it to their egg-salad (I forget what they called it) and it was still nasty.
It’s true that the Hawaiian’s love it though. Captain Cook often left a breeding pair on the South Pacific islands he visited. Thus their ‘taste’ for it.
When I was living in Hawaii about 50 years ago I remember being told by a Hawaiian man that some south Pacific islanders liked Spam because it tasted like long pork (people).
Talk crap about Spam all you want, fried with eggs, add some Cholula hot sauce, tastes great!
Mark
January 30, 2018 2:20 pm
So I went into one of my rut roo…the S has HTF stashes (this one under the sauna in the sun-room where I rat holed 25 cans of modern day Cosco thin sliced SPAM classsic.
Right on the front it says in red letters…24% LESS SODIUM (see Stucky their trying)
INGREDIENTS:
Pork with ham
Mechanically separated chicken (I have been in chicken slaughter houses this is what ever is left, assholes and elbows)
Water
Salt
Modofied potato starch
Sugar
Sodium phosphates
Potassium chlorde
Sodium Ascorbate
Sodium Nitrite
Now here is the Paul Harvey rest of the Story:
Serving size 2 oz.
12 ounces per can
Calories 180
Fat Calories 140
Total fat 16g 25%
Total Carbs 1g 0%
Sat. Fat 6g 30%
Fiber 0%
Sugars 0%
Cholest. 40mg `13%
Protein 7g
Sodium 580mg 24%
Vit A 0%…C30%…Calcium 0% Iron 2%
More good news…Gluten Free!
Visit them at http://www.spam.com
You can fry it, bake, micro wave it (I love it fried with eggs)
My Spam and my Vienna Sausage stash have their place in my Preppers horde…but I wouldn’t eat’em much except when my wife is out of town (I love both) but want to keep my blood pressure in the 120/130’s so I will still be alive when TSHTF!
However, If all stays well on my farm…I’ll betcha ya they both will be invaluable barter items!
8 Things You Didn’t Know About Spam (Like, Why You Should Try It)
Do you have any idea why unwanted emails are named after a mysterious, canned meat? Yeah, we didn’t either, which is why we dove headfirst into everything you could ever want to know about Spam, including — most importantly — if you should eat it.
1. Why Is It Called Spam Mail?
The phrase “spam mail” was inspired by the below 1970 Monty Python sketch in which the canned meat is portrayed as ubiquitous and inescapable — kind of like the gajillion emails J. Crew sends us each day.
2. What Exactly Is Spam?
Apparently it’s not a mystery meat at all. In fact, the product’s list of ingredients is shorter and less mysterious than most hot dogs. According to Spam’s website, the canned meat contains only 6 ingredients: already-cooked pork (two different cuts: pork shoulder and ham), salt, water, potato starch (to keep the meat moist), sugar and sodium nitrite (a common preservative).
spam
3. How Do You Eat Spam?
Spam rose to popularity since you can eat it right out of the can, making it a useful product for feeding soldiers during World War II. But according to Spam enthusiasts, eating plain, cold Spam is like eating plain, cold chicken breast. Devotees swear that it lends itself to a variety of culinary deliciousness. For breakfast, try it cubed and pan-fried in a hash with potatoes, peppers and onions. For dinner, try a thin, grilled slice on top of your favorite burger. (It’s like a bacon substitute!) Got some left over rice? Dice your Spam and whip up some salty fried rice.
spam and eggs
4. Does Anyone Actually Eat Spam?
Apparently. More than 7 billion cans have been sold and the product is now available in 41 countries. It is especially popular in Asia and the Pacific Islands, including Hawaii and Guam where, on average, each person consumes 16 tins of Spam each year. McDonald’s in Hawaii even features special Spam menu items.
