Korean Food Fans Will Want To Get Their Hands on Costco's Newest SPAM Flavor

There’s not much that’s certain in life, but finding surprising items every time we walk into Costco is definitely something we can count on. From picking up a kayak when you walked into the store for a Costco must-buy like Kirkland Pesto, to loading up with seasonal Costco baked goods when you swore you just needed some bulk cleaning supplies , there’s always something that catches our eye when we least expect it. This time, the surprising item we’re coveting is savory, spicy, and sliceable. It’s SPAM’s new gochujang-flavored canned meat , and if you love Korean food (or are a die-hard SPAM fan), you’ll want to pick up a case while it’s in stores.

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Costco members ( sign up here ) can now find gochujang-flavored SPAM on store shelves, or available to order from the Costco Business Center on Instacart . SPAM is a cooked processed meat with a salty flavor that’s a staple of American diner breakfasts, but it has a global presence, too, thanks to the U.S. Army’s influence at its many international bases. Gochujang is a spicy-sweet fermented red chili paste that’s used liberally in Korean cooking, and once you learn about the history of SPAM in Korea, it’s a flavor mash-up that makes total sense.

SPAM Gochujang Flavored

As TikToker JinaTheGorgeous , nicknamed “your Korean older sister,” explains, SPAM was introduced to Korea by the U.S. Army during the Korean War. SPAM is shelf stable, was relatively affordable, and in a time of food scarcity, was easier to get a hold of than fresh meat, helping it become a staple. Dishes like Budae Jjigae, or Korean Army Stew, were invented. Korean food blogger Maangchi explains that Budae Jjigae is a hearty soup that contains a savory broth, gochujang (hot pepper paste) and gochujaru (red pepper flakes), kimchi, SPAM, beans, sausage, and other ingredients that can include pork belly, sweet potato starch noodles, instant ramen noodles, and more. It’s the perfect food for fighting off cold weather, and SPAM is the star. These days, SPAM is still popular in South Korea, where it’s even given as a gift during holidays.

With SPAM’s new gochujang – flavored canned meat , you can add some of that Budae Jjigae flavor to lots of different foods. Doctor up a cup of Shin Ramyun noodles by adding in some fried gochujang SPAM and a slice of American cheese, or add extra flavor to kimchi fried rice with cubes of crisped-up gochujang SPAM. It would also be an easy way to add extra flavor to the Hawaiian classic SPAM musubi, which is sliced SPAM on rice wrapped in seaweed. And don’t forget your classic diner breakfasts; fried eggs, hashbrowns, and a few slices of gochujang SPAM with as many cups of coffee as you can stand is certainly one way to start your mornings.

bibigo Hot and Sweet Gochujang Sauce

SPAM isn’t afraid to shy away from new flavors. There’s Maple SPAM, SPAM with Tocino Seasoning, Teriyaki SPAM, and in 2019 they even introduced Pumpkin Spice SPAM. But this fall, we think we’ll stock up on Gochujang-flavored SPAM at Costco instead!

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