The Best Spam Flavor Is A Delicious Must-Try Filipino Food

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Classic Spam is great on its own, but there are also flavored varieties if you want to take it up a notch, and one Philippines-inspired variety especially stands out. When we ranked 10 Spam flavors from worst to best, Spam with Tocino Seasoning reigned supreme. In the Philippines, tocino refers to a cured and sweetened pork meat that's often served with breakfast food. Aside from the taste, the ranking is also based on how accurately it compares to what the can is inspired by. Spam Tocino received an impressive verdict because it's similar to the real thing — it features the cured pork meat complete with a sweet and umami-packed bite and a gentle touch of garlic.

Admittedly, Spam Tocino might not be for everyone, as it's on the sweeter side compared to classic Spam, but Filipinos like adding a hint of sweetness to everything, whether it be savory dishes like spaghetti, ham, or ketchup. Don't be alarmed by Spam Tocino's orange-ish color — it seems like Spam is going for a more accurate representation of the traditional Filipino food, which is characterized by its reddish-orange hue.

To best enjoy Spam Tocino, there are some Filipino-inspired ideas that might just knock your socks off. On its own, it's already impressive, but with a well-rounded plate of complementary ingredients, it tastes even better.

We Filipinos love eating Spam for breakfast, but of course, we won't say no to the opportunity to enjoy it any time of day. Spam is usually enjoyed with silog, which is a classic breakfast staple that consists of sinangag (garlic fried rice) and itlog (egg). Together, the dish is called Spamsilog. Tocino itself, on the other hand, is also a popular breakfast dish and is served as tosilog (tocino, garlic fried rice, and egg). So, with Spam Tocino, you're combining two worlds of Filipino breakfast favorites. 

You'd want to fully cook the Spam until it has caramelized, as tocino is also best enjoyed this way — in my opinion, at least. The more burnt the edges are, the better. This allow flavors to become more pronounced, creating a more intense bite. To add another layer of flavor to your plate, I recommend finishing with a drizzle of Filipino ketchup, which is made with bananas, and is well loved for its sweet and tangy notes.

Alternatively, you can craft a comforting meal featuring Lucky Me Pancit Canton, which is a popular instant chow mein noodle that never gets old in the Philippines. I'm quite sure I'm not the only one who enjoys it like this, but on the side or as a topping, you can incorporate Spam Tocino for a heartier touch and even add eggs (preferably sunny side up) and banana ketchup. It might seem unconventional, especially with banana ketchup added to the mix, but one bite of all the salty-savory-sweet ingredients together might just pleasantly surprise you.