This article compares two popular cured pork products: Spam and bacon.
Spam:
- Spam, a canned lunch meat, was invented by Hormel Foods in 1937. It’s made from pork shoulder and ham, originally considered low-quality cuts. Spam is not spiced but has various flavors like maple, teriyaki, and jalapeño. It contains salt, water, potato starch, sugar, and sodium nitrite. The pork in Spam is ground and mixed with these ingredients, then vacuum-sealed in cans and cooked, resulting in a homogenous pork product. Spam is shelf-stable and beloved in places like Hawaii, Guam, and the Philippines. It’s ready to eat from the can, cheaper than bacon, and available in different flavors, including a turkey-based variety.
Bacon:
- Bacon’s history dates back to 1500 B.C. in China. In the U.S., it typically refers to smoked pork belly, which is about 90% fat. Bacon is cured with nitrates, nitrites, and salt, then smoked over wood like hickory or applewood. It can also be made from other pork cuts like loin, jowl, or shoulder. Bacon retains its original form, is streaked with fat, and is sold in various forms like slices, slab bacon, and lardons. It has a higher fat and sodium content than Spam and is more expensive. Bacon must be cooked before eating, unlike Spam, and is popular in many dishes, including desserts.
Nutrition and Popularity:
- Both Spam and bacon are high in fat and sodium. Spam contains 180 calories and 16 grams of fat per 2-ounce serving, while bacon has about 263 calories and 19.6 grams of fat in the same portion. Bacon also contains more sodium than Spam. Both are low in carbs, with Spam having 1 gram per serving and bacon less than 1 gram. They’re popular in keto diets for their low carb and high-fat content.
In summary, while both Spam and bacon are salty, pork-based, and delicious, they have distinct differences in terms of production, flavor, nutritional content, and use in cooking. Spam is a reconstituted pork product with added stabilizers, making it shelf-stable and ready to eat.
Spam:
- Origin: Invented in 1937 by Hormel Foods, Spam is a reconstituted pork product made from pork shoulder and ham.
- Preparation: Ground pork mixed with salt, water, potato starch, sugar, and sodium nitrite, then cooked in vacuum-sealed cans.
- Varieties: Available in multiple flavors, including maple, teriyaki, jalapeño, and even a turkey version.
- Shelf-Stability: Notably shelf-stable, with a long shelf life, making it popular in regions like Hawaii, Guam, and the Philippines.
- Consumption: Can be eaten straight from the can and is often included in various recipes.
Bacon:
- History: Traced back to 1500 B.C. in China, bacon has evolved with various styles like Canadian and English back bacon.
- Source: In the U.S., it generally refers to smoked pork belly.
- Preparation: Cured in nitrates, nitrites, and salt, then smoked over
