View Full Version : Spam, Spam, Vienna Sausages, and Spam
This poll asks what when you last had Spam and/or Vienna on the Trail (or any trail).
hikerboy57
11-01-2013, 18:52
had spam numerous times on my 6 week section this spring.i now prefer microwave precooked bacon
kayak karl
11-01-2013, 18:55
there is nothing for Tuesday??
Beans, tines, dines, & vi-eens. The 4 food groups. Greens too when you can find'em.
Actually found a couple of tangerines on the side of the road once that were perfectly good and much enjoyed. True.
Before the AT I never had SPAM my whole life, and as you can see, I am 54 years old
Has the pleasure of meeting Eric D (PCT hiker) a few years ago, I do not cook anymore, my go to dinner is SPAM and pita bread with mustard and cheese (if I have any), fast, easy, simple, tasty. If someone has a fire going I will toast it up a bit.
Refrigeration needed, HA HA. Not spam.
Love it..............................
MuddyWaters
11-01-2013, 20:22
Spam has been proven to last like 15 yrs, and they think its probably good to 30 yrs at least.
Remembering its a wet moist product, thats kinda amazing, and scary.
Spam on September 27th and 30th on the AT south of Rockfish Gap.
Spam on September 27th and 30th on the AT south of Rockfish Gap.
Hitting close to home.
Slo-go'en
11-02-2013, 11:58
I can tollerate spam on occasion, better if I can heat it up, but Vienna sausages are down right vile.
ChinMusic
11-02-2013, 12:10
I've eaten Spam on section hikes for years. I started out eating Spam on this year's thru. By the time I got to Damascus I never wanted to see Spam again. I switched to deli meats that have the label "refrigerate after opening". Fiorucci was my staple. I ain't going back.
atraildreamer
11-02-2013, 13:19
SPAM and cheese with mustard sandwiches when a Boy Scout. Bacon and peanut butter sandwiches when I went hunting. Yum-m-m-m!
Last Call
11-02-2013, 14:12
SPAM single last weekend in Sipsey Wilderness, Alabama.....nice area, BTW.
SPAM single last weekend in Sipsey Wilderness, Alabama.....nice area, BTW.
Vienna sausages have been involved in the quest for many thousands of merit badges. How can you fault them?
Yeah, I figured that it had a really long shelf life..............15-25 years, awesome.
Heading to Wal Mart tomorrow to buy a 10 year supply on sale
The bad news, I will have to pocket mustard packets at every fast food place and convenience store for the next year to balance things out.
Tri-Pod Bob
11-02-2013, 18:56
I can tollerate spam on occasion, better if I can heat it up, but Vienna sausages are down right vile.
+1 on that, Slo-go-en!!
atmilkman
11-02-2013, 19:00
Spam is good but it cannot compare to Treet for it's gastro-intestinal fortitude. In this respect Treet "blows" Spam away.
QHShowoman
11-02-2013, 21:29
I'm Puerto Rican - we eat Vienna sausages like they're 'real' meat. Put 'em in soups and stews, cooked over rice, straight out of the can cold, etc. We also like the potted meat you can find in the same section ... Usually spread on crackers.
magic_game03
11-02-2013, 21:46
Beans, tines, dines, & vi-eens. The 4 food groups. Greens too when you can find'em.
Uh, can I get a translation for the 'tines' and 'dines' please? Heck, you might have found the holy grail of trail food and I don't want to miss out.
Uh, can I get a translation for the 'tines' and 'dines' please? Heck, you might have found the holy grail of trail food and I don't want to miss out.
Saltines & sardines. Sorry. Unintentionally enigmatic.
HEY, hey, if you want to eat all the spam and vienna sausages until you gag go ahead but DAMN IT can y'all NOT throw your cans into the campfire rings, throw them under shelters, or leave them around where you camped! The most left behind pieces of garbage I universally note in the U.S. are those left over discarded empty cans of spam and vienna sausages. Perhaps, that's telling of the type of people that eat this stuff.
HEY, hey, if you want to eat all the spam and vienna sausages until you gag go ahead but DAMN IT can y'all NOT throw your cans into the campfire rings, throw them under shelters, or leave them around where you camped! The most left behind pieces of garbage I universally note in the U.S. are those left over discarded empty cans of spam and vienna sausages. Perhaps, that's telling of the type of people that eat this stuff.
