Char Siu-Inspired Crispy Spam Sandwich Recipe
About This Char Siu-Inspired Crispy Spam Sandwich
What It Is: A Chinese BBQ-inspired Spam sandwich made with pan-fried shredded Spam, a sweet and savoury glaze, Japanese-inspired coleslaw and butter-toasted sandwich bread.
Cuisine: Modern fusion cooking inspired by Cantonese char siu flavours and Japanese-style coleslaw. This is not a traditional Cantonese or Japanese dish.
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Cooking Method: Skillet-frying, sautéing and pan-toasting.
Estimated Time: Approximately 30–40 minutes, depending on how many batches of Spam you fry and how quickly you prepare the vegetables.
Flavour & Texture: Salty, sweet, savoury and aromatic Spam with lightly crisp edges, balanced by cold, tangy coleslaw and soft buttery bread.
What Makes This Version Different: Instead of slicing Spam into slabs, it is grated and fried in batches before being coated in a Chinese BBQ-inspired glaze. The coleslaw incorporates Kewpie mayo, nori, shichimi togarashi and sesame seeds.
Equipment: Cast iron skillet or frying pan, box grater, mixing bowls and spatula.
This recipe happened because of my daughter. After making my BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich, which involved slow-cooking pork shoulder for hours, she suggested that I should come up with something much quicker.
Something that didn't require half a day of waiting around before we could eat. And then, just like that, a light bulb went off in my head. Why not use Spam? I had previously experimented with shredding luncheon meat for a sandwich, but that turned into a mushy, salty disaster.
This time, I decided to use Spam, grate it into shreds and fry it in batches until the edges became crispy. The idea was to build some texture before introducing any sauce.
Instead of going down the usual American BBQ route, I wanted something a little more char siu-ish. Char siu (叉烧) is a Cantonese preparation of roasted pork, traditionally seasoned with a sweet and savoury marinade before being roasted.
The flavours often involve ingredients such as fermented bean curd, hoisin, honey or maltose, soy sauce and Chinese five spice, although recipes vary. Obviously, this isn't traditional char siu. I'm using canned Spam, for crying out loud.
I went with hoisin, oyster sauce, honey, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, homemade Chinese five spice and @VinceHomeMade Dad's BBQ Spice Mix. I also added rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil at the end to bring everything together. The result is my own Chinese BBQ-inspired sandwich filling, rather than an attempt to recreate Cantonese roast pork.
For the sandwich itself, I kept the Japanese-inspired coleslaw from my pulled pork recipe. Shredded cabbage and carrot, Kewpie mayo, rice vinegar, Dijon mustard, nori, shichimi togarashi and sesame seeds.
The cold, crunchy slaw balances the salty, sticky Spam, while the bread gets toasted in butter on just one side so it stays soft enough to bite through. You can use ordinary sandwich bread or homemade shokupan if you're feeling ambitious.
And unlike my pulled pork sandwich, this doesn't require hours of slow cooking. Just a skillet, a little preparation and some patience while frying the Spam. Who would've thought a failed luncheon meat experiment and a suggestion from my daughter would lead to another sandwich recipe?
Ingredients:
(Serve 4)
Coleslaw:
Cabbage Shredded, 1/2
Carrot Shredded, 1
Sea Salt, Pinch
Black Pepper, Pinch
Rice Vinegar, 2 TBSP
Kewpie Mayo, 1/4 Cup
Dijon Mustard, 1 TBSP
Nori Flakes, Pinch
Shichimi Togarashi, Pinch
White & Black Sesame Seeds, Pinch
Shredded Spam:
Spam, 1 Can
Rapeseed / Sunflower / Canola / Peanut Oil, 2 TBSP + 2 TBSP
Red Onion Finely Sliced, 1
Black Pepper, Pinch
Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves
Chinese 5 Spice Homemade, Pinch
@VinceHomeMade Dad's BBQ Spice Mix, 1/2 TBSP
Hoisin Sauce, 1/2 TBSP
Oyster Sauce, 1/2 TBSP
Pure Honey, 1/2 TBSP
ShaoXing / Hua Tiew Wine, 1 TBSP
Rice Vinegar, 1 TBSP
Toasted Sesame Oil, 1 TSP
Soft Sandwich Bread, 8 Slices Or Shokupan
Unsalted Butter, For Toasting
Equipment:
Cast Iron Skillet / Pan
Directions:
Please visit my "How To Make Chinese 5 Spice" page for the recipe.
