For years and years I have always looked the other way whenever I was offered Spam. I refused to try it. I was put off because it is meat that comes from a can. Worse, when it is released from said can, it comes out in a perfect block shape. I just didn't want that in my life. It seemed like I would get sick from it.

I was doing all the cliche things to avoid Spam. I didn't want it near me. I was like this with bologna for the longest time as well, until I tried some bologna at a nice bbq restaurant. That bologna was amazing and it opened my eyes to a whole new world of what I could do with that lunchmeat. The BBQ place smoked it. I have since air fried and pan fried it. I like to cut it into pieces and use it in my eggs. I have even tried just a plain sandwich, and it was excellent. And recently I have seen more and more people using Spam on the myriad of cooking shows I enjoy. I first saw it on "Man Vs Food" when Adam Richman went to Hawaii, and they used it in Moco Loco. It looked delicious. Then other people would use it in breakfast dishes. I also saw people using it in fried rice dishes. I saw people smoking it and pan frying it, just like I had with bologna. When RD and I lived together with a roommate, our roommate made us a breakfast casserole with Spam in it, and I loved that dish, although I wouldn't admit it back then. And when we were on vacation last week I chatted with my wife and brother about how I was becoming more and more interested in using Spam at home.

So, when I went grocery shopping this week, I bought some Spam. I didn't know how I was going to use it, or what I would use it in, but I knew I wanted to try it for myself. The first day after I bought it, I fried a few pieces in a dry rub and some butter. I did not need the butter, in hindsight, but I didn't know what I was doing at the time. After frying the Spam, I fried a few eggs and placed those on top of the Spam with some cheese. I put a little sriracha on top and sat down to eat it. It was great. The Spam added a salty ham-like flavor to the breakfast dish. The end of the Spam had a nice crispy edge on it, and I got a bacon sense when eating that part. I was hooked. Yesterday I wanted a sandwich, so I decided to fry the pieces again. This time I used the same dry BBQ rub, but I also added some garlic and herb seasoning and some Japanese BBQ sauce to cook it in. I let it sit in the pan a little longer too. I dismissed the butter and let the Spam do the work. After I finished frying the pieces, I put them on some sourdough bread with white cheddar and pickled onions. I then cooked the sandwich in the juices of the Spam. It was my take on Spam grilled cheese. This was my favorite dish I have made to this point with the Spam. It was excellent as a grilled cheese, and adding the Spam gives it a meatiness and saltiness that I crave with a lunch item. The Japanese BBQ sauce added a very nice sweetness as well. I'll be doing this again for sure. Today I decided to just simply fry the pieces and eat them like that with some cheese on top and pickled onions on the side. This was tasty as well. I got the full effect of Spam, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. When I ate it with some of the pickled onions, they added a great tartness to the meat.

I refuse to read what the ingredients are in Spam, but I now know that I am a true fan. I have enjoyed the hell out of these dishes I've made so far. I don't fully get why Spam is soft, but it lends itself very well to seasoning. It reminds me a lot of tofu. Tofu takes on whatever seasoning is used when cooking it. Spam is the same way. When I used dry rub, it tasted like that. When I used Japanese BBQ sauce that was the flavor that came through most. And pan frying it with no seasoning, when I ate it with cheese or pickled onions, that was the dominant flavor. It needs seasoning, and we have plenty in our house.

I will be buying Spam on a more regular basis now and trying many different methods of cooking it. I'm a fan. I'm glad I finally caved and tried it out. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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