Spam a Lot?

While the majority of mainlanders have tasted, seen, or at least heard of the canned pork/ham product called Spam, most don’t have a penchant for the food in the same way that Hawaiians do. In fact, more Spam is consumed on Hawaii than in any other U.S. state—which is why even McDonald’s and Burger King offer it on their menus. Spam, lovingly referred to as “Hawaiian steak,” is often fried alongside eggs at breakfast time. It’s also a popular snack and a mainstay ingredient in numerous island dishes—from stir fry’s to stews to sandwiches. But the mother of all Hawaiian Spam dishes has to be Spam Musabi—a sushi-like seaweed wrap that marries sticky rice and a slice of fried Spam. Due to its popularity, several specialty versions of Spam that are rarely seen elsewhere are quite popular on the Islands, including teriyaki, bacon, and spicy varieties. So why is Spam so beloved in the tropical paradise? How did it become such an ingrained part of the Hawaiian cuisine and culture? Spam’s roots in Hawaii began during and shortly after World War II, when GIs stationed in and around the islands were served the canned meat as part of their rations. Since getting fresh meat to the remote location was difficult, Spam became an ideal, spoil-proof alternative. During that time, so much Spam was being shipped to Hawaii that much of it ended up on store shelves, where it quickly became accepted, enjoyed, and adopted into local meals. While Spam’s “image” on the mainland is that of a lower-priced “poor man’s” meat alternative, the perception on Hawaii is quite different. Those of all socioeconomic standings devour the salty, savory foodstuff in Hawaii—proving that being inexpensive doesn’t make it inferior. On the mainland, part of the reason for Spam’s bad rep may be the consumer’s lack of experience with how to eat and prepare it. Instead of using it for recipes, cooking it properly, and pairing it with other foods, many Spam naysayers just eat it right out of the can—and are understandably underwhelmed with the result. Hawaiians have long learned the art of Spam cuisine, truly taking canned meat to a whole new level. When traveling to Hawaii—do what the locals do, and Spam a lot!