You haven't a clue. I eat "this stuff" with relish regularly. I also pack out a fair amount of others' garbage....mostly beer and soda containers...and I won't touch a soda.
MuddyWaters
11-02-2013, 22:40
HEY, hey, if you want to eat all the spam and vienna sausages until you gag go ahead but DAMN IT can y'all NOT throw your cans into the campfire rings, throw them under shelters, or leave them around where you camped! The most left behind pieces of garbage I universally note in the U.S. are those left over discarded empty cans of spam and vienna sausages. Perhaps, that's telling of the type of people that eat this stuff.
And the foil liners from spam and tuna packets remain in fire rings after the plastic burns away.
And the foil liners from spam and tuna packets remain in fire rings after the plastic burns away.
And the whiners whine long after someone else toted off the trash.
"You haven't a clue." In what regard? R U telling me I'm really not noticing the amount of garbage that is empty spam and vienna saugsage tins? Is it an illusion I'm having? Notice my last sentence was not a hardline judgement! Perhaps, that's telling of the type of people that eat this stuff.
And, if you do haul away anyone's trash no matter what the trash that's commendable.
"You haven't a clue." In what regard? R U telling me I'm really not noticing the amount of garbage that is empty spam and vienna saugsage tins? Is it an illusion I'm having? Notice my last sentence was not a hardline judgement! Perhaps, that's telling of the type of people that eat this stuff.
Right DW. As usual.
And, if you do haul away anyone's trash no matter what the trash that's commendable.
No if .
magic_game03
11-02-2013, 23:13
...can y'all NOT throw your cans into the campfire rings, throw them under shelters, or leave them around where you camped...
So are you saying that I shouldn't throw the cans in the camp fire rather I should throw them under the shelter or leave them where I camped. I'll probably keep throwing them under the shelter 'cause I think if I leave them around my campsite I'll probably attract some bears… that I'm already trying to divert the bears to the shelters by rubbing p'nut budder and honey on them. Hey, ya gotta be a quick thinker out there, dem bears are pretty smart.
So are you saying that I shouldn't throw the cans in the camp fire rather I should throw them under the shelter or leave them where I camped. I'll probably keep throwing them under the shelter 'cause I think if I leave them around my campsite I'll probably attract some bears… that I'm already trying to divert the bears to the shelters by rubbing p'nut budder and honey on them. Hey, ya gotta be a quick thinker out there, dem bears are pretty smart.
Don't pay no mind to DW. He means well.
That's exactly right, don't mind me if you're not leaving spam and vienna sausage cans behind where ya camped; it wasn't you who was being addressed. Tough audience tnight. Y'alls team most have lost recently. Don't blame me if ya betted against the Reds. :sun
Train Wreck
11-03-2013, 01:46
Perhaps, that's telling of the type of people that eat this stuff.
Is it ok if I leave the Moet & Chandon bottles, Grey Poupon jars and Russian caviar tins, as long as I pack out my humble vienna sausage cans?
It's Ok to leave uncorked full bottles of M&C when you know I'll be there camping there the next night. thank u. I'll pack out the empty.
Train Wreck
11-03-2013, 02:01
It's Ok to leave uncorked full bottles of M&C when you know I'll be there camping there the next night. thank u. I'll pack out the empty.
I'll leave you some of this to go along with the M&C.
24715
Look for it under the shelter towards the back :)
Sarcasm the elf
11-03-2013, 03:40
Love Vienna sausages when backpacking.
Can't do spam unfortunately, tastes great going in but something in it (all the salt?) makes my throat feel like I swallowed an afterburner about 20 minutes after the meal.
I had sardines as trail food for the first time last month, they were great! Only problem was that carrying around the empty can for four days afterward made my whole foodbag smell like fish. Next time they're going to be consumed when I'm closer to a garbage can, or when I have a fire to burn out the food residue.
And, if you do haul away anyone's trash no matter what the trash that's commendable.
No if .
Do you know what u just said? You're hauling out my trash next time we meet on the trail. No Ifs!:)
I'll leave you some of this to go along with the M&C.
