SPAM Oven Barbecue, 1956 – A Vintage Hunt’s Recipe Test - Mid-Century Menu (2024)

by RetroRuth | Oct 23, 2013 | Main Dishes, SPAM! | 13 comments

This month of Halloween treats continues with spooky and creepy recipes that aren’t really meant to be spooky and creepy! This week we have a fun taste sensation from a June 1956 ad in Better Homes and Gardens for Hunt’s Tomato Sauce. I love how this one ended up looking like something that was just butchered.

It’s Oven Barbecue.

And yes, it does have Spam in it!

Oven Barbecue

Author: Hunt’s, 1956

Ingredients

  • 1 can luncheon meat
  • 1 can Hunt’s Tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 T brown sugar
  • 1 T finely grated onion
  • 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  1. Cut meat lenghtwise, not quite through, into 8 slices. Place in greased shallow baking dish.
  2. Mix Hunt’s tomato sauce and rest of ingredients. Pour over meat.
  3. Bake in hot oven (425 degrees) for about 30 minutes, basting occasionally.
  4. Makes 3-4 servings. Double for large families. Canned new potatoes are delicious heated along with the meat.

I forgot to buy canned potatoes at the store, so I had to make do without them. Which I am not crying about because I hate canned potatoes, but what that basically meant was that I was slinging a can of tomato sauce over sliced Spam and calling it a night. Needless to say, this one came together pretty quickly.

“So, opening cans and mixing them together for dinner, huh?”

“I guess so. Do you think adding sugar to tomato sauce makes it barbecue sauce?”

“I…I don’t even know what to say to that.”

You know, you have to really hand it to Spam. It’s not much in the looks department, but when you bake it up it really…

Wait. I…umm…I don’t remember where I was going with that.

I got it! It will really make your husband smile!

Wait…that’s not it, either.

Well, it’s really red. Let’s just say it’s really red and move on.

“Actually this does taste a bit like barbecue sauce.”

“Really? That’s amazing.”

“Yeah, it tastes like that bottled Open Pit stuff. I use to love that when I was in college Tasted like ketchup.”

The Verdict: Not Bad

From The Tasting Notes:

Not bad. Sweet and soft. Not a lot of chewing needed for this one. Basically just tastes like Spam with ketchup or sweet bottled BBQ sauce on it. It also smells like cocktail weenies – the ones with the sweet and sour sauce on them.

  1. SPAM Oven Barbecue, 1956 – A Vintage Hunt’s Recipe Test - Mid-Century Menu (9)

    amyon October 23, 2013 at 12:48 pm

    oh God, I can’t believe he actualy liked it. cool shirt btw

  2. SPAM Oven Barbecue, 1956 – A Vintage Hunt’s Recipe Test - Mid-Century Menu (10)

    Susieon October 23, 2013 at 1:38 pm

    Oh Man! SPAMMMM! My dad loves SPAM! We made it for our Hawaiian Luau Christmas last year and he was so excited! It was BLEH! The before and after taste pics may be your best yet. I might make this for him. For his BIRTHDAY!

  3. SPAM Oven Barbecue, 1956 – A Vintage Hunt’s Recipe Test - Mid-Century Menu (11)

    Danon October 23, 2013 at 4:55 pm

    You should do a Mid-Century Menu Haunted House Attraction! Just imagine the terror! Actually, though this does look like sliced bloody innards in a baking dish, it doesn’t really sound that bad. Since I like Spam with ketchup on it, this would probably be a step up for me.

  4. SPAM Oven Barbecue, 1956 – A Vintage Hunt’s Recipe Test - Mid-Century Menu (12)

    Joe R.on October 24, 2013 at 12:30 am

    The first image of Tom is like “what the heck am I getting into?”.

  5. SPAM Oven Barbecue, 1956 – A Vintage Hunt’s Recipe Test - Mid-Century Menu (13)

    Lassieon October 24, 2013 at 10:13 am

    Oddly, one year ago on this day we bought a new little charcoal grill and broiled some sliced Spam. With just a little brushing of some generic BBQ sauce. It was pretty tasty, but the leftovers hardened up in the refrigerator to a crunchy yet chewy texture, almost like Spam jerky.

  6. SPAM Oven Barbecue, 1956 – A Vintage Hunt’s Recipe Test - Mid-Century Menu (14)

    Jennyon October 24, 2013 at 12:42 pm

    Coo – I haven’t had spam for ages. I am tempted…

  7. SPAM Oven Barbecue, 1956 – A Vintage Hunt’s Recipe Test - Mid-Century Menu (15)

    Kate Hon October 24, 2013 at 1:25 pm

    I say, why limit yourself to Halloween? If you cut the spam with cookie-cutter hearts, it would make a great Valentine’s dish! Or, you could take it to the Christmas potluck with raw green peppers cut into strips — very Christmassey.

  8. SPAM Oven Barbecue, 1956 – A Vintage Hunt’s Recipe Test - Mid-Century Menu (16)

    Sara In AZon October 24, 2013 at 2:10 pm

    Ha! Your pics *almost* make it look like it’s a section of spinal column or something….albeit a large one…..but still! 🙂

  9. SPAM Oven Barbecue, 1956 – A Vintage Hunt’s Recipe Test - Mid-Century Menu (17)

    fifilaruon November 1, 2013 at 4:34 pm

    I live in Hawaii, we like the SPAM, yes we do. Although, I avoid it. Basically, you could put anything on SPAM and cook it. It is odd that way.

  10. SPAM Oven Barbecue, 1956 – A Vintage Hunt’s Recipe Test - Mid-Century Menu (18)

    Kim Andersonon December 26, 2017 at 6:43 pm

    Lol, Where do you find these recipes. I love the pics cute.

  11. SPAM Oven Barbecue, 1956 – A Vintage Hunt’s Recipe Test - Mid-Century Menu (19)

    Loren Ashbyon August 24, 2018 at 10:49 pm

    My mother used to make this when I was a kid…I loved it!

  12. SPAM Oven Barbecue, 1956 – A Vintage Hunt’s Recipe Test - Mid-Century Menu (20)

    Randyon March 29, 2020 at 6:01 pm

    Thank you. My Mother made this and I loved it. She has passed away and I didn’t have the recipe, but after much looking all is good. This will be dinner tomorrow evening. A little variety might be the “Open Put” Bar B Que sauce instead of tomatoe sauce. Not. Bad idea

  13. SPAM Oven Barbecue, 1956 – A Vintage Hunt’s Recipe Test - Mid-Century Menu (21)

    Jeanneon April 17, 2020 at 10:19 pm

    OMG…my mom made this for us at least monthly while growing up. Love it to this day, in fact if it wasn’t for Covid-19, there would be Spam available in our grocery stores. Definitely making again soon when I can find Spam again. Make Spam Great Again! 🙂

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SPAM Oven Barbecue, 1956 – A Vintage Hunt’s Recipe Test - Mid-Century Menu (2024)

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