Spam Musubi
A glazed slab of pan-fried Spam pressed onto a block of seasoned sushi rice and wrapped in nori, modeled on Japanese onigiri. Spam became a Hawaiian pantry staple during WWII, when the heavy U.S. military presence and wartime rationing of fresh meat made the shelf-stable canned pork practical, and island cooks, many from Japanese plantation-immigrant families, folded it into this now-iconic local snack.
Meat
⚠ Contains: Gluten, Soy. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 1 can (12 oz/340g) Spam
- 4 cups cooked short-grain sushi rice, warm
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar, optional, mixed into the rice
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 4 sheets nori, cut into thirds lengthwise
Steps
- Slice the Spam into 8 even slabs.
- Whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, and mirin in a small bowl.
- Pan-fry the Spam slices over medium heat 1-2 minutes per side until lightly browned.
- Add the soy-sugar-mirin glaze to the pan, turning the slices to coat until glossy and slightly caramelized, about 1 minute more; remove from heat.
- Lightly season the warm rice with rice vinegar if using.
- Lay a strip of nori shiny-side-down, place a musubi mold (or an open-ended Spam can) on top, and press a 1/2-inch layer of rice firmly into the mold.
- Top the rice with a glazed Spam slice and press gently.
- Remove the mold and wrap the nori strip around the rice-and-Spam block, sealing the edge with a dab of water.
- Repeat with the remaining ingredients and serve warm or at room temperature.