spam mcdonalds
5. It Can’t Be Good For You … Can It?
Not really — it does have a lot of sodium and the effects of sodium nitrite, which preserves meat and prevents bacterial growth, aren’t fully understood. That being said, when was the last time you indulged in a hot dog or some pepperoni — both of which are high in sodium and sodium nitrites? Moreover, most hot dogs have about ten more ingredients (including far more chemicals) than Spam’s simple 6.
hot dog
6. What Does The Name Mean?
Apparently no one really knows where the name Spam came from. According to the company, “one popular belief says it’s derived from the words ‘spiced ham.’ Others suggest it’s an acronym for ‘shoulders of pork and ham.’” Wikipedia says it could also be an acronym for “special processed american meat.”
spam
7. Where Does Spam Come From?
Austin, Minn., is known as “Spam Town USA” and is home to parent company Hormel’s corporate headquarters. The proud town even features a 16,500-square-foot Spam museum, which is affectionately (and awesomely) dubbed the Guggenham.
spam museum
8. So… Should You Eat It?
It definitely takes a strong stomach to get over the initial pale pink appearance of Spam in the can. But trust in its staying power, its simple ingredients, and the great state of Hawaii and you just might find the strength to experiment with this iconic American staple. Admit it; Spam sushi looks pretty yummy:
spam
True. Salt is used as a preservative and to prevent bacterial growth.
But …. THAT much?? I don’t think so.
It’s for taste. A person would simply never be able to eat that SHIT without so very much salt to hide whatever the fuck they put in there … ever. Hilarious fact.
Salt is both a preservative used in curing and an anti-bacterial- it draws water out of their cells through the membrane. I cure all kinds of pork and beef using salt and it not only imparts a great flavor, it can lengthen the storage life of meats to years- much longer than freezing.
Hardknocks
January 30, 2018 4:35 pm
Just once was all it took.
Visited 2 friends from high school, after we’d graduated. Went to a pub. Many pitchers of Labatts. Hours later, at a party store on the way home, 1 picked up a can of that, that …whatever TF that stuff is.
After staggering back up the front steps & into their rental, drunk, but hungry, a question. What to eat?
The leftover pork roast from the night before, or Spam sammys w Doritos from the aforementioned party store. Coin toss. Spam won. Dammit! On top of a belly full of beer, the Spam was a rental, too, for about 20 minutes. Shortly thereafter was deposited violently from a convulsing stomach, rejecting it into the bushes just off the porch.
That was almost 40 years ago, and I haven’t touched it since. No way.
Alejandro again?
My brother had imaginary friends as a child.
Derm and Doobie.
I still hang out with Doobie occasionally.
But my point is that we all know your friend Alejandro is imaginary, you insouciant little bunny trollop.
I don’t know what your problem is, but you choice of derogatory terminology is offputting, but as far as my little joke with EC about my old Latino friends which may or may not exist?
Go play with your doobie somewhere else and I’ll avoid calling attention to your ignorance.
Oh Maggie, I am not ignorant, I am just teasing you.
Something boys used to be allowed to do to girls.
But I would love some examples of my ignorance if you so wish to call attention to it.
Fulton
January 30, 2018 6:28 pm
Spam us actually a relatively simple and pure food product!
I think that is an empty can. A full can would have deformed somewhat from the 8000 PSI water pressure. A new can is never completely full–hence the ‘hiss’ of entering air when opened.
A new can is never completely full–hence the ‘hiss’ of entering air when opened.
So you have given yourself away – you actually eat the stuff!
Except that it’s not true. Canning requires a container completely removed of air, otherwise it would collapse under pressure during retorting. Hence the undamaged can of spam.
If Spam were incompressible, that would be true. But it isn’t.
I used to wonder just what in the hell ‘SPAM’ was (the stuff in the can, not the unwanted email).
Then I remembered that back in the 70’s I used to wonder just what the hell ‘Naugahyde’ was (as opposed to that fine Corinthian leather stuff).
I finally decided that SPAM must be the animal that Naugahyde comes from.