Please visit my "How To Make Shokupan" page for the recipe.
Start with the coleslaw. Add the shredded cabbage and carrot to a large mixing bowl.
Season lightly with sea salt and black pepper, then add the rice vinegar, Kewpie mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, nori flakes, shichimi togarashi and sesame seeds.
Toss everything together until the vegetables are evenly coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning, acidity or spiciness to your preference. Remember that the Spam filling will be quite savoury, so the coleslaw should have enough acidity to balance it.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble the sandwiches. Keeping the coleslaw cold also helps preserve its crunch.
Remove the Spam from its can and grate it using the coarse side of a box grater. You're looking for distinct shreds rather than a fine paste.
Heat the first portion of cooking oil in a cast iron skillet or frying pan over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, add a portion of the shredded Spam and spread it into a relatively even layer. Avoid overcrowding the skillet.
Allow the Spam to fry undisturbed for a short while so the underside has time to develop some colour before stirring or turning it.
Continue frying until the shreds develop golden-brown, lightly crispy edges. Transfer them to a plate and repeat with the remaining Spam.
Frying in batches is important. If you add everything at once, the moisture released can cause the Spam to steam rather than brown, leaving you with a softer filling.
Once all the Spam has been fried, add the remaining cooking oil to the same skillet over medium heat.
Add the sliced red onion and season with black pepper. Sauté until the onion softens and develops some light caramelization.
Add the minced garlic and sauté briefly until fragrant, taking care not to burn it.
Lower the heat and add the homemade Chinese five spice and @VinceHomeMade Dad's BBQ Spice Mix. Stir briefly to distribute the spices through the onions and garlic without scorching them.
Return the crispy shredded Spam to the skillet and toss until everything is evenly combined.
Add the hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, honey and light soy sauce. Stir gently to coat the Spam.
Pour in the Shaoxing wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Continue sautéing until the liquid reduces and the sauce lightly glazes the shredded Spam.
Taste before adding any additional seasoning. Spam, oyster sauce, soy sauce and some BBQ rubs already contain plenty of salt, so you probably won't need any more.
Turn off the heat before stirring in the rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil. Adding them at the end helps retain their sharper and more aromatic qualities.
Toss everything together once more. The finished filling should be glossy and sticky, with some lightly crisp edges remaining. It shouldn't be swimming in sauce.
Transfer the filling to a bowl or plate and set aside while you toast the bread.
Melt a little unsalted butter in a clean skillet over medium-low heat.
Place the sandwich bread into the skillet and toast one side only until lightly golden brown. Leave the other side soft.
Repeat with the remaining slices of bread, adding more butter as necessary.
To assemble, place the bread with the toasted sides facing inward, toward the filling. This gives the Spam and coleslaw a lightly crisp surface to sit against while keeping the outside of the sandwich soft.
Divide the warm shredded Spam mixture evenly among four slices of bread.
Top generously with the chilled Japanese-inspired coleslaw. If the coleslaw has released excess liquid while chilling, drain it lightly before adding it to the sandwiches.
Close each sandwich with another slice of bread, keeping its toasted side facing inward.
Slice the sandwiches in half if desired and serve immediately.
Tips
Use Spam rather than assuming every luncheon meat behaves the same way.
I previously tried shredding another type of luncheon meat and ended up with an unpleasant, mushy mixture. Different brands have different textures, so I wouldn't automatically substitute them without testing.
Use the coarse side of your box grater.
