What's All That Jelly Inside A Can Of SPAM?

If you've ever opened a can of Spam and been greeted by a layer of wobbly, glistening jelly, you might've been confused about what on earth you were looking at. Is it fat? Some kind of preservative? A weird byproduct of the canning process? The truth is, it's actually natural meat gelatin. That jelly layer you see is just the juices from the cooked pork that have solidified. Contrary to one of the many myths surrounding Spam, the jelly is completely normal and safe to eat.

If you have been eating Spam for a while, you might have noticed that this jelly has gotten thicker. That's because, in 2009, Hormel tweaked the recipe by adding potato starch. This helps to absorb excess moisture, thickening the gelatin. This small change didn't alter the overall taste of Spam, but it did make it a bit more convenient (and nicer to look at). Before the addition of potato starch, the jelly could sometimes pool at the bottom of the can, making it messy to handle and visually unappetizing. The starch helps hold everything together so that when you tip the Spam out of its tin, it comes out cleanly in one cohesive block.

All Spam products, including these six types of Spam you probably haven't heard of, contain some meat gelatin. While many people discard it, this gelatin is good for cooking. Instead of throwing it out, use it to add extra moisture and umami to your dishes.

Take Spam musubi, for example. In this dish, you can mix some of the melted gelatin into your teriyaki or soy sauce glaze. It thickens the sauce and helps it cling to the Spam better, giving the overall dish a more evenly distributed flavor. If you're making a soup, stew, or ramen, you can stir the gelatin into the broth. Here, it will provide a deep, meaty taste. If you're frying Spam, let the jelly melt in the pan before adding oil. It helps caramelize the meat and creates a richer base for fried rice and other dishes. Finally, spreading a thin layer of the jelly over slices of Spam before you roast or bake them helps lock in the meat's moisture, preventing the Spam from drying out. 

So, the next time you open a can of Spam to spruce up taco night and see that familiar jelly, don't be alarmed. It's just another thing that makes Spam such a flavorful and versatile product.