Spam and Egg Musubi

Few convenience snacks bring instant comfort quite like Spam and Egg Musubi. One bite of the nori wrapped, pan-fried, soy sauce glazed Spam with egg omelette and seasoned sushi rice instantly transports you to the Hawaiian Islands. It’s an easy snack that keeps everyone coming back for more.

Spam musubi make a great addition to any lunch box, picnic basket, brunch spread, or luau dinner party. While you’re at it, whip up a classic Hawaiian Mac Salad and some fried Mochiko Chicken to complete the feast.

Spam and Egg Musubi

It’s hard to describe the joy of tucking into a freshly made Spam and Egg Musubi. It brings me back to the beaches of Big Island. I can smell the sea air, hear the crashing of the waves, and feel the sand between my toes.

I’ll never forget how hesitant I was to buy our lunch at a local gas station; how skeptical I was of a cold nori wrapped piece of Spam and rice. How good could it be? I never grew up eating Spam or any of its canned meat imposters, so I had a few reservations. PS If you’re on the fence about Spam, I get it. Just give this one a try. I know you’re going to love it!

Turns out, that gas station meal was the beginning to a beautiful love affair with Spam musubi. Years later my friend Jay del Corro made an excellent version in his restaurant here in Calgary. When he moved on, I knew I had to stand on my own two feet and become my own musubi master.

Ingredients in Spam and Egg Musubi

For this recipe you will need a cutting board, a sharp knife, a rice cooker or saucepan, a rice fan, a spatula, a large non-stick skillet, and a musubi mold. Pro tip: Remove both ends of the Spam can to make a repurposed musubi mold.

• Spam
• Sushi Rice
• Nori
• Light Brown Sugar
• Soy Sauce
• Mirin
• Toasted Sesame Oil
• Eggs
• Whole Milk
• Fine Sea Salt

Sushi rice is a short grain Japanese rice used for sushi and onigiri. When cooked properly, the starch allows the rice grains to stick together. Popular brands are Kohuko Rose, Nishiki, Botan, and Tamanishiki.

I used regular Spam in this recipe, but you can use reduced sodium or one of the many flavoured Spam varieties available.

Soy sauce and sesame oil add flavour, while Mirin and light brown sugar add a touch of sweetness. Nori is an edible; dark green or black seaweed sheet used in Japanese cooking. Use it to wrap the musubi for classic presentation.

What is Spam?

Spam is a pre-cooked, canned meat product manufactured by Hormel Foods, first introduced in 1937 during the Great Depression. Designed as an affordable, shelf-stable protein source, it became a massive global phenomenon (including on the Hawaiian Islands) during World War II.

How to Make Spam and Egg Musubi

Cook the Rice

Start by rinsing and cooking the sushi rice according to package directions or using the sushi rice setting on a rice cooker. For each portion of sushi rice, add the same portion of water (1:1 ratio).

To use a saucepan, bring rice to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover with a tight-fitting lid, drop heat to low, and simmer undisturbed for 15 minutes (no peeking!). Remove from heat and keep the lid on for 10 minutes to let the residual steam finish cooking the grains.

You can leave the rice plain or season it. To season, dissolve 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt into 1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (for each 10.5 oz (300 g) Sushi Rice). Spread warm rice into a wide glass or wooden bowl, drizzle seasoning evenly, and gently fold with a rice paddle using a slicing motion while fanning to bring it to room temperature.

Glaze and Sear the Spam

Stir the soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil together in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.

Next, heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Place the Spam slices in a single layer and sear for 2–3 minutes on each side until beautifully golden and crisp around the edges.

Turn the heat down slightly and pour the soy-sugar glaze directly into the pan over the Spam. Cook and flip the Spam slices continuously for 1–2 minutes over medium heat. As the sauce reduces, it coats each piece in a thick, glossy, sweet-and-savoury glaze. Transfer to a plate.

The Omelette

Next, make the omelette layer. If you want to skip the egg and make classic Spam musubi, skip over this step. First, beat the eggs, milk, and a pinch of salt together in a small bowl until completely smooth and streak-free.

Wipe out the skillet, add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, and set it over medium-low heat. Pour in the egg mixture, swirling the pan to create an even, thin sheet.

Cook until the eggs are just set on top, then carefully flip to finish the other side for 30 seconds. Slide the egg sheet onto a cutting board to cool slightly. Use the Spam can mold to cut out 8 pieces of omelette.

Assemble the Musubi

To make the musubi, start by lining the empty Spam can (or your musubi mold) with a piece of plastic wrap, leaving a few inches hanging over the sides.

Next, spoon a generous layer of warm sushi rice into the bottom then fold the plastic over and press down firmly to create a compact, solid rice rectangle. Lift the plastic wrap to pull the rice block out of the mold. Repeat to make 8 blocks.

Place a piece of egg omelette cleanly on top of a compressed rice block, then layer it with a slice of caramelized Spam.

Finally, lay a strip of nori shiny side down on a clean surface. Place the layered rice, egg, and Spam stack right in the centre. Wrap both ends of the nori tightly around the middle of the stack. Secure the seam at the bottom by pressing a few mashed grains of warm rice or a tiny dab of water onto the edge to seal it shut.

Serve immediately while warm or wrap each finished musubi tightly in plastic wrap for an authentic portable street-food or lunch box snack.

Storage

Spam and Egg Musubi will last 4-5 days in the refrigerator. Wrap room temperature musubi in plastic wrap and refrigerate in an airtight container.

To serve, you can reheat them briefly in a microwave for 30 to 60 seconds until slightly warm or enjoy them at room temperature. Replace the old nori strips with a fresh strip of nori after reheating.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill, the heart and soul behind Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

If you make this Spam and Egg Musubi recipe, I’d love to hear about it in the comments section or in a recipe rating. Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest for my latest recipes. Also, if you do make this recipe, please share your photos and tag me on Instagram. I hope you like this recipe!