Fine grating can turn the Spam into tiny fragments that are harder to fry into distinct, browned shreds.
Fry the Spam in batches.
This is probably the most important technique in the recipe. Give the shreds enough contact with the hot skillet to brown properly. Overcrowding traps moisture and encourages steaming.
Don't expect the Spam to stay completely crispy after glazing.
The sauces will soften some of those crisp edges. That's normal. The goal is a sticky, savoury filling with some browned texture rather than a completely crunchy one.
Be careful with the salt.
Spam, hoisin, oyster sauce, soy sauce and BBQ spice blends can all contribute sodium. Taste the filling before adding any additional seasoning.
Don't burn the spice blends.
Chinese five spice and BBQ rubs contain finely ground spices, and some BBQ rubs also contain sugar. Lower the heat before adding them and stir only briefly.
Add the vinegar and toasted sesame oil off the heat.
The vinegar brightens the filling while the sesame oil contributes aroma. You don't need to cook either for very long.
Keep the coleslaw cold.
The combination of warm, sticky Spam and cold, crunchy vegetables makes the sandwich more balanced.
Toast only one side of the bread.
I want a little crispiness where the filling meets the bread, but I still want the sandwich to be soft and easy to bite through.
Adjust the glaze to your preference.
If you prefer something sweeter, add a little more honey. If you want more acidity, adjust the rice vinegar. Just be careful with extra soy sauce because the Spam is already salty.
FAQ
What is a Char Siu-Inspired Crispy Spam Sandwich?
It is a sandwich made with grated Spam that is pan-fried until browned, then tossed in a sweet and savoury Chinese BBQ-inspired glaze. The filling is served with Japanese-inspired coleslaw between slices of butter-toasted sandwich bread.
Is this an authentic char siu recipe?
No. Char siu (叉烧) is a Cantonese preparation of seasoned roasted pork. This recipe borrows some of its familiar sweet, savoury and aromatic flavours but uses canned Spam and a skillet instead of roasting pork.
Why shred Spam instead of slicing it?
Shredding increases the surface area exposed to the skillet, creating more opportunities for browning. It also produces a loose filling that can be coated in sauce and spread across sandwich bread.
Can I use another brand of luncheon meat?
You can experiment, but I wouldn't promise identical results. I previously tried another luncheon meat and found that it became mushy when shredded and cooked. Spam worked better for the texture I was trying to achieve.
Why should I fry the shredded Spam in batches?
Overcrowding the skillet traps moisture and can cause the Spam to steam instead of brown. Smaller batches allow more direct contact with the hot surface, helping the shreds develop crispy edges.
Will the shredded Spam remain crispy after adding the sauce?
Not entirely. The sauce softens some of the crispiness, but frying the Spam first develops flavour and browned edges that you wouldn't get by simply simmering grated Spam in sauce.
What makes the coleslaw Japanese-inspired?
The coleslaw contains Kewpie mayonnaise, nori flakes, shichimi togarashi and sesame seeds alongside cabbage, carrot, Dijon mustard and rice vinegar. It's my own Japanese-inspired variation rather than a traditional Japanese recipe.
Can I use regular sandwich bread instead of shokupan?
Absolutely. Soft sandwich bread works well. I like to toast one side in butter so there's a little crunch against the filling while the sandwich remains soft on the outside.
Can I make this sandwich without alcohol?
Yes. Omit the Shaoxing wine and use a small splash of water or unsalted stock to deglaze the skillet. The flavour won't be identical, but the recipe will still work.
Can I make the filling ahead of time?
Yes. Cool the cooked filling promptly and refrigerate it in a covered container within two hours. Reheat thoroughly before serving. Keep the coleslaw separate and assemble the sandwiches just before eating to prevent soggy bread.
Is this sandwich very spicy?
Not necessarily. The main source of heat is the shichimi togarashi in the coleslaw, along with any chilli in your chosen BBQ spice mix. You can reduce or omit the shichimi if you prefer a milder sandwich.
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