HSF – Do you raise any SPAM-Cows on your farm? They’d probably last forever…
The SPAM cows are rectangular – thus take up less space in the barn.
SPAM-SPAM-SPAM-SPAM & SPAM in a Naugahyde wrap & SPAM.
Bloody Vikings…
No longer fit for human consumption, Spam is made in China now. Why are the Chinks in charge of 45% of our food supply?
“Do you realize that in addition to fluoridating water, why, there are studies underway to fluoridate salt, flour, fruit juices, soup, sugar, milk, ice cream? Ice cream, Mandrake? Children’s ice cream!…You know when fluoridation began?…1946. 1946, Mandrake. How does that coincide with your post-war Commie conspiracy, huh? It’s incredibly obvious, isn’t it? A foreign substance is introduced into our precious bodily fluids without the knowledge of the individual, and certainly without any choice. That’s the way your hard-core Commie works. I first became aware of it, Mandrake, during the physical act of love…Yes, a profound sense of fatigue, a feeling of emptiness followed. Luckily I-I was able to interpret these feelings correctly. Loss of essence. I can assure you it has not recurred, Mandrake. Women, er, women sense my power, and they seek the life essence. I do not avoid women, Mandrake…but I do deny them my essence.”
General Jack D Ripper
A single serving of spam has about 53% of the recommended amount of sodium. It’s high in cholesterol and fat, and it has no nutrients or vitamins. It also doesn’t have actual meat.
No other country in the world has people stupid enough to eat that shit. What does that say about Americans?
OTOH, no one has ever offered me spam. I have never seen anyone eating spam. I’ve never seen a can of spam in a shopping cart. I’m not into conspiracies, but this Spam Shit sounds like a massive conspiracy. I believe my town uses spam to fill potholes.
It’s chock full of protein, vitamin B-12 and necessary fat and cholesterol. Plus you get 53% of your sodium from it – so you don’t have to go looking for more sodium.
True: food of the Gods!
Stucky, you’re not allowed to leave this place ever again. Too funny and insightful.
Thank Yeew.
There are other funny comments too …. rectangular cows …. Spabbit …. used as a rock …. eat the plank ….. eating Spam Lite for health reasons …. hilarious.
But, my friend, I must tell you that I am stunned ….. STUNNED!!!! ….. that we have folks here who eat that SHIT! And pretend to do so for valid reasons. Emergency food??? For fuksakes dried beef jerky …. REAL MEAT … lasts for years! And if you’re a dude … you have a dick you can cut off and eat … in an emergency.
I don’t know what it is Stuck, you have a way about you.
You haven’t been commenting as often as I’m used to so I thought I’d give you a boost.
I don’t want the site to go Stuckless again.
I believe you also get your MDR of rodent feces, and insect parts.
You’re thinking of Granola or Peanut Butter
If you think fat and cholesterol are bad for you, you’re a fucking moran.
Wow. You’re taking this kind of personal. Why the hostility?
There are good fats. There are bad fats.
There’s good cholesterol. There’s bad cholesterol.
It’s made in Austin, MN. Good stuff. They eat a lot of it in Hawaii. It’s emergency meat. You should always have at least one can on hand. I go with Spam Light because I’m attuned to my health.
It’s made by illegals that never wash their hands. In Minnesota, a frozen can of SPAM can be used as a rock.
You must be thinking of No-Name Steaks, made with loving unwashed (and undocumented) hands in St. Michael by J&B Meats.
The HR mexican there was busted 3 times as of 5 years ago, wonder if ICE has shown up yet…
It’s quite popular in the U.K. Probably got used to having it in the American food imports after WW2.
I think the word ‘Spam’ was Hormel’s contraction of spiced ham as it is a pork product. It is high in sodium thus this ‘reduced sodium’ variant found at the bottom of the ocean but I find it tasty if seared in a pan and you are out of bacon.
Actually that photo is from Mars.
And if you have never eaten musubi, you haven’t lived.
