In Defense Of SPAM – Making The Case For Canned Meat Beyond The “Struggle Meal”
In defense of SPAM, I’m tired of the slander, and I’m ready to defend that canned deliciousness. Today I move out of the shadows and say it with my whole chest. I love SPAM and I’m not ashamed of it. Gone are the days where SPAM is just viewed as a “struggle meal.” SPAM has an interesting history, cultural significance, and is NOT the disgusting meat that some people like to claim. So in defense of SPAM, let’s fight.
Why Is SPAM In The News?
So Joel Kaimakani Libed is from Worcester and went viral after he posted a TikTok video of his bag being searched by TSA that was full of SPAM. His carry-on has nine cans of SPAM. Well the video got over 5 million views and 470,000 likes. Turns out, Libed had stopped by the SPAM museum in Minnesota and was gifted the meat by an employee of the museum. He even got the “Hawaiian Collector’s Edition” SPAM. You can check out the whole story here.
The History Of SPAM
SPAM was introduced in 1937 in Austin, Minnesota which is the home of Hormel headquarters. In case you’re wondering what’s actually in it, it’s main ingredients are pork shoulder, ham, salt, water, modified potato starch to hold it together, sugar, and sodium nitrite as a preservative. While it was introduced in ’37, it gained popularity worldwide after its use during World War II.
When World War II started, the U.S. military turned to SPAM as a reliable source of food. The United States sent 15 million cans of Spam per week to troops. They ate so much of it that they were over it and actually wrote angry letters to Hormel about it.
In Defense Of SPAM – Cultural Dishes
SPAM became a cultural staple in many areas because of WWII. Wherever American troops were sent, they left SPAM. When American GIs were overseas, they threw cans of SPAM out of their trucks to feed hungry people. Because of this, while certain SPAM dishes became cultural staples, it’s also a painful reminder of the effects of war. Here are some of them.
SPAM and Hawaii – In Defense of SPAM
The United States is the biggest consumer of SPAM in the world with Hawaii topping all states. The average Hawaiian eats at least five cans of SPAM a year. A Japanese-American woman from Hawaii named Barbara Funamura is credited with inventing the classic SPAM musubi, a slice of grilled SPAM on top of rice and wrapped with nori.
SPAM and Korea – In Defense of SPAM
Korea is the second highest consumer of SPAM in the world. The dish budae jjigae, or Army stew, is one that was developed in the aftermath of the Korean War. Koreans were starving and one of the surplus foods they got from American military bases and put in a stew was SPAM.
In addition to SPAM, it also includes items like: sausage, ramen, kimchi, canned baked beans, sliced cheese and more. Here’s one recipe.
SPAM and the Philipines – In Defense of SPAM
In the Philippines, SPAM is not only a popular food item, it’s seen as a cultural symbol. The canned meat reached the Philippines as a result of WWII rationing.
I classic Filipino dish is Spamsilog. It’s usually served for breakfast and is basically spam, eggs, and rice.
