Candied Spam

Have you ever eaten Chinese BBQ pork?  Its crispy, chewy texture and level of sweetness befitting candy makes it one of my toddler's favorite foods.  Candied Spam tastes remarkably similar to Chinese BBQ pork and - with just two ingredients - is crazy easy to make.  You could also compare candied Spam to candied bacon - with a heavy emphasis on the candy.

I can't believe that I am saying this about anything involving Spam, but I couldn't get enough of my candied Spam.  I had to hide it in a Tupperware to keep myself from reaching into the ramekin and grabbing one piece after the next.  Candied Spam can be used as a unique twist on bacon bits in a salad, a fabulous crunch on top of an ice cream sundae, or a surprising cupcake topper.

How to Make Candied Spam


This candied spam recipe was inspired by the Baking Barrister who put candied Spam on her Spam cupcakes (consider this piece of information as some foreshadowing of things to come on Cupcake Project).  I adjusted her recipe to make the candied Spam more crisp.

Yield: 1/2 cup candied Spam

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Spam (I highly recommend using homemade Spam)
• 3 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 F.
2. Heat a small skillet on medium heat.
3. Add Spam and brown sugar.
4. When the brown sugar starts to melt, stir to coat all of the Spam. 
5. Pour brown sugar coated Spam onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat.
6. Bake for 30 minutes.
7. Bring to room temperature.
8. Happily munch!

Facebook Shout Out

I posted the above photo on the Cupcake Project Facebook page to see if anyone could guess what was in the ramekin.   No one guessed right (your real life tasters will never be able to guess either!).  However, Natalie Scott Eskey, Courtney Rose Calkins, and Stacy McPeek-Smith all guessed bacon so they definitely get partial credit.