[img
[/img]
Thanks for the image, it reminded me to get some duct-tape when I get to the hardware store.
Didn’t SPAM have the first popup tabs to remove the lid? I remember in elementary school that the lid had to come off in kind of a spiral process.
Sharp edges. I cut my fingers on a SPAM lid in second grade so bad my mother didn’t let me take my own lunch until high school.
Mom always used a key that was tack welded (resistance welded) on the can’s bottom.
Exactly! And you hooked the key in a little tab and rolled the metal around the key, theoretically. I simply rolled the tin lid off and sliced up my little clumsy fingers, causing my mother to declare I would eat school lunches from then on.
A lot of cans had that twist off key thing years ago. Coffee cans, sardine cans, etc.
Not only was it a pain in the ass, the damned thing would usually break halfway around and you would have to use a pliers to finish opening it.
Glad those things are history.
Ah, the good old days. Time for Eric Peters to write a column about how you can’t even find a good pliers-assisted twist-off can anymore.
Although we all laugh at it, Iska Waran is right that it is a good emergency meat. It has a long shelf life.
I’ve tried all of the varieties and I have found that SPAM Lite is the only one that is edible for me.
I fry it like bacon. It actually makes a pretty good breakfast sandwich – scrambled egg, slice of fried SPAM, slice of cheese, on a toasted English Muffin. Sort of a SPAM-McMuffin…
Always good to keep a few cans in the pantry for hurricane season down here in the Swamp. Power was out for two weeks with Hurricane Ike and about four days with ‘The Harv’, so even if you don’t like the stuff it’s a good idea to keep some on hand at least for emergencies.
The best way to prepare SPAM: Get a cedar plank, slice the SPAM thinly. Tack it to the plank. You must roast it, on the plank for 30 minutes, at 350 degrees. Remove from oven, let it rest (like a good steak), remove the SPAM from the plank. Throw the SPAM away, and eat the plank!
Properly pressure canned meat keeps just as long when stored in a stable temperature out of sunlight.
I could call my little jars of single-serve rabbit something clever… perhaps Spabbit?
‘Magbits’
Mags Bite’o’ Bunny
And I could offer them with or without the testicles.
Seriously, Stucky’s right… there are a lot of ways to have emergency protein supplies that don’t involve the animal remnants that are in that can of SPAM.
HaHa……”Bit ‘o’ Bunny” , that is really clever Mags. (I laughed)
I still like Bit-o-Honey candy, if you can find the stuff.
Fried spam and eggs 2-3 times a year is good breakfast.
Spam is gross, but it is that or $15 a pound freeze dried meat for the apocalypse. I bought mine while Koger was offering generic for $1.30 a can just a few years ago. Don’t buy the Wal-Mart generic-reports are the can isn’t sealed well for long term storage. Meat in the wet can will last as long as freeze dried. Don’t fall for the hype. I only opened my 12 year old cans because I stored them improperly and the rust started getting serious. Still good.
I fry up 2-3 times a year.
You seem incapable of understanding the Two Golden Rules; 1) you are what you eat, 2) you are what you eat ate.
You seem incapable of understanding GIGO; garbage in, garbage out.
You seem incapable of understanding that eating shit food WILL lead to your body becoming sick and diseased.
You seem incapable of understanding the saying; pay me now or pay me later. That the money you save by buying shit food today will cost you dearly down the line … perhaps even with your life.
You ate 12 year old spam from a rusted can. You are a fucking moron.
The safe shelf life of canned meats is around 5-6 years. James D, you are taking a real risk eating that old meat BUT as you are not dead, I guess it can be done. I would not try it myself.
I think the shelf life may vary as to the specific type of food but if properly canned it is a lot longer than we think.
An example is the steamboat Bertrand which sank in 1865 on the Missouri river and remained buried in the mud until discovered about 100 years later. The cargo contained canned food such as peaches, oysters, plum tomatoes and mixed vegetables. The National Food Processors Association tested the food for bacterial contamination and nutrient content and found the food safe to eat with high protein and calcium levels but lacking in some vitamins like A and C.
