Pan fried spam recipe made into crispy bites of deliciousness. Best way to cook your favorite Hawaiian canned meat product. From our air fryer spam fries, slices or cubed in a skillet on the stove perfectly.
I was born in Hawaii so this little can was a meal, often. Served with rice my mom would dice this into bite size pieces, fry it in a pan and it was literally my favorite thing for dinner time. Since we lived on a budget it was a cheap way to make a dish with TONS of flavor so we ate it often. 😉
Want to make this heartier? This is How to Cook Spam and Eggs together in the same pan too. You could add bagged hashbrowns into the mix too if you wanted to as well. All of them take about the same time so it works well for a quick brunch or breakfast for the fam bam.
This is a bit like how to cook chorizo in a sense meaning that this “meat” is precooked and technically could be eaten right out of the pan. It is much better though broken into smaller pieces and fried in some way to it gets crispy on all sides, browned and reach a golden brown color.
How to Fry Spam in a Pan on the Stove
You don’t really need any oil but I tend to add a drop or so just so it slides around easily. You’ll want to rotate and flip your pieces several times to get every inch super crispy. Just dice into bite size pieces or slice, set into the skillet, flip often, and enjoy hot when it has browned and caramelized on the outsides to your liking.
Fried Spam in Air Fryer
Air fryer spam and potatoes or alone is great!! Honestly it is my favorite method of all times because it is easiest and the heat really permeates into the center fast. I will add bite-size potatoes too with some seasonings for a fast dinner, which is another option.
Deep Fried Spam
You can submerge in hot oil or just in a bit in a skillet. Either way I suggest you slice into 1/2 inch pieces because getting it crispy is the goal. The thinner the pieces are the faster they will cook so keep that in mind. Wait until your oil reaches 350-375F. before carefully submerging your pieces for about 2 minutes.
Fried Spam Loaf
If you do not want to slice or dice this canned meat you could cook it whole. I personally would suggest deep frying a Spam Loaf, the whole thing, for about 5 minutes in oil once it reaches a steady 350-375 degrees F. (or until as browned as you’d like). Baked in the oven can be done too though.
How do you cook frozen Spam?
First off you really wouldn’t want to freeze the meat in the can itself. You wouldn’t need to either since it lasts up to 5 years past the sell by date but let’s say you did. I don’t judge, so yes to answer your question you could cook it the same way you would if it was defrosted. Just use a sharp knife to slice into 1/4-1/2″ pieces over medium heat with a bit of oil and flip often until browned and crisped to your liking.
Fried Spam Recipe
Equipment
- 1 cast iron skillet pan or deep fryer if literally frying
- 1 cutting board
- 1 knife
Ingredients
- 1 can spam, sliced or diced
- 1 spray olive oil
Instructions
- Open your can of SPAM and cut into small cubes or slices. Add a drop of oil and allow to heat. Begin to saute in a large skillet over medium heat. Continue to cook, turning often, until all sides are caramelized and as crispy as you'd like. Typically takes about 5 minutes for us.
- Remove from the skillet, and cook your preferred style of eggs in that same pan using the rendered fat as added seasoning for your fried eggs.
Notes
Deep Fried Spam
If you choose to deep fry this, slice into 6-8 slices per block. Wait until your oil reaches 350 F. Gently submerge and fry for about 2 minutes or until as crispy as you’d like on the outside. Set on paper towels to absorb excess oil and enjoy.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
FAQ
Cats should not eat Spam, or at least not regularly. While it is not toxic in small amounts, it is not a healthy food because of the high amount of sodium in it. Some varieties contain garlic or onion powder which are toxic too. Dogs should not consume this canned meat either for similar reasons.
That depends on whether you leave it whole as a Spam loaf, sliced or diced into bite sized pieces. Timing ranges from 2 minutes to 5 minutes, deep frying vs. pan frying on the stove is faster as well.
If the can is bulging, leaking, or has a foul smell when opened, discard it.
If it is opened look for a slimy texture, off smell, or discoloration which means it should not be eaten either.
This cheap canned meat can be added into lots of things such as scrambled eggs, fried rice, fried and served on top of sushi, with hash browns or diced potatoes! Fries up nicely in a pan or air fryer to bring out the flavors and is popular in many Hawaiian dishes.
How long does Spam last?
A new can stored in the pantry will literally last 2–5 years past the printed “Best By” date if stored in a cool, dry place. If you opened it but didn’t use the whole thing you can save for later too. It will last up to 7–10 days in an airtight container stored in the refrigerator in that case.
