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Q-talk *ON TOPIC ONLY* QUALITY ON TOPIC discussion of Backyard BBQ, grilling, equipment and outdoor cookin' . ** Other cooking techniques are welcomed for when your cookin' in the kitchen. Post your hints, tips, tricks & techniques, success, failures, but stay on topic and watch for that hijacking.


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Old 02-01-2008, 05:42 PM   #1
bigabyte
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Default Mad Science Experiment - Spam

Since I started down the road of BBQ, I have come to appreciate a great number of delicious foods which previously I never even dreamed possible. Pulled Pork was an entirely new thing to me and is now an all time favorite. Then I heard about people ccoking up Bologna in their smokers and it is now included among my favorites. Among other favorite food items I have only discovered because of BBQ are ABT's, Armadillo Eggs, Pig Candy and Fatties. Yes, BBQ has truly expanded my exposure to good food, perhaps more than any other thing I have ever encountered.

Recently some talk on these forums went to the subject of Spam. It was not the first time I had heard about Spam. Who hasn't heard of Spam? However, when I tried to picture it in the context of true low and slow smokey BBQ then it went into unknown territory. Considering the wonderful transformations other meats went through when smoked up into BBQ (briskets for example) it made me wonder what kind of tasty, moist and tender product could be created with Spam in low and slow BBQ?

So I picked up a package of four Spam (plural form of Spam is Spam according to Hormel) at Sams Club.


I figured with four of them I could try a few different techniques to explore the potential of Spam in the BBQ pit. The total weight of all four Spam was 48oz, and the price for the package of four was $7.76. This works out to roughly $2.59 per pound. Each Spam came pre-packaged in a can with each can being the exact same size.



Opening the cans revealed that they each contained exactly 12oz of Spam. I never get that kind of luck when buying butts or briskets, but Spam appears to be much more predictable.


The first Spam will be the control group, and will simply get a coating of salt-free rub and then cooked in the smoker until it is ready. I chose to use a salt-free rub because Spam comes ready-flavored with salt and is a little high in sodium. I am concerned that adding more salt could perhaps jeapordize the entire piece of meat. As for target cooking temperature I wasn't sure initially what that could be since none of my meat thermometers have any indicators for what the safe cooking temperature of Spam is. So I looked thoroughly over the Spam packaging and saw the following, "FULLY COOKED, READY TO EAT-COLD OR HOT". Unfortunately it did not say HOW hot. I decided that if 165 is good enough for a chicken, then it should be good enough for Spam. After cooking I will let it rest to redistribute the juices throughout the meat and then make up my mind whether to slice or chop at serving time.

The second Spam will also get the salt-free rub but I will foil it after a couple hours in the smoker. I know foiling can be a very controversial subject, and I am not necessarily indicating my general approval or disapproval on the subject of foiling in BBQ. Instead I am doing this to provide a side-by-side taste comparison. I am strictly doing both foiled and non-foiled Spams in the name of science and food progress. I will foil similar to foiling ribs by adding a little brown sugar, apple juice and butter. After the foiling I plan to let this Spam finish unfoiled in the smoker for the last 30 minutes in order to firm up the bark.

The third Spam will be cooked the same as the first Spam, but after cooking it I will chop it up into small cubes, sprinkle with some more rub, and then put back in the smoker for about another 4 hours to make Burnt Ends of Spam.

The final Spam will be cold smoked in my offset smoker. This means it will be cooked at temps below 100 degrees with wood smoke drifting around it to flavor the meat. This is the same means I use to smoke cheese with wonderful results. Since Spam is a product that can be eaten cold, I should be able to safely cold smoke it. Hormel sells a variety of Spam called Smoked Spam, but it probably uses Liquid smoke!

Here are the Spam all rubbed up and ready to go (the cold smoked one has no rub).


I'll be letting them get happy with the rub overnight and cooking them up tomorrow! I'll keep everybody posted. I'm sure many of you will be hanging on the edge of your seats for this one!
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Duh.

