Homemade Spam Recipe - What, Why, and How (2024)

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Spam. Mystery meat. No thanks. Nasty. Who eats that stuff? I wanted nothing to do with Spam. I didn’t even know what Spam was – only that it was something to be avoided at all costs. I heard that it was popular in Hawaii and that there, people eat it on rice as Spam musubi. Really?? Then, Heidi Berger posted several times on my Facebook page about Spam cupcakes. “Trust me when I say Spam cupcakes are NOT gross ;-),” she insisted.

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I didn’t trust Heidi. I knew that Spam cupcakes would be gross because Spam is disgusting – meat in a can just isn’t right (I blindly thought, having never ingested it). Would homemade Spam be better? What gives Spam its flavor, and could I make a version myself that I would feel comfortable eating? Would my homemade version of Spam then make for a tasty cupcake flavor? I had to find out.

Table of Contentsshow

What Is Spam?

As many of you know, Spam stands for spiced ham. It’s made with pork shoulder and ham. The ingredient list is actually quite small and contains nothing too scary: Pork with Ham, Salt, Water, Modified Potato Starch, Sugar, Sodium Nitrite. Before I made my homemade Spam, I had to buy a can to see what it tasted like.

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I found that Spam tastes like salty ham – very, very salty ham. It wasn’t nearly as bad as legend had it. If I ever bought Spam again, I would definitely buy the low-sodium version [paid link].

Why Bother Making Homemade Spam?

The best reason for making homemade Spam or homemade anything is that when you make it yourself, you know exactly what is going into it. Homemade Spam is decidedly not mystery meat. It’s just plain old pork and ham.

How Does the Homemade Version Compare to the Canned Spam?

The end result tasted pretty close to Spam. It was just about the right color, the texture was similar (not quite as slimy as the original), and the taste was the same, although significantly less salty.

Ingredients

I made homemade Spam using pork shoulder,

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ham,

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two cloves of garlic, and Morton Tender Quick [paid link] (salt used for curing meat that also gives the homemade Spam its pink color).

How It’s Made

It was really hard to find a recipe for homemade Spam. The closest thing that I could find was a post on Morgans Menu which describes the general idea of how to make Spam, but it’s short on specifics. I used that post as a guideline, however I strayed from her suggestion of using duck and chicken in addition to the pork and ham; I wanted to stick with the classic mixture. I also got some assistance from local chef Chuck Friedhoff who pointed out that Spam is really just a pâté and encouraged me to look at pâté recipes. I never thought of that before, and I now wonder if a gourmet restaurant could get away with serving Spam if they just called it pork pâté.

Begin by preheating your oven to 300 F.

Grind the pork shoulder in a meat grinder (I used a tabletop meat grinder [paid link], but the KitchenAid meat grinder attachment [paid link] would probably have been easier), then set aside.

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Finely mince the ham with the garlic in a food processor (I used my mini Cuisinart [paid link]) or by hand.

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Dump the pork shoulder, ham/garlic, and Tender Quick into a large bowl and mix by hand until fully combined.

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Pack the meat mixture into a bread pan and cover with foil, then place the bread pan into a large baking dish filled 3/4 full with water.

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Place the baking dish into the oven and bake for three hours. You want the internal temperature of the Spam to reach 155 F.

Remove from the oven, uncover the bread pan and try not to be too grossed out by all of the fat that has emerged from the meat. Nonchalantly dump all of the fat into a jar or can to dispose of later.

Note: During my first attempt at making homemade Spam, I neglected to dump out the fat. When I later pulled the Spam out of the fridge, it had a layer of white creamy fat on top of it and a layer of natural Jello under that. I could barely stomach it.

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Next, cover the bread pan loosely with foil and place a heavy weight on top of the foil. I took bricks and put them in another bread pan and put that bread pan on the Spam. You may need to get creative, but I’m sure you can find something in your house that will work. The whole point of adding weight to the top is to compress the meat and help to extract melted fat and liquid.

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Once the Spam has cooled to room temperature, place it into the refrigerator and keep it there overnight.

