Spam Musubi
I behold to you my favorite food ever: Spam Musubi. I will not accept any Spam slander, if you eat Hot Cheetos, hot dogs, or any other processed food, you can eat Spam. In this household, Spam is a delicacy. We don’t buy it often, but when we do, we go all in, Spam and eggs, Spam and mac, and of course, Spam musubi.
If you’ve been to Hawaii, you know Spam musubi is everywhere. You’ll find it at 7-Eleven, grocery stores, even little shops that sell nothing but Spam musubi. When I lived in Hawaii as a kid, everyone made them for snacks, whether for long soccer games, swim meets, or sneaking bites during piano recitals.
These days, I love making Spam musubi for breakfast. It reheats well, stores great in the fridge, and you can make a bunch ahead of time. The recipe is easy too: cook the sushi rice, marinate and fry the Spam, then mold and wrap. No need for a fancy musubi mold, we’re using the Spam can. Let’s get into it.
Spam Musubi
Ingredients
3 cups sushi rice, cooked
¼ cup rice vinegar (for sushi rice seasoning)
2 tsp granulated sugar (for sushi rice seasoning)
½ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup soy sauce
⅓ cup oyster sauce
1 Tbsp mirin
1 (12 oz) can of Spam
2 Tbsp canola oil
3–4 sheets of nori, cut into fourths
Furikake (optional but highly recommended)
Directions
Cook your rice
Use a rice cooker or follow package instructions.
Mix your marinade
In a container, combine brown sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and mirin. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
Slice and marinate the Spam
Cut the Spam lengthwise into 8–10 slices depending on your thickness preference. Save the Spam can—you’ll use it as a mold.
Place Spam slices in a container with the marinade, cover with an airtight lid, and shake to coat. Marinate in the fridge for 30–60 minutes, or overnight if you’ve got time.
Fry the Spam
Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Fry Spam slices 2–3 minutes per side until lightly browned (I like mine extra crispy).
Optional: After flipping, spoon a little marinade over each slice to caramelize. Lower the heat when doing this to prevent burning.
Season your sushi rice
Mix rice vinegar and sugar, then stir into the cooked sushi rice.
Assemble your musubi
Cut nori sheets into fourths.
Wash the Spam can and line it with plastic wrap (optional, but helps with sticking).
Spoon a layer of sushi rice into the can (about ¼ full, or adjust for your ideal rice-to-Spam ratio).
Sprinkle furikake on top of the rice.
Place a Spam slice on top and press gently to compact.
Flip the can over onto a nori sheet and carefully remove the musubi.
Wrap the nori around, sealing with a little water or a grain of sushi rice. If rice sticks to your hands, wet them!
Wrap and store
Wrap each musubi in plastic wrap to keep it fresh.
Reheating & Storage
Reheat: Remove plastic wrap and microwave for 45–60 seconds.
Storage: Keeps well in the fridge for 3–4 days. If the rice hardens, wrap with a damp paper towel before microwaving to soften it back up.