Based on multivariate social analysis, consumption of Spam clearly keeps you from going insane, bending down to smell another guy’s butt, raping little girls and chopping people’s heads off. Avoid Spam at your own peril.
Not the hill to die on, Iska.
Spam is nasty. Even if you can manage to carmelize it perfectly, it’s still not worth a bite. Never heard of Lite Spam. The Lutherans up your way even added it to their egg-salad (I forget what they called it) and it was still nasty.
It’s true that the Hawaiian’s love it though. Captain Cook often left a breeding pair on the South Pacific islands he visited. Thus their ‘taste’ for it.
When I was living in Hawaii about 50 years ago I remember being told by a Hawaiian man that some south Pacific islanders liked Spam because it tasted like long pork (people).
Pork shoulder……not quite ham.
What’s not to like?
Talk crap about Spam all you want, fried with eggs, add some Cholula hot sauce, tastes great!
So I went into one of my rut roo…the S has HTF stashes (this one under the sauna in the sun-room where I rat holed 25 cans of modern day Cosco thin sliced SPAM classsic.
Right on the front it says in red letters…24% LESS SODIUM (see Stucky their trying)
INGREDIENTS:
Pork with ham
Mechanically separated chicken (I have been in chicken slaughter houses this is what ever is left, assholes and elbows)
Water
Salt
Modofied potato starch
Sugar
Sodium phosphates
Potassium chlorde
Sodium Ascorbate
Sodium Nitrite
Now here is the Paul Harvey rest of the Story:
Serving size 2 oz.
12 ounces per can
Calories 180
Fat Calories 140
Total fat 16g 25%
Total Carbs 1g 0%
Sat. Fat 6g 30%
Fiber 0%
Sugars 0%
Cholest. 40mg `13%
Protein 7g
Sodium 580mg 24%
Vit A 0%…C30%…Calcium 0% Iron 2%
More good news…Gluten Free!
Visit them at http://www.spam.com
You can fry it, bake, micro wave it (I love it fried with eggs)
My Spam and my Vienna Sausage stash have their place in my Preppers horde…but I wouldn’t eat’em much except when my wife is out of town (I love both) but want to keep my blood pressure in the 120/130’s so I will still be alive when TSHTF!
However, If all stays well on my farm…I’ll betcha ya they both will be invaluable barter items!
Uh huh.
A question no one asks, or considers …. Why do they add so much salt?
Tell me what the answer is.
Stucky,
I’m guessing No. 5 is the answer?
8 Things You Didn’t Know About Spam (Like, Why You Should Try It)
Do you have any idea why unwanted emails are named after a mysterious, canned meat? Yeah, we didn’t either, which is why we dove headfirst into everything you could ever want to know about Spam, including — most importantly — if you should eat it.
1. Why Is It Called Spam Mail?
The phrase “spam mail” was inspired by the below 1970 Monty Python sketch in which the canned meat is portrayed as ubiquitous and inescapable — kind of like the gajillion emails J. Crew sends us each day.
2. What Exactly Is Spam?
Apparently it’s not a mystery meat at all. In fact, the product’s list of ingredients is shorter and less mysterious than most hot dogs. According to Spam’s website, the canned meat contains only 6 ingredients: already-cooked pork (two different cuts: pork shoulder and ham), salt, water, potato starch (to keep the meat moist), sugar and sodium nitrite (a common preservative).
spam
3. How Do You Eat Spam?
Spam rose to popularity since you can eat it right out of the can, making it a useful product for feeding soldiers during World War II. But according to Spam enthusiasts, eating plain, cold Spam is like eating plain, cold chicken breast. Devotees swear that it lends itself to a variety of culinary deliciousness. For breakfast, try it cubed and pan-fried in a hash with potatoes, peppers and onions. For dinner, try a thin, grilled slice on top of your favorite burger. (It’s like a bacon substitute!) Got some left over rice? Dice your Spam and whip up some salty fried rice.
