There’s a SPAM museum?
That’s usually the first question I get when mentioning our visit there (Big Trip 15!) And yes, it’s true. There’s a SPAM museum. They even give out SPAMples! ☺️
Regardless about how you feel about SPAM itself (in my experience, you either love it or hate it – and I definitely love it), the history of SPAM is really quite interesting.
History of Hormel
George A. Hormel opened his meat processing plant in 1891 in Austin, Minnesota. The company initially sold fresh pork products but in 1926 they debuted the Flavor Sealed Ham.
Flavor Sealed Ham was made by vacuum sealing a single, large piece of ham into a can, and then cooking the ham inside the can. The ham would last for several months in the pantry and once opened, it was ready to eat!
The canned ham became popular at the same time as other time-saving modern conveniences such as refrigeration.
From Ham to SPAM
George’s son, Jay Hormel, became president of the company in the late 1920s. Jay had lots of ideas for improvements and new products, one of which was SPAM.
Making the Flavor Sealed Ham created a lot of waste. Scraps of ham left over from the butchering process were being thrown away. Jay decided to use those scraps to create a new product which is now known as SPAM.
SPAM is made by deboning the scraps then combining them into a paste, adding spices and preservatives which is cooked in the can just like the ham was.
The recipe for SPAM is really quite simple. Just six ingredients: pork, water, salt, sugar, and sodium nitrate. Recently the company added potato starch which doesn’t change the flavor or texture but soaks up the gelatin that was created when the SPAM was cooked, creating a more pleasant user experience.
And now that I think about it, I’ve noticed that there is much less of that gelatin when I open a fresh can these days. Huh. Even the mighty SPAM can be improved!
SPAM joins the military
SPAM was popular with home cooks, but its popularity really soared when it became part of the military food supply.
During World War II, SPAM was one of several preserved foods that was sent to feed Americans fighting overseas. The meat isn’t fresh but it is a great source of protein, salt, and calories. In addition to being filling and tasty, the canned meat is easy to transport and ready to eat straight out of the can if necessary.
Local cultures that interacted with the American military were also exposed to SPAM. After the war when fresh meat was hard to get, they came to rely on the SPAM they could get a hold of, adding their own local flavor to the meat.
At the SPAM Factory
A fun display at the SPAM Museum shows the ingredients of SPAM and gives you a chance to can your own SPAM in a timed race down an assembly line. How fast can YOU can a SPAM?!
Another fun activity at the museum – see how you measure up against a stack of SPAM cans! You’re probably a bit taller than Vacation Mouse… Can you even see him down there?!
Hormel Foods – A Cornerstone of the Community
The Hormel company has been based in Austin, Minnesota since the very beginning and is a large part of the community there. The history is long and sometimes complicated.
The Atlantic and WNYC Studios released a 3-part series about the history of SPAM and the town of Austin from World War II through today. I thought it was very interesting.
SPAM Podcast – How the American Dream Got Canned
SPAM: How the American Dream Got Canned
Part 1 – Uncle SPAM
During World War II, the American dream was exported across the world, one can at a time.
Part 2 – Cram Your Spam
How SPAM built a town—and tore it apart
Part 3 – El Sueno de SPAM
Thirty years after the Hormel strike, a mysterious disease spreads among SPAMtown’s new workforce.
A Brief History of SPAM
Maybe you’re not as much of a podcast lover as I am or maybe you’re just interested in a quick lowdown on the history of SPAM. If that’s the case, perhaps you will enjoy this video from Mental Floss host Justin Dodd. Food History: SPAM
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