What is spam food

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Hormel Foods take donation requests for SPAM® products?

Hormel Foods Corporation receives numerous proposals for donations to a variety of organizations and projects. To minimize the number of proposals submitted to Hormel Foods Corporation, the company restricts donations to organizations that emphasize education and hunger in and around Hormel Foods plant communities. To request a donation, fill out the donation request form available on hormelfoods.com under the Contact Us tab. Only not-for-profit organizations that meet the company’s criteria with projects that are within an area of focus will be considered. The donation guidelines can be found at https://www.hormelfoods.com/about/contact-us/donation-guidelines/.

What does the SPAM® brand name mean?

There are some questions that continually plague man over time. Questions like ‘Is there intelligent life beyond Earth?’ And ‘What is the meaning of the SPAM® brand name?’ Unfortunately, we can provide answers to neither. The significance of the SPAM® brand name has long been a subject of speculation. One popular belief says it’s derived from the words ‘spiced ham.’ The real answer is known by only a small circle of former Hormel Foods executives. And probably Nostradamus.

What is the shelf life of SPAM® products?

While the keeper of an emergency underground bunker might have you believe SPAM® products offer eternal freshness, there is, in fact, a limit to their goodness. On the bottom of every can of SPAM® product you’ll find a «best by» date. This is the date Hormel Foods recommends using the product by. You’ll likely find yourself gobbling up the delicious meat inside the can long before that date. But if you find yourself sitting on a stock of SPAM® products during a zombie invasion, be sure to check the date before you enjoy.

What makes the SPAM® brand so popular around the world?

Why are SPAM® products so popular in Hawaii?

We know what you’re thinking; SPAM® products must grow on trees there. That would be neat, but to believe it you must have taken a coconut to the head. 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. The unique flavor quickly found its way into other Hawaiian cuisine, from SPAM® Fried Wontons to SPAM® Musubi, and SPAM® products became a fixture for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Today you’ll find SPAM® dishes served everywhere from convenience stores to restaurants, reflecting a demand that is unmatched by any place in the world.

Why is the SPAM® brand a household name?

This delicious American icon and global brand launched in 1937 as “The Meat of Many Uses!” and American households quickly ate it up. By 1940, 70 percent of urban Americans were eating SPAM® products. But it was the arrival of WWII, and the need for easily transported protein, that fueled the SPAM® brand’s incredible growth around the world. Today, with over a dozen varieties sold in more than 40 countries, this 79 year old brand continues to ignite invention all over the world. In America, people come from far and wide to visit the SPAM® Museum. Located in Austin, MN (the birthplace of SPAM® brand), this museum is a curation of all things SPAM® brand, and pays tribute to its presence across the world. In 1998, SPAM® product packaging was donated to the Smithsonian. How many meat products can boast such a distinction? All of this passion and demand has amounted to this: in 2012, the eighth-billionth can of SPAM® product was produced. Chew on that for awhile.

What is the best way to eat SPAM® products?

Simple, the best way to eat it is with your mouth. Sandwiches are the most popular vehicle used to deliver it to your chompers. Which kind of sandwich is another question entirely though, as there are a plethora of recipes available. Beyond the sandwich, the versatility of this delicious meat provides endless meal options, including many that are uniquely preferred within particular cultures around the globe. By the time you asked every SPAM® Brand lover out there, the responses would likely include grilled, fried, in a taco, on a bun, as a snack, for supper, and even straight out of the can. There are countless ways to enjoy SPAM® products, and no wrong way.

What do SPAM® products taste like?

In a word: magic. Of course, we’re biased, and if you haven’t had the good fortune of tasting magic before, that won’t tell you much. Speaking objectively, they taste kinda like ham. They also taste a little like pork roast. What we’re trying to say is, SPAM® products have a unique taste that’s unlike anything else out there. That taste also depends on the SPAM® variety and how you prepare it. Grilling, baking, or frying will result in different textures and subtleties. So the best way to answer this question is ultimately to try it for yourself.

How are SPAM® products made?

At first glance, one might assume SPAM® products are produced through magic. But it’s actually a relatively simple, conventional process. First, the pork and ham are pre-ground. Then, salt, sugar and the rest of the ingredients are added and mixed for 20 minutes, to reach the desired temperature. From there, the mixture is moved over to the canning line, where it’s filled into the familiar metal cans, 12 ounces at a time. Once filled, cans are conveyed to a closing machine where lids are applied through vacuum-sealing. Next, the cans are cooked and cooled for about three hours. At this point they’re nearly ready for enjoyment. But the cans can’t leave naked. Labels are applied and then they’re off to be cased, where they await distribution.

