What's In The Spicy Spam Flavors That Make Them So Hot?

Spam is not only versatile because it can be added to so many dishes but also because it comes in many flavors that people are less familiar with. Before diving into SPAM's array of tasty flavors, however, it's best to develop a loving, or at least respectful, relationship with the classic. In fact, there are many amazing, unexpected ways to use SPAM, like slicing it into a breakfast sandwich or cubing it up to toss in a salad. This salty, savory meat in a can may replace other meats like bacon and sausage, taking many of your meals up a notch.

For those who are already passionate about Spam or looking to add some extra flavor to their meals, turning to spicy Spam is a great course of action. Spam comes in 11 different flavors, two of which have a kick. As their names imply, Jalapeño Spam and Hot and Spicy Spam have unique spice sources that make them quite different. Jalapeño Spam contains the same five ingredients as classic SPAM (pork and ham meat, salt, water, potato starch, sugar, and sodium nitrite) with the addition of jalepeño peppers. Hot and Spicy Spam, on the other hand, utilizes red peppers and vinegar for seasoning plus paprika for food color.

Jalapeño Spam and Hot and Spicy Spam bring the heat on and do so boldly. Spice is not everyone's first choice in flavor. Even so, these two hold their own in a ranking of all Spam flavors. Classic Spam is flavorful as is, if not just incredibly meaty and salty, but the extra kick of spice takes Spam to new dimensions of flavor. Spicy Spam may not be something you want to consume first thing in the day for breakfast but the heat makes for an impactful meal later in the day.

Spicy Spam can effortlessly intensify an array of rice-based dishes. For instance, when you're using up leftover rice to make fried rice, cubed Hot and Spicy Spam takes it from bland to bold. Similarly, Spam musubi, the Hawaiian snack favorite featuring a slice of Spam over rice and a seaweed wrap, becomes more complex with Hot and Spicy Spam.

At the same time, Jalepeño Spam has that familiar tangy spice that comes from green jalapeños. It's more than possible to use that jalapeño kick to your advantage. We know from pepper jack cheese that jalepeños are a match made in heaven with dairy. That's why Jalepeño Spam can be a great addition to your next batch of mac and cheese. Meaty bites add texture and the cheese calms the kick of the jalapeño, creating the ultimate comfort dish.