Last edited by bigabyte; 02-01-2008 at 10:14 PM..
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Old 02-01-2008, 05:48 PM   #2
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This may be one of the funniest things I have read in a long time. I'm voting for the burnt Spam ends.
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Old 02-01-2008, 05:56 PM   #3
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WOW........not sure what's worse, you having the time for this test or ME taking the time to read about this test.........j/k
Smoke on brother!! My only try with smoking it was wrapped in bacon.
Bacon was great but no smoke penetrated the Spam, and your are correct about high sodium, you CANNOT over cook that thing, it has so much moisture in it!!
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Old 02-01-2008, 06:23 PM   #4
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Actually, I am looking forward to the results...

The one I most curious about is the Spam Ribs...

OMG I just had a thought (that maybe bad or it may not be since I don't get them all that often) Spam Candy... I remember when I was younger that we used to fry the Spam and then near the end we would put brown sugar on it and then cover for a few minutes... I may have to try this since I have one can left but I have to check the date on it (does Spam go bad?)...
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Last edited by Divemaster; 02-01-2008 at 06:25 PM.. Reason: Just checked... Use by February, 2010
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Old 02-01-2008, 06:23 PM   #5
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I will not sleep till I see the results of your cook. Fantastic concept.
It is amazing how consistent the package size is for Spam.

Hanging on the edge of my seat for the results.
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Old 02-01-2008, 06:25 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Divemaster View Post
Actually, I am looking forward to the results...

The one I most curious about is the Spam Ribs...

OMG I just had a thought (that maybe bad or it may not be since I don't get them all that often) Spam Candy... I remember when I was younger that we used to fry the Spam and then near the end we would put brown sugar on it and then cover for a few minutes... I may have to try this since I have one can left but I have to check the date on it (does Spam go bad?)...
If you bought it in your lifetime, it will not be "bad" yet. Spam is like a fine wine, it only gets better with age.
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Old 02-01-2008, 06:31 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bbq Bubba View Post
... you CANNOT over cook that thing, it has so much moisture in it!!
I don't know about that...

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Old 02-01-2008, 06:34 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by qman View Post
If you bought it in your lifetime, it will not be "bad" yet. Spam is like a fine wine, it only gets better with age.
ROTFLMAO!!!!!
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Old 02-01-2008, 06:39 PM   #9
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Dang, bigmista, that's some funny stuff right there What did you do? Hit it with the torch for a while?
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Old 02-01-2008, 06:39 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Divemaster View Post
Actually, I am looking forward to the results...

The one I most curious about is the Spam Ribs...

OMG I just had a thought (that maybe bad or it may not be since I don't get them all that often) Spam Candy... I remember when I was younger that we used to fry the Spam and then near the end we would put brown sugar on it and then cover for a few minutes... I may have to try this since I have one can left but I have to check the date on it (does Spam go bad?)...
That sounds pretty good! If I had a Spam to spare I would try that myself. It sounds good! If you do it be sure and let me know how it goes! We can compare data.
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Duh.
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Old 02-01-2008, 06:46 PM   #11
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OK Ya got me there


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Old 02-01-2008, 07:06 PM   #12
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Cook the spam and cover in sauce and you have a McRib.
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Old 02-01-2008, 07:10 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigabyte View Post
That sounds pretty good! If I had a Spam to spare I would try that myself. It sounds good! If you do it be sure and let me know how it goes! We can compare data.
The date is good on the can... Before pron has been taken... subject slices went onto a 250* BGE at 6:51 pm CST...
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Old 02-01-2008, 07:19 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SP View Post
Cook the spam and cover in sauce and you have a McRib.
I'll have to go get some sesame seed hoagies for that.
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Old 02-01-2008, 07:20 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigabyte View Post
I'll have to go get some sesame seed hoagies for that.
.....and the press for that real rib look.
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