24715
Look for it under the shelter towards the back :)
Awesome. Those are the Collectors Edition cans I've been looking for to complete my Spam can collection. :D
Wise Old Owl
11-03-2013, 11:02
I've eaten Spam on section hikes for years. I started out eating Spam on this year's thru. By the time I got to Damascus I never wanted to see Spam again. I switched to deli meats that have the label "refrigerate after opening". Fiorucci was my staple. I ain't going back.
You and me both appreciate it.. I went the other direction with Amish suppiers... I see you can get what you want at a diverse set of Markets..
http://fioruccifoods.com/our-products/salami.html
http://www.amishfoods.com/meats (http://fioruccifoods.com/our-products/salami.html)
http://www.stoltzfusmeats.com/
Wise Old Owl
11-03-2013, 11:09
I'll leave you some of this to go along with the M&C.
24715
Look for it under the shelter towards the back :)
Kids growing up after the war didn't have honey - so they used a processed sweetener and that is what the "Golden Honey Grail" is about...here is what they are poking fun at
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Lyle%27sGoldenSyrup.jpg/170px-Lyle%27sGoldenSyrup.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_syrup
Wise Old Owl
11-03-2013, 11:15
http://atlasrodzinny.piasta.pl/Marta_taneczna/9/spam-meat-i16.jpg
Sailing_Faith
11-03-2013, 12:43
I occasionally indulge. I did get a wake up call with a diagnosis a few years ago. It is amazing to learn some of the consequences of things like nitrite toxicity.... (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrate)
Great stuff sometimes, but just something to consider if you are eating this stuff every day, or planning your diet for a through hike....
from wiki link posted above...
....Sodium nitrite is used for the curing of meat because it prevents bacterial growth and, as it is a reducing agent (opposite of oxidation agent), in a reaction with the meat's myoglobin, gives the product a desirable pink-red 'fresh' color, such as with corned beef. Because of the relatively high toxicity of nitrite (the lethal dose in humans is about 22 milligrams per kilogram of body weight), the maximum allowed nitrite concentration in meat products is 200 ppm. Under certain conditions – especially during cooking – nitrites in meat can react with degradation products of amino acids, forming nitrosamines, which are known carcinogens.[4]
Tuckahoe
11-03-2013, 13:21
Never liked Spam, just too dang salty. The last time I had Vienna sausages would be back Iin the 80s as a kid. Was staple boy scout backpacking food. God they are vile and nasty too.
NY HIKER 50
11-03-2013, 14:26
This survey is a bit skewed. I had been enjoying Spam for a good long time since the '70's and it won't let me show this in any way, shape or form. I have used the large can, the small can and now I use the pouch since it's the perfect size. I have also used Vienna sausage as well.
This survey is a bit skewed. I had been enjoying Spam for a good long time since the '70's and it won't let me show this in any way, shape or form.
This is a very good point.
When the committee tasked with putting the study together formulated its design, the thinking was that almost no contemporary hiker would admit to eating Spam (mucho less V.S.)and the only respondents would be individuals reflecting on foibles of their youth.
With the possible exception of the esteemed poster who survives on a plantation in our nation's 50th state, and his neighbors who might still yearn for the taste long pig.
Frankly, the results coming are rather shocking-- except, perhaps given that it was promulgated on Whiteblaze.
Spam ingredients: Chopped pork shoulder meat with ham meat added.
# Salt
# Sugar
# Sodium Nitrite
That's a way of saying a lot of sodium but not having to list it all as salt under one ingredient. Canned meats are something one may wish to avoid if having high blood pressure or heart disease or wanting to avoid these things. They also separate pork shoulder meat from ham meat which suggests they may have a very unusual way of being legally able to define "ham meat." I don't want to expound further on the ham slurry they are calling "ham meat" And, I'll let sailing faith take the heat or defer questions about the evils of sodium nitrate which he is right about. Sodium nitrites and nitrates have been implicated in a variety of human health issues by a wide variety of medical sources.
