Smoked SPAM Fries

By James Kimble June 27, 2024 4 mins read 129 Views

Even if you’re not a fan of SPAM, you are going to love these Smoked SPAM Fries. They are salty, sweet, and smoky.

These SPAM fries are quick and easy to whip up on the smoker in about 2 hours. They’re a great snack while you’re waiting on a brisket or pork butt to finish, but they also make a good BBQ snack for cookouts and parties as well.

Smoked SPAM fries

You might have come across bloomin spam, but I think fries is the best way to smoke spam. You can get a more even coating of seasoning on each fry, and they’re easier to dip and snack on.

Ingredients you’ll need

SPAM – I used the classic flavor, but any flavor you like will work. You can also opt to grab the low-sodium version if you want to watch your salt intake.
BBQ seasoning – gives these SPAM fries a great flavor. I used our Smoke Kitchen Pitmaster’s Pick rub, but any barbecue rub will work. I recommend something with a touch of sweetness and spice.
BBQ sauce – optional, but I like to serve my SPAM fries alongside barbecue sauce for dipping to add a little extra flavor.

smoked spam fries ingredients on a wooden chopping board

What is SPAM?

SPAM is essentially ground pork mixed with ground ham, then seasoned and salted to make it shelf-stable in a can.

It gained popularity during World War II, as it was provided to the Allied soldiers as part of their rations. It’s shelf-stable and doesn’t require refrigeration, so it was a perfect ration for wartime.

Over 100 million pounds of SPAM were consumed during the war, and it continued to gain popularity worldwide as an easy and inexpensive substitute for fresh meat.

How to make smoked SPAM fries

1. Prep

Crack open your cans and remove the SPAM from the tin.

Cut the SPAM lengthwise, then slice those pieces into “fries” about ¼”-½” thick.

unsmoked spam sliced into fry shapes on a wooden board — If you want them to be uniform in shape, trim them as needed and save the scraps to fry up in a breakfast hash.

2. Season

Season your SPAM with your favorite barbecue rub to give it extra barbecue flavor. I used the Smoke Kitchen Pitmaster’s Pick for this recipe, but feel free to use any barbecue seasoning you have on hand. You want something with a little sweetness and spice.

seasoned spam fries on a wooden board — Be sure to season them on all sides for maximum flavor!

I’ve seen some people add mustard as a binder when they smoke SPAM, but I find that the canned meat already has enough moisture that you don’t need to use a binder. In my experience, the seasoning doesn’t have an issue sticking.

3. Smoke

Preheat your smoker to 250°F.

For this recipe, I used my Grilla Grills OG along with Bear Mountain BBQ Gourmet BBQ pellets. Any pellet blend or wood will work. You can also make them on a gas grill or a charcoal grill, as long as it can maintain a steady temperature of around 250°F for about 2 hours.

smoked spam fries on the grill at the start of smoking

You can transfer your SPAM fries to a wire rack or place them directly on the grates of your smoker. Then, all you have to do is shut the lid and let them smoke.

After about 1½ – 2 hours, they should be nice and crispy on the outside, and you’ll know they’re ready to enjoy.

smoked spam fries on the grill at the end of smoking

I like to serve them with barbecue sauce on the side for dipping but they would be great dipped in ranch or blue cheese as well.

a tin of smoked spam fries, a pile of smoked spam fries and a bowl of bbq sauce

Easy appetizers