Give Baked Beans An Umami Upgrade With This Affordable Canned Protein

Baked beans have been a dinner staple for hundreds of years, and they are still a beloved side at BBQs today. Whether you're getting them from a can or making them from scratch, they're an easy dish to customize, but also can be prone to ending up a little bland. Some people add hot sauce while others add bacon, and there are tons of other modifications savvy BBQers make. However, for a tasty way to upgrade your baked beans, you need only turn to a canned meat that's almost a century old — Spam.

Baked bean purists may not initially be sold on this idea, but Spam really has a lot to offer, including a good amount of salt. One worry may be that it will over-salt the beans, which are already high in sodium when it comes to the canned variety. Luckily, there's a simple prep step that can make Spam less salty, which means it won't amp the sodium level off the charts. Simply soak the Spam in water first, as a lot of the salt exists in the liquid, or you can opt for the low-sodium type to start with.

Once you've prepared your Spam, simply cut it up into small cubes or strips. You can briefly fry the outside for a crispier texture, or simply mix the Spam into your beans during their cooking process. Allow the beans to cook thoroughly until softened, which also lets the Spam have enough time to infuse the whole pot with rich umami flavor. If you're using canned baked beans, the cooking process could take as little as 30 minutes, with beans from scratch needing to be cooked low and slow for several hours.

Regions such as Singapore and Hawaii have versions of this dish, as Spam is quite popular there. It's such a popular combo that the Spam website has a recipe for baked beans that are called the "best-ever." Even people who claim not to be fans of Spam admit that this is a great flavor blend, and that's true for a few reasons.

Umami is a savory flavor note that makes foods mouthwatering, with a root word that literally means "delicious." Spam happens to have a lot of umami to it, so it gives that quality to anything cooked with it. It has protein and a few other nutritional bonuses, but mostly it's a huge salty flavor bomb with a juicy, ham-like texture. Its bouncy chew adds a bit of variety to the beans' mouthfeel without being off-putting, and its high fat content makes the whole dish taste richer. Besides, if you happen to have an open can, Spam can go bad in just days, so you shouldn't let it go to waste. The beans are calling for it, so be adventurous and give it a shot.

Not all Spam is created equal, though, and you can experiment with its various flavors. Bacon Spam might give you a traditional baked bean taste profile, but Teriyaki Spam provides a tangier zip. Maple Spam can bring out brown sugar notes or natural sweetness. Hickory Smoked Spam offers a rustic, fire-cooked feel, and Korean BBQ Spam just makes total sense. Any of these options will boost beans with more umami flavor and a salty, meaty texture. If you're looking for more of a spicy kick, you can zest up your baked beans with a jar of pickled jalapeños, too.