Up today for lunch is some hickory smoked Spam on our Kamado Joe.
You don’t need a Kamado Joe to make this hickory smoked Spam recipe. You can use the smoker you already have.
We’re going to make some hickory smoked Spam sandwiches.
If you ask me, these taste a lot like fresh-off-the-smoker baby back ribs. The neighbors might end up climbing over the fence once they smell what you’re cooking up.
So let’s get started …
Hickory Smoked Spam Recipe
Growing up, Spam was frequently the budget-friendly dinner-table main course. However, today, Spam seems to have become a thing at trendy high-dollar eateries.
But in between those times, Uncle Sam had sent me, and many others, on an all-inclusive paid vacation to Central America. During those deployments, and for some unknown reason, Spam was on the lunch and dinner menu for several weeks straight in our little corner of paradise.
Rumor had it, the mess hooch Supply Sergeant was a decimal or three off on what should have been requisitioned. So there was extra, a lot extra. As a result, we experienced much Spam culinary creativity in any number of different ways. And all of it, gently ladled, into our U.S. Army issue mess hall scratch-and-dent issued food trays.
Some of it was good, some not so much. However, it was all a welcome diversion to the first-generation MREs and warm Tab sodas.
But enough of that, moving back into today’s timeline, we think that our hickory smoked Spam recipe comes really close, both in taste and texture, to a rack of ribs coming hot off the backyard smoker. But you’ll need to decide for yourself.
We can almost see a smoke ring. Can you see it? Hickory smoked Spam ready for some sandwich-eating action …
If the neighbors get a taste, you might find them lining up to get seconds and thirds. So you’ll probably need to be prepared to make a bunch. They may never know this started as canned spiced ham. Tell’em that you spent all day preparing, smoking, tending, and basting these pork sandwich beauties.
This hickory smoke Spam recipe doesn’t take all day, just a few hours time. So if you get a hankering for barbecue ribs, or something close, check this out.
Supplies
Helpful Information
Ingredients
Method
Let’s season up the Spam for smoking. First, cut a cross-hatch pattern into the top. Just like you might do when you’re smoking up a pork butt.
Here we have cross-hatch cut our Spam, much like preparing a pork butt for smoking. We’re only cutting about 1/4 inch deep into the meat. The cross hatch cuts help catch and hold the barbecue seasoning we are about to apply.
Next, rub with yellow mustard. You won’t taste the mustard. We’re simply using it to help the rub adhere to the meat.
Applying the yellow mustard to the Spam, the mustard adds no taste, we’re using it to help the rub adhere to the meat.
Then, liberally coat the Spam with your favorite pork rub, just like you might do with ribs. We’re using a Killer Hogs product, The BBQ Rub. It’s one of our favorite blends for pork. We picked ours up on Amazon because of free shipping. You can also order direct from their website, but you’ll pay a shipping fee. So compare your costs.
Applying the first layer of our Killer Hogs barbecue rub. Next, we’ll refrigerate uncovered for about two hours.
Finally, place the Spam, uncovered, in the refrigerator for several hours to let the barbecue rub set up and marinate the spiced ham.
While the Spam is marinating, set up and stabilize your smoker for 225 to 250 °F (107 – 121 °C) and indirect cooking. Don’t forget to add your smoking wood.
We’re using our Kamado Joe ceramic cooker, that’s what we have. So, we are using our heat deflector and setting it up for indirect cooking. Since we’re going low-and-slow, we decided to use our ThermoWorks Signals and ThermoWorks Billows temperature controller fan. Using a temperature controller is optional. You can read our ThermoWorks Signals review here and our ThermoWorks Billows review here.
When your smoker has stabilized, take the Spam from the refrigerator. Give the Spam another liberal coat of barbecue rub and place it on the grate. Here, we’re using a cooling rack to transport our marinated Spam to the smoker. It makes it really easy to carry and sits right on the grill grate. But use what you have.
Removed the Spam from the refrigerator, next we applied the second layer of barbecue rub.
After an hour or so, baste the Spam with your favorite barbecue sauce. Give it a good coating just like you would when a when making up a rack of ribs.
The Spam has been hickory smoking for about an hour. It’s time to give it a coating of barbecue sauce.
In 30 minutes, baste again.
Nice coloring. After 30 more minutes, it’s time to give it another coating of barbecue sauce.
At the two-hour mark, the hickory-smoked Spam is done.
This hickory-smoked spam is done. Now let’s take it in and see how we can fix up this smoked spam into a nice sandwich
Hickory Smoked Spam Recipe Taste Test
We fried up a last-minute egg and decided to make a hickory smoke Spam and egg breakfast-style sandwich with some pepper jack cheese. Even adding a bit of Chipotle hot sauce.
We decided to make up some hickory smoked Spam and egg breakfast-style sandwiches.
All I can say is this was good, it was really good. Surprisingly good and has been on the menu for several weeks now.
You might find this canned, spiced ham, is no longer a camping or emergency-preparedness staple. I’m thinking back to my Central American vacation days and how I might tackle my next Spam recipe.
2 replies on “Hickory Smoked Spam on the Kamado Joe”
Interesting, is there a certain temp you shoot for in the meat? I know it’s already pre cooked but was wondering for texture sake.
Ebe, I don’t have any particular temperature that I aim for. I figure two hours at 225-250 F is a good target time for pre-cooked SPAM. Next time I’ll use a temp probe and see what it says and update the post. I have some other ideas I want to try, so I’m sure it’ll be soon.