One Simple Mistake Is Preventing Your Spam From Getting Crispy

Spam has a variety of creative uses whether you're preparing breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even a simple snack. There are several different methods to prepare this already fully cooked canned pork shoulder/ham combination, but pan-frying is among the most common. If you really want to crisp up your Spam in the frying pan, one of the most important mistakes to avoid is overcrowding. It might take a little longer to cook your slices, cubes, or other Spam pieces in batches, but it's well worth it to achieve the optimal taste and texture.

Much like how overcrowding your pans ruins your cuts of meat, so too does this go for this canned and processed pork product. Spacing out your Spam gives it room to properly warm inside and out without steaming and getting soggy. This additional space also allows the Maillard reaction to take place, which is the process by which foods brown and cook properly.

No matter whether you're making a batch of Hawaiian Spam musubi, a savory breakfast hash, or a bulked-up stir-fry dinner, it's imperative to avoid a sloppy Spam mess. Cooking Spam in a few batches first will get it nice and crispy, allowing you to add it to any number of your favorite dishes. All it takes is a little bit of patience and culinary creativity.

Preventing this soggy mistake opens up the possibilities for a variety of creative ways to use canned Spam — and boy, are there several. The crisp texture, umami flavor, and affordable pricing make it a unique ingredient in many dishes. It's truly versatile, albeit with notably high levels of sodium and fat. As such, you should endeavor to consume it sparingly or in smaller doses.

Reuse the frying pan in which you've crisped your Spam to sauté fresh green vegetables to round out the nutritional value of your dish. If you'd rather skip standard rice, try mixing up your crisped Spam with a batch of cooked cauliflower rice for a riff on a classic dish. Crispy Spam also makes an excellent and protein-rich topping for a piece of avocado toast.

No matter how you slice it, Spam can be a quick and easy addition to many meals, best enjoyed in moderation. As long as you take care to fry it properly without mistakenly filling your pan with too many pieces at a time, it will become a simple staple ingredient you can include in your cooking as needed. And if the traditional Spam offering doesn't suit your recipe needs, there are other Spam flavors out there too.