spam and eggs
4. Does Anyone Actually Eat Spam?
Apparently. More than 7 billion cans have been sold and the product is now available in 41 countries. It is especially popular in Asia and the Pacific Islands, including Hawaii and Guam where, on average, each person consumes 16 tins of Spam each year. McDonald’s in Hawaii even features special Spam menu items.
spam mcdonalds
5. It Can’t Be Good For You … Can It?
Not really — it does have a lot of sodium and the effects of sodium nitrite, which preserves meat and prevents bacterial growth, aren’t fully understood. That being said, when was the last time you indulged in a hot dog or some pepperoni — both of which are high in sodium and sodium nitrites? Moreover, most hot dogs have about ten more ingredients (including far more chemicals) than Spam’s simple 6.
hot dog
6. What Does The Name Mean?
Apparently no one really knows where the name Spam came from. According to the company, “one popular belief says it’s derived from the words ‘spiced ham.’ Others suggest it’s an acronym for ‘shoulders of pork and ham.’” Wikipedia says it could also be an acronym for “special processed american meat.”
spam
7. Where Does Spam Come From?
Austin, Minn., is known as “Spam Town USA” and is home to parent company Hormel’s corporate headquarters. The proud town even features a 16,500-square-foot Spam museum, which is affectionately (and awesomely) dubbed the Guggenham.
spam museum
8. So… Should You Eat It?
It definitely takes a strong stomach to get over the initial pale pink appearance of Spam in the can. But trust in its staying power, its simple ingredients, and the great state of Hawaii and you just might find the strength to experiment with this iconic American staple. Admit it; Spam sushi looks pretty yummy:
spam
True. Salt is used as a preservative and to prevent bacterial growth.
But …. THAT much?? I don’t think so.
It’s for taste. A person would simply never be able to eat that SHIT without so very much salt to hide whatever the fuck they put in there … ever. Hilarious fact.
Stucky – SPAM Lite is actually pretty good.
50% less fat.
25% less sodium
33% fewer calories
Broaden your horizons. Fry some up. Give it a try.
Maybe if you put a little cinnamon on it…
Salt is both a preservative used in curing and an anti-bacterial- it draws water out of their cells through the membrane. I cure all kinds of pork and beef using salt and it not only imparts a great flavor, it can lengthen the storage life of meats to years- much longer than freezing.
Just once was all it took.
Visited 2 friends from high school, after we’d graduated. Went to a pub. Many pitchers of Labatts. Hours later, at a party store on the way home, 1 picked up a can of that, that …whatever TF that stuff is.
After staggering back up the front steps & into their rental, drunk, but hungry, a question. What to eat?
The leftover pork roast from the night before, or Spam sammys w Doritos from the aforementioned party store. Coin toss. Spam won. Dammit! On top of a belly full of beer, the Spam was a rental, too, for about 20 minutes. Shortly thereafter was deposited violently from a convulsing stomach, rejecting it into the bushes just off the porch.
That was almost 40 years ago, and I haven’t touched it since. No way.
I have a similar raw oyster and tequila sunrise story. With my friend, Alejandro.
Alejandro again?
My brother had imaginary friends as a child.
Derm and Doobie.
I still hang out with Doobie occasionally.
But my point is that we all know your friend Alejandro is imaginary, you insouciant little bunny trollop.
I don’t know what your problem is, but you choice of derogatory terminology is offputting, but as far as my little joke with EC about my old Latino friends which may or may not exist?
Go play with your doobie somewhere else and I’ll avoid calling attention to your ignorance.
Oh Maggie, I am not ignorant, I am just teasing you.
Something boys used to be allowed to do to girls.
But I would love some examples of my ignorance if you so wish to call attention to it.
Spam us actually a relatively simple and pure food product!