No, that’s not a typo. Yes, that does say Spam & Oreo Burgers. It’s a real thing. I first heard about it from a friend that this was a thing our in the McDonald’s chain in China as a limited time menu item and it was so bizarre I had to give it a go. I’m a fan of Spam, despite it being quite vilified, but not a huge fan of Oreos so my brain was wondering how this might work.
But, even more bizarrely… it does work! There’s something about the slightly sweet filling and almost burnt flavour of the Oreo biscuit that works against the salty and savoury Spam with the creamy mayo.
So, I thought to myself… how can I take this a step further? By creating my own version with the Spam deep-fried in an Oreo coating, served with a colesaw, BBQ sauce, Monterey Jack cheese all inside a buttery Brioche bun. Equally bizarre, but it works in a very different way to the original version.
Don’t believe me? Give them both a try for yourself!
Spam & Oreo Burgers
Print RecipeIngredients
- For the McDonald's version:
- 120g Spam
- 2 x Oreo Biscuits, crushed
- 1 - 2 Tbsp Mayo
- 1 x Burger Bun
- For the BFG version:
- 120g Spam
- 6 - 8 x Oreo Biscuits, blitzed into a crumb
- 1 Egg, beaten
- 100g Plain Flour
- Vegetable Oil or Sunflower Oil for deep frying
- 1 x Slice of Monterey Jack Cheese
- 3 Tbsp Mayo
- 1/4 Small White Cabbage
- 1/2 Large Carrot
- 1/2 Red Onion
- Juice of half a Lemon
- 250g Tomato Ketchup
- 2 - 3 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 Tbsp White Wine or Cider Vinegar
- 2 - 3 Tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Honey
- 1 Tbsp Hot Sauce
- 1 Tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 Tsp Cumin
Instructions
For the original McDonald's China version:
First cut the burger bun in half and toast in a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat until golden and toasty. Place on a plate to one side.
Cut the Spam into three equal sized slices, and fry in the same pan - no oil needed - for a few minutes until golden on both sides.
Crush the Oreos into a pieces. Not too big, but you don't want them to be like breadcrumbs.
Add a little of the mayo onto the bottom half of the bun, and then place the Spam slices on the bun - one slice on the bottom, two on top.
Place the crushed Oreos on the top of the Spam, and then add the rest of the mayo on top of the Oreos.
Place on the lid of the burger bun and... enjoy?
For the BFG version:
First, make your BBQ sauce. Add the tomato ketchup to a saucepan over a medium heat and heat for a couple of minutes.
Add in the Worcestershire Sauce, vinegar, sugar, honey, and spices and stir into the ketchup.
Cook over the heat for 4 - 5 minutes while stirring. Transfer into a bowl for later.
For the colelsaw, thinly slice the cabbage, carrot and red onion into strips. Place into a bowl, squeeze over the lemon juice, add in the mayo along with a little salt and pepper and mix together into a simple 'slaw.
Next, slice the Spam into two equal slices.
In a food processor - or using a plastic bag and a rolling pin - blitz the Oreos into a fine crumb.
Place the flour into one bowl, beat the egg into another bowl, and tip the Oreo crumbs into another.
Dip the Spam into the flour, then into the egg, and then into the Oreo until well coated. Repeat if necessary. Do this for both slices.
Deep fry the coated Spam in the oil at 190°C/375°F for 4 - 5 minutes until crispy.
Halve the brioche bun and toast it in a dry pan until golden.
Put a tablespoon of the BBQ sauce on the bottom bun, then place the Spam on top.
Place over a slice of Monterey Jack Cheese, and then a good amount of coleslaw.
Place on the top bun, and experience it for yourself!