NY HIKER 50
11-07-2013, 00:58
I'm beginning to think that the meat they are using as "ham meat" is a mechanically deboned meat. That means that they break the bones and run it through the equivalent of a colander. This could be why the Spam is not like it used to be. Anyone else feel the same way?
michaelosborne
11-13-2013, 22:30
I have never been able to bring myself to eat spam. The idea of meat in a can doesn't sit well with the ol' stomach.
Spam is awesome! Its a must have on any trail. How about potted meat? Chalked full of peckers and lips since 1867.
Rolls Kanardly
11-20-2013, 19:02
Spam, cheese, mayo or a horseradish sauce, and sometimes a sweet bread and butter pickle and your choice of bread. Fresh out of can, fried, baked, or barbequed and I do not have to share with my wife but I do have to share with my dog. Sad face if I do not give her a piece.
And Vienna Weenies do not cross my lips.
Rolls
MDSection12
11-20-2013, 20:10
If you're in NJ it's called 'pork roll' and they act like Jesus himself came up with the recipe. I've finally gotten my buddy, after years of defending pork roll, to admit the truth; it's just Spam!
johnnybgood
11-20-2013, 21:34
Have packed Spam before, only in case I ever need to use it as a weapon, ...like hurling it at a charging bear or something.
Its all about calories, and for me, simplicity
Pita bread, mustard packet, SPAM, and if I have any cheese, definite added value = dinner = done
Nuts, dried fruit, hard pretzels.
I LOVE no-cook mode.
Odd Man Out
11-21-2013, 00:27
And now for something completely different:
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/monty-python-reunite-live-stage-article-1.1521848
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/eats/koreans-spam-article-1.1473007
Last summer, day 5 of a 5 day hike. Temps in the 90's, short on water. Thought of my only Spam single, and it was moist! Much more water content than a similar weight tuna. Perfect for what I needed, and was like a fine cut of prime rib!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)
Wise Old Owl
11-21-2013, 21:32
Okay - couple of talking points...
Canning has nothing to do with nitrates - a lot of lunchmeat outside of canning has nitrate. Low sodium Spam I never had an issue with - its mostly fatty pork shoulder.
I have had two times when a red wine disagreed with me and made me very sick and when chicken nuggets first came out years ago, a FF place made me almost go to the hospital - I suspect nitrates were very high.
A/B - Yes. Tuna is very dry on the trail.
Fact: if it were not for spam in England at the end of the war many would be dead from starvation.
Different Socks
11-21-2013, 23:24
Never used it on my long hikes, but began using it during lunch breaks of cooked ramen on day hikes for the last few years.
I will be using it however for my next long hike for meat in my dinners b/c it comes in those handy 1 serving packs now.
Wise Old Owl
11-21-2013, 23:38
it really works when you slice it like cheese and dehydrate with a simple sauce of mustard base or fruit base. drops to half the weight and easy to carry and won't mold for months.
A.T. Hiker
11-21-2013, 23:40
Spare
Parts
All
Mixed
You have got to love SPAM
Wise Old Owl
11-21-2013, 23:42
When you hike how are your spare parts... I heard about the other parts... but we have mods here... Just saying... Yea I am kidding... thanks ATH.. you opened the door!
blackgrass
11-22-2013, 00:35
Spam and egg on a burger is pretty darn good. There is a late night music venue that sells a BUNCH of spam on various sandwiches.
SPAM i carry spam on every hike, SPAM is great with cheese and Potted Meat on a Tortilla wrap,Or I have also found TUNA SALAD in single packs all mixed and ready to go which is AWESOME on Tortilla Wraps or just by itself, And yes i have found it in Grocery stores along the AT.
Tuckahoe
12-19-2013, 09:57
Saw this posted somewhere else and thought of yall right away...
25262
squeezebox
12-19-2013, 13:54
A few points;
-I don't have a problem with you putting a can in the fire to burn off the spam, sardine smell before it goes into your trash bag, just make sure it does go into your trash bag. and make sure it does not have paint, ink etc that will throw toxins into the air.
or hang your trash bag on the outside of your pack.
-Never burn plastic
-foil does not burn
-What about those 1 lb tins of ham are they okay ?
-personally I'ld rather eat sardines. with a little chopped onion, the extra Calcium is probably good for your bones, and cardiac issues.
-Those 3-4 oz packs of deli meat taste eons better. why eat spam when you could have those?