Cooking School

The blue can is iconic. But what’s inside?

Related To:

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Fried Eggs and canned meat product

Photo by: dirkr/Getty Images

By Fraya Berg for Food Network Kitchen

Fraya is a chef and a contributing writer at Food Network.

Many people are in the dark about what’s in the Spam can. Bet you also didn’t know this: Spam has been made with the same recipe since 1937, with just 6 simple ingredients. World War II and the Korean War spread the lunchmeat from Hormel Foods around the world where it is still revered.

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Photo by: rubberball/Getty Images

What Is Spam Made Of?

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. Pork shoulder is sold in the supermarket and many people braise it until it becomes fall-apart tender. Pork shoulder is what sausage is made from because it has the perfect ratio of meat to fat to make the very best sausages. Shoulder meat is what a pork steak is called when it’s sliced and grilled in St. Louis.

The other meat that’s added is ham: like what you get at the deli and make into a sandwich.

What Does Spam Stand For?

This is the kind of question we love, because sometimes there just isn’t an answer. Some people think is stands for special processed American meat. Some say it’s a mash up of the words «spice» and «ham», except that’s odd, because there weren’t any spices in original Spam. Another story is that there was a contest to name it at a New Year’s Eve party, and after a few toasts, someone shouted «Spam!» and the name stuck. We’ll let you decide which story you think is best, and you can go with that one.

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Spam musubi is a popular snack and lunch food in Hawaii composed of a slice of grilled Spam on top of a block of rice, wrapped together with nori dried seaweed in the tradition of Japanese omusubi.

Photo by: RocksterWho/Getty Images

The Impact WWII and the Korean War on Spam

In World War II, the U.S. bought 150 million pounds of Spam. It was the only meat that could last the long boat trips to Hawaii and Guam. And while the U.S. troops grew to dislike the meat, spreading this sentiment back home, the tradition of eating Spam in took off in Japan and Hawaii. During the Korean War, Spam was introduced to the country by the U.S. soldiers stationed there and is still very popular.

The Asian influences of these cultures have led to Spam Musubi and Spam Fried Rice, which today are two of the top Spam-related recipe searches on Google. And when you scroll down, you’ll see that we have recipes for both. If you want to branch out, Spam comes in 14 flavors.

Просто Spam: как легендарные консервы из США стали именем нарицательным

Каждый год в США проходит Большой американский чемпионат Spam — конкурс рецептов, организованный владельцем бренда консервированной свинины Spam компанией Hormel Foods. В 2019 году победила жительница городка Уакон, штат Миннесота, Эприл Вайнрайх. Ее французский тост с сыром, беконом и, разумеется, Spam обошел рецепты финалистов из других 25 штатов. Вайнрайх выиграла поездку в столицу Гавайев Гонолулу на ежегодный фестиваль Spam Jam. Это масштабный праздник, посвященный опять же консервам Spam, которые являются обязательной составляющей многих блюд гавайской кухни и одним из любимых продуктов жителей островов.

Последние два года конкурс не проводился из-за пандемии. Впрочем, бренд, которому в июле 2022 года исполнится 85 лет и который обрел за это время статус легенды, от нее ничуть не пострадал. Напротив, в месяцы первого локдауна американцы начали в срочном порядке запасаться банками Spam: в период с марта по июнь 2020 года продажи продуктов бренда взлетели на 70%. В 2021 году Hormel Foods также отчиталась о рекордных продажах Spam. Однако это лишь очередное доказательство, что продукт способен успешно пережить любую катастрофу, как историческую, так и репутационную.

«Мясо особого назначения»

История Spam берет начало в далеком 1891 году, когда чикагский мясник Джордж Хормел переехал в Остин, штат Миннесота, и открыл собственную скотобойню и небольшое предприятие, занимавшееся переработкой мяса. В 1901 году была зарегистрирована компания George A. Hormel & Co., которая позднее сменила название на Hormel Foods Corporation. Фирма росла, расширялся ассортимент: в 1926 году предприятие Хормела впервые в США начало делать консервированную ветчину, еще через два года появились куриные консервы. В тяжелом 1929 году, когда началась Великая депрессия, Джордж Хормел уступил пост главы компании своему сыну Джею.

What Is SPAM?

Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

Spam may be the brunt of many jokes, but this canned ham product is deeply rooted in American history and has earned a large dedicated following. Over its 70-year history, Spam has gone from being just another luncheon meat to becoming a pop-culture icon.

The Hormel Company created spam in 1937 and was a favorite during World War II. Not only was Spam highly consumed in the states when other meats were heavily rationed, but it was also a popular item for the troops abroad thanks to its stability and easy shipping. Today, Spam is particularly popular in Hawaii, which has the highest spam consumption per capita, as well as the United Kingdom, and parts of Asia. Spam is currently sold in 41 countries throughout the world.

What Is in Spam?

The ingredients listed on classic Spam include pork with ham, salt, water, modified potato starch, sugar, and sodium nitrite. Potato starch is used for binding the chopped meat together, and sodium nitrate is used as a preservative. Natural gelatins cause the jelly-like substance that surrounds spam in the meat that solidifies when cooled (like an aspic). Depending on the variety of Spam, other ingredients, including chicken or turkey, may be added. There are numerous different flavors of spam.

How Is Spam Used?

Spam can be baked, fried, grilled, or eaten cold straight from the can. Since it is precooked, heating is optional. One of the most basic ways to serve spam is pan-fried alongside eggs for breakfast. Spam is so versatile it can be used in anything from burgers to sushi. Spam eaters are known for their creative uses of the canned meat. If you’re going camping it can make a great cooler-free option.

Spam Celebration

Every year in the Hawaiian town of Waikiki, the annual Spam Jam is held in the last week of April. The festival’s great food and family-friendly atmosphere is quickly making it one of the most popular festivals in the state. Hawaii consumes almost seven million cans of spam per year. Austin, Minnesota home of the Spam museum, also has an annual Spam Jam. The Hormel company is located in Austin. The small town of Shady Cove, Oregon, has an annual Spam Parade as well.

Spam in Pop Culture

Spam has been a part of American culture since World War II when its use in the war, not only as food for soldiers but also for gun grease, caused some to refer to Uncle Sam as Uncle Spam. When the war ended Hormell assembled a music group made up of ex-servicewomen called the Hormell Girls. Their job was to entertain and promote patriotism and spam, but perhaps the most well-known example of spam in pop culture is the song of the same name by the comedy troupe Monty Python.

Консервированная ветчина («спам»)

SPAM (читается как спам) — торговая марка консервированного мяса, производимого американской компанией Hormel Foods Corporation. SPAM появился в 1936 году. Аббревиатура от англ. Shoulder of Pork and нAM — «свиные лопатки и окорока», a по другим данным, от англ. SPiced hAM — «ветчина со специями».

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История

К 1936 году компания Hormel Foods начала терять свои позиции на рынке консервов. Как маркетинговый шаг, она переименовала свои консервы в SPAM. Выход нового бренда на рынок сопровождался бурной рекламной кампанией; по радио проигрывали песни наподобие

Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam Hormel’s new miracle meat in a can Tastes fine, saves time If you want something grand, ask for SPAM. [1]

По ленд-лизу SPAM поставлялся и в СССР.

SPAM выпускается и поныне, с момента появления торговой марки и до конца 2002 года было продано 6 миллиардов банок.

Скетч «Монти Пайтона»

Смысл скетча сводится к тому, что в одном кафе все блюда в меню содержат SPAM, некоторые даже по нескольку раз. Когда главный герой скетча, пришедший в это кафе вместе с женой, просит принести ему блюдо без SPAM, официантка предлагает ему блюдо с «небольшим количеством SPAМа». Посетитель возмущается, и хор викингов, сидящих за соседними столиками, начинает петь хвалебную песню SPAM’у, после чего скетч погружается в хаос. В конце скетча жена героя восклицает: «I don’t like spam!» (англ. Я не люблю SPAM! ). В титрах к именам действующих лиц также было добавлено слово SPAM. В общей сложности это слово упоминается в скетче более ста раз. [3] [4]

Отношение компании к слову «спам»

Благодаря этому скетчу, словом «спам» стали называть «назойливую рекламу» [5]

Фирма Hormel Foods поддерживала скетч и даже делала банки в «монтипайтоновском» оформлении, но выступает против слова «спам» как названия нежелательной корреспонденции и судилась с производителями антиспамового ПО. [6] Суд был выигран SpamArrest [7] — фирме было разрешено использовать слово «спам» наравне с Hormel. Но, очевидно, что этот процесс стал прецедентом к признанию слова «спам» нарицательным.