In the morning, your Spam will be ready to use however you choose to use it.

Note: Since homemade Spam is not canned, it will not last forever. Keep it as long as you would keep ham.

Expert Tips and FAQs

Where can I find Morton Tender Quick?

You can buy it in many grocery stores in the United States or find it on Amazon [paid link]. If it’s not available near you, try an online retailer or consider using another curing mix containing salt, sugar, sodium nitrite, and sodium nitrate.

Why do you use curing salt in this recipe?

Tender Quick (which isn’t a tenderizer) gives the Spam a good mixture of salty and sweet and adds preservatives to keep it from spoiling quickly once refrigerated. The sodium nitrite in the cure also gives the finished product its proper pink color.

What can I do with homemade Spam?

Use it anywhere you’d normally use Spam. For some ideas, you could mix it with greens and black eyed peas for a rich and flavorful casserole (don’t add any extra salt to the mixture as there’s more than enough salt in the Spam), eat it on rice as Spam musubi (I’m still a little skeptical about that one, Hawaii), or save some for homemade Spam cupcakes.

How long will this last?

Homemade Spam is not canned, so it will not last forever. Store it in the refrigerator and keep it as long as you would keep ham.

  • Candied spam
  • Pork pot pie
  • Candied pineapple

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

Homemade Spam Recipe - What, Why, and How (11)

Print Pin

5 from 3 votes

Homemade Spam

This homemade spam tastes and looks just like the real thing!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutesminutes

Cook Time 3 hourshours

Cooling Time 8 hourshours

Total Time 11 hourshours15 minutesminutes

Servings 16

Calories 103kcal

Author Stefani

Equipment

  • Meat grinder

  • Meat thermometer

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2poundspork shouldercubed, refrigerated or frozen; choose a piece that's pretty fatty – fat is a good thing when making Spam
  • 3ouncesham
  • 2garlic cloveschopped
  • 3 1/2teaspoonsMorton Tender Quick [paid link]

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300 F (150 C).

  • Grind the pork shoulder in a meat grinder, then set aside.

  • Finely mince the ham with the garlic in a food processor.

  • Add the pork shoulder, ham/garlic, and Tender Quick into a large bowl and mix by hand until fully combined.

  • Pack the meat mixture into a bread pan and cover with foil.

  • Place the bread pan into a large baking dish filled 3/4 full with water.

  • Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for three hours. Make sure that the internal temperature of the Spam is 155 F (69 C).

  • Remove from the oven, uncover the bread pan, and drain the fat into a jar or can to dispose of later.

  • Cover the bread pan loosely with foil and place a heavy weight on top of the foil. (I put bricks in another bread pan and put that on top of the foiled Spam. You may need to get creative, but I'm sure you can find something in your house that will work.)

  • Allow to cool, then place the weighed down Spam into the refrigerator and keep it there overnight.

  • In the morning, your Spam will be ready to use however you choose to use it.

Notes

If you can’t find Morton Tender Quick where you are, look for a fast curing salt mix that contains salt, sugar, sodium nitrite, and sodium nitrate.

Homemade Spam is not canned, so it will not last forever. Keep it as long as you would keep ham.

Nutrition

Calories: 103kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 610mg | Potassium: 285mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg

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Homemade Spam Recipe - What, Why, and How (2024)

FAQs

How do they make Spam? ›

First, the pork and ham are ground. Then, salt, sugar and the rest of the ingredients are added and mixed. From there, the mixture is moved over to the canning line, where it's filled into the familiar metal cans. Once filled, lids are applied through vacuum-sealing.

Why is Spam unhealthy? ›

Though Spam is convenient, easy to use and has a long shelf-life, it's also very high in fat, calories and sodium and low in important nutrients, such as protein, vitamins and minerals. Additionally, it's highly processed and contains preservatives like sodium nitrite that may cause several adverse health effects.

What are the spices in Spam? ›

Ingredients: Pork with Ham, Mechanically Separated Chicken, Water, Salt, Modified Potato Starch, Sugar, Sodium Phosphates, Potassium Chloride, Seasoning (Red Pepper, Distilled Vinegar, Salt), Oleoresin of Paprika, Sodium Nitrite.

