The Breakfast Sausage
This method of processing kills germs and ensures that meat products are reliably protected against reinfestation. The products are long-lasting. Luncheon meat is finely ground and sliced pork with portions of muscle, bacon, and fat. Through the cooking process, the meat juice solidifies into a sliceable block. It is enjoyed in thick slices fried with scrambled or poached eggs, but mostly cold as a tasty bread spread.
The History
In 1937, Hormel Foods Corporation from Austin, Minnesota, USA, introduced the first breakfast sausage under the brand "Spam." "Spam" is an evocative neologism derived from "Spiced Ham," seasoned ham. Historically, the product was used for military rations during World War II. Patriotic "Hormel Girls" transported Spam to GI's coast to coast. Even 8 years after the end of the war, Hormel Girls were still a thing and served as a brilliant marketing tool. American luncheon meat also secured food supplies for Soviet soldiers in 1945.
Luncheon Meat International
Since the mid-1950s, Spam has been produced and sold in many countries around the world. Interestingly, however, the original Spam is not available in Germany despite being sold more than 7 billion times worldwide annually. In the USA alone, approximately 4 cans of luncheon meat Spam are consumed every second. The Hawaiians are the biggest consumers. Each person on Guam, an island in the Northern Mariana Islands, consumes the equivalent of 16 cans of luncheon meat annually. There are so-called Hawaiian steaks made from luncheon meat or Spam Musubi with nori and rice.
In Great Britain, luncheon meat is often ground and fried. Spam Fritters are eaten with chips and split pea puree. In China, luncheon meat is increasingly popular, and it belongs to the basic foodstuffs in Japan. Luncheon meat is processed into Chanpuru. In Japan, at "Jef," a fast-food chain from Okinawa, there is a burger filled with breakfast sausage that is eaten with bitter melon omelets and Goya juice. In Hong Kong, the Philippines, and South Korea, it enriches the regional cuisine in the preparation of traditional seaweed rolls Kimbap and Gim and the stew Budae Jjigae. In Israel, there is a kosher variation.
Luncheon meat is even celebrated at carnivals. In Austin, there is a Spam Carnival with parade and fireworks, the same goes for Shady Cove in Oregon, USA. Every April week, there is the Spam Jam in Waikiki, Hawaii.
The original product Spam contains finely ground pork from shoulder and ham, salt, water, modified potato starch as a binder, and sodium nitrite for preservation. It is available on international markets in its original form and many variations. Here in Germany, we do not have the original Spam, but similar products are widely available, including those with poultry meat for Muslim consumers. The market leader in Germany is the breakfast sausage from Danish Tulip Food Productions based in Randers, Jutland.