The Air Fryer Technique That Will Make You Look At Spam Differently

Chances are you've noticed that Spam has been having a moment — for like, a long time. Foodies from Korea to Japan, Hawaii, the U.S., and the U.K. (Monty Python fans, rise up) have been digging the tinned meat for ages, and it's stuck around for a reason (it rules). Nowadays, restaurants worldwide are working gastronomic magic with Spam-based offerings, like Mama Yoshi Mini Mart in Ridgewood, Queens, with its Hawaiian bowl: a fully-loaded fantasia of macaroni salad, a fried egg, rice, pickles, and three slabs of sauteed Spam. But, while Spam in its slab or cubed form is perhaps the delivery with which foodies are most widely familiar, allow us to open your mind (and appetite) to new possibilities. 

We're talking about shredded Spam, and you can make it in your air fryer. Shredding your Spam is the ultimate hack, creating toothy chew and a crispy browned bite. An air fryer is the ideal tool here because the appliance is designed for cooking without oil. Considering Spam is already rich and salty, cooking it with oil can be a major mistake. 

To shred, simply liberate that meaty block from its tin and rub it across a cheese grater. Then, spread the shredded Spam into a thin, uniform layer across a baking sheet or air fryer basket and cook at 360 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes, removing to flip halfway through. Agitate the shredded Spam using a spatula to turn it over.

Once it has finished cooking, you're free to incorporate your shredded Spam into any recipes you choose. You could add it to your next bowl of instant ramen or pho, or use it to elevate any casserole or stew. Add that shredded Spam to a Chinese tomato egg stir-fry, or melt it into a grilled cheese sandwich.

This flavorful, meaty beauty holds up on its own as a protein-forward topping for any understated rice dish. You could create a quick meal with shredded Spam, bonito flakes, dried seaweed sesame seeds, and chili oil crisp atop a bowl of sticky rice (which you can nail in a bamboo steamer). Or, tuck it into Onigiri for an on-the-go snack. Shredded Spam would also make a delicious addition to this California Roll-inspired poke bowl, or any kimchi fried rice or pineapple fried rice.

Spam comes in a myriad of different flavors from teriyaki to maple, hickory smoke, hot & spicy, and more, and they can all be shredded with this tip. For the record, our favorite flavor is the 25% less sodium offering, which packs all the familiar flavor of classic Spam without the heavy-handed saltiness. As an added moisture element, you could toss your shredded Spam in a quick finishing glaze like sesame oil and soy sauce, gochujang, miso paste, chili oil, or even just granulated sugar and water. For a dimensional sweet-savory caramelization, toss that shredded Spam in the glaze pre-air-fry.