If there’s one food that epitomizes “don’t knock it ’til you try it,” it’s got to be Spam. The iconic canned meat is the butt of jokes—most notably a 1970 Monty Python sketch that spawned the use of “spam” to mean unwanted email—but its many fans have the last laugh. Far from being mystery meat, Spam is simply a blend of ham and pork shoulder with curing salt, sugar, water and potato starch—much less mysterious than most cold cuts, hot dogs and other commonly enjoyed processed meats.
Hawaii leads U.S. states in Spam consumption, at 7 million cans per year. Spam is on Hawaiian McDonald’s and Burger King menus, and convenience stores sell Spam musubi—fried slices placed on molded rice and wrapped in seaweed. The Spam-and-rice combo reaches its apex in the popular Filipino breakfast spamsilog, thin pan-fried Spam slices with garlic rice and poached or fried eggs. Once you’re converted, try it in fried rice, blended into meatloaf, on pizza, in omelets and scrambles, or in pasta in place of pancetta or guanciale. (Spam carbonara, anyone?) The right wine will balance its intense flavors.
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Fun fact: Spam was invented in 1937, and by 1941 more than 150 million pounds were shipped to Allied troops during World War II.
Salty
There’s no getting around it: Spam is salty, which—as with bacon or jerky—is part of its appeal. In the case of Spam, this saltiness is best complemented by acidity and fresh fruit. Grenache rosé offers both, with juicy red berry and orange notes while staying refreshingly crisp. The Spam will bring the fruit notes to the fore, making it almost like a condiment.
Porky
Being, essentially, a hamand-pork purée—kind of cross between breakfast sausage and bologna— Spam tastes far more of pork than any of its minimal seasonings. Chilled Schiava, a light-bodied red sometimes labeled Trollinger or Vernatsch, has bright flavors of strawberry, violet, and even bubblegum, yet also notes of smoke or cured meat that align beautifully here.
Fatty
Fat carries flavor, but it also welcomes a wine that provides a palate-cleansing effect via tannins, acidity or both. You can’t go wrong with any sparkling wine, but Lambrusco, being red, additionally has tannins that make it one of the best pairings for cured meats and pork products of any kind.
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Spicy
Interestingly, Spam has no spices added to it but the salt-sugar mix and the intense porkiness somehow bring out a subtle spiciness (spice heads can also opt for Spam flavors like jalapeño, pepper, garlic, teriyaki and maybe too many more). Zinfandel can range from jammy to earthy, but almost always has undertones of ham-friendly spices like cinnamon, allspice or anise.
This article originally appeared in the Winter 2024 issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!
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Published: March 4, 2024
