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I grew up in Hawaii, where spam is king. If it is used properly, it's quite good, but "properly" is the defining word. When I was growing up, people got spam and eggs, not ham and eggs. Basically, the thing is to cook it over a fairly low heat, in not too thick slices, until it's nice and brown on both sides. The low heat will leach out a lot of the fat. I usually have it twice a year now, when I get massive spam musubi cravings, which is something I stand powerless against. lunchinabox has a great, step by step recipe. I've actually seen recipes that called for the stuff uncooked (yes, I know it's cooked before canning, but it's kinda gross) and there's no way that's gonna taste good.

That said, I think that a lot of people, if they didn't grow up with it, are gonna hate it in exactly the same way that I couldn't choke down a White Castle burger if you paid me.

I tried it again recently after having avoided it for over twenty years. I really wanted to like it, but as it turns out emulsified meat sponge just isn't my thing.

Spam sucks!

We love fried Spam, but we're kind of weird like that. My three daughters-in-law came into the family already trained in the ways of Spam for breakfast, and my grandkids love it, too. There are three generations of us who can sing the "Spam" song from Monty Python, and most of us can recite the menu.

I guess it's time for me to give it a try after, perhaps, a forty year sabbatical. So far all I've seen here, with the exception of @chisai , are some encouragements to fry it slowly until all the fat is rendered and it's on the verge of becoming charcoal. I was hoping someone would post some "showcase" recipes that would encourage me to go out and buy a can or two... I'll check myself, there must be a Spam website complete with recipes but if you've got a personal favorite, please...

My mother used to fry up slices of Spam until it was incredibly brown, and served it with fried eggs sprinkled with a dab of Maggi seasoning, and bowls of plain white rice. I suspect that this was her version of a lazy comfort-food dinner, since we only had this meal once every few months... Believe it or not, I still kinda crave this on occasion.

This makes my hungry...

Poached stuffed chicken breast with baby asparagus with soy cilantro sauce:

Dice/chop and mix spam, onion, garlic, ginger, green onion, black pepper, fresh chili, cilantro, and an egg yolk (or egg) to bind. Butterfly and flatten breast, spread out stuffing mix, roll tightly in plastic wrap or tinfoil or tie with string; poach until just done in water with bit of soy sauce, lemon/lime juice, clove of garlic, bit of ginger. Slice each breast into about six rounds each at a slight diagonal.

Present on your fancy service with steamed rice, and blanched and chilled young asparagus. Top with a light drizzle of a sauce of soy sauce, bit of toasted sesame oil, lime juice, chopped cilantro and (red) chili.

Don't mention the spam and no one will ever know. Hawai'i - Asian - French fusion

Poached stuffed chicken breast with baby asparagus with soy cilantro sauce...
Done.

Spam is a total guilty pleasure of mine. I love fried spam, rice, kimchi with a runny egg for breakfast.

My use for Spam is usually sliced in thin strips, fried (at the end, add rayu)then added to ramen, yakisoba, or somen. Otherwise, I fry up Spam in thin slices then eat it with raw egg yolk mixed with freshly made white rice and a bit of Kewpie mayo.

I keep a "spam single" on hand to make a spam banh mi. It is great! Salty goodness... I add more soy sauce and a whole garden of cilantro.

'You've got to be a real elitist jerk if you dislike Spam." What kind of jerk do you have to be to dislike caviar?

It wasn't until I went to college in Hawaii that my love for spam emerged. As the first post indicates, the Spam Musubi is one of the greatest spam vehicles ever--it just works. Growing up in Maine, we had it as breakfast meat for egg sandwiches. English muffin, fried egg, American cheese and a griddled piece of spam. It was good, really good. Who doesn't like fatty salty pork products..? Well, except for vegetarians. :)