What do the letters Spam stand for? ›

Some say SPAM stands for Specially Processed American Meat, others believe it is a portmanteau for spiced ham, while others say it stands for Shoulder of Pork and Ham. As it relates to email, spam is not an acronym. What does the term spam refer to? Spam refers to unwanted, unsolicited junk emails.

What are the six ingredients in Spam? ›

Six Simple Ingredients
  • PORK WITH HAM.
  • SALT.
  • WATER.
  • POTATO STARCH.
  • SUGAR.
  • SODIUM NITRITE.

What is the main ingredient in Spam? ›

Spam contains six ingredients: a mixture of pork and ham meat, salt, water, potato starch, sugar, and sodium nitrite, a food preservative added to bacon, hot dogs, cured meats, sausage, and smoked fish. Aside from adding potato starch in the 1990s, Spam's recipe is relatively unchanged.

Is there any benefit to eating Spam? ›

Spam is a canned, processed meat that is typically very high in sodium content. Despite these negative health implications, spam can be part of a healthy diet if it's eaten in moderation. Eating spam has been shown to reduce weight & lower blood pressure.

Is Spam worse for you than ham? ›

So yes, there is a difference between ham and spam. Spam contains more calories, more fat, and less protein. But the difference isn't as severe as expected, especially considering that you can get 340g of Spam for $3.48 before taxes and I paid the same amount yesterday for 100g of Black Forest ham at Choices.

Why is Spam cancerous? ›

Spam has six ingredients: pork, salt, water, potato starch, sugar and sodium nitrate. Studies have shown that processed meat containing nitrates may lead to certain cancers. Nitrates are chemicals put in canned foods to boost their shelf life.

Why is Spam popular in Hawaii? ›

The true root of the island's love for SPAM® products goes back to World War II, when the luncheon meat was served to GIs. By the end of the war, SPAM® products were adopted into local culture, with Fried SPAM® Classic and rice becoming a popular meal.

What makes Spam pink? ›

Spam products contain nitrites, ingredients found in the majority, if not all ham, bacon, sausage, pork pies and other meat products. It is a common preservative that serves as an added protection against spoilage and also helps the meat retain its attractive pink colour.

How much did spam cost in 1937? ›

"Spam" is a Monty Python sketch, first televised in 1970 (series 2, episode 12) and written by Terry Jones and Michael… A canned pork product that Hormel Foods, headquartered in Austin, Minnesota, has produced since 1937, SPAM originally sold for 25 cents.

Who invented spam meat? ›

Hormel Foods Corporation

Is spam potted meat? ›

Spam is potted meat. Deviled Ham, deviled chicken —IMO canned corned beef or roast beef hash is potted meat, although, traditionally, potted meat is a ground/minced meat product sealed by a cap of fat.

What kind of meat is in spam? ›

What sets Spam apart from other products that are made from chopped meats that are cooked and pressed together (we're thinking about scrapple): Spam is made from pork shoulder and pork ham, with no other scraps from the hog. Pork shoulder is considered a high-quality cut of pork today, although in 1937, it was not.

Are there bones in spam? ›

Whatever you may hear, no 'scrapings' or 'useless bits' of pork or ham have ever found their way into SPAM® products. High quality pork shoulder meat and ham (actually hand cut off the bone) are ground together with water, a little sugar, salt and spice to be cooked in the can to seal in the goodness.

Why is spam so popular in Hawaii? ›

The true root of the island's love for SPAM® products goes back to World War II, when the luncheon meat was served to GIs. By the end of the war, SPAM® products were adopted into local culture, with Fried SPAM® Classic and rice becoming a popular meal.

Where does spam get their meat? ›

Where does Spam (the meat) come from? Spam is made primarily from pork shoulder; this constitution gave Spam a perceived advantage in the face of early competitors who tended to use pork parts less appealing in the mainstream. The word "Spam" is generally accepted to be a portmanteau/abbreviation for "spiced ham."

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