Chilli Sweet & Sour SPAM with Noodles {& a GIVEAWAY} #AD

There are a few dishes that usually appear regularly on our weekly meal plan, and along with fajitas and roast dinner, sweet & sour is one of those. It's a lovely quick midweek meal that can either be made with raw or pre cooked meat of almost any variety, and many different vegetables. I usually keep it simple by adding just peppers and onion, and occasionally I'll throw in a tin of pineapple if I have some to hand. Sometimes I'll use a ready made sweet & sour sauce and other times I'll make my own, but for the ease and quickness of this midweek recipe I used a packet.

As it's the UK's official SPAM®️ Appreciation Week this week (4th-11th March) I've chosen to use SPAM®️ Chopped Pork and Ham in this recipe. SPAM®️ is made from more than 90% shoulder pork and leg ham, and as it is already cooked this dish takes just a few minutes to make. It needs a quick sizzle in the pan to crisp the edges, before frying the peppers, onion & chilli, adding the sauce and stirring through the SPAM®️ to coat in sauce. Job done in under 10 minutes!

You'll need your volume up to listen to that #SPAMsizzle

Chilli Sweet & Sour SPAM with Noodles - serves 2

1 tbsp oil
200g can of SPAM®️ Chopped Pork and Ham
1/2 red pepper
1/2 green pepper
1/2 red chilli
2 spring onions
150g sweet & sour sauce
300g fresh egg noodles

• Heat the oil in a large pan or wok over a med-high heat
• Dice the SPAM®️ and add to the pan
• Fry until lightly browned on all sides
• Remove from the pan & set aside
• Chop the peppers, and thinly slice the chilli and spring onions
• Toss the peppers, chilli & onions into the pan & fry for a few minutes until softened
• Add the fried SPAM®️ back into the pan, along with the sweet & sour sauce
• Stir the sauce through everything in the pan until everything is heated
• Serve with the prepared egg noodles

WIN a SIZZLE PACK

To win your very own sizzle pack, including a SPAM®️ slicer, apron & spatula, you need to complete the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

More SPAMTASTIC meals and recipe ideas can be found on the SPAM®️ UK website, and for additional chances to win a Sizzle Pack follow SPAM®️ on Twitter and Instagram, and follow the #SPAMsizzle hashtag.

This is an ad for SPAM®️

BBQ Asian Beef Skewers

A couple of weekends ago the weather was beautiful, so we spent a little time cleaning up the garden and having a sort out in the garage, which seems like a never ending task. I have no idea why we keep so much junk, or even how we acquire much of it in the first place! Three carloads to the tip and the garage is looking tidier, but somehow it still looks full!

It was a lovely day for some outdoor cooking, so at lunchtime I fired up the bbq (it's gas so doesn't take much effort!), and cooked us up some Asian Beef Skewers. They only take a few minutes to cook so are perfect for large family gatherings as a large batch can be cooked in next to no time, and most of the prep can be done ahead of time.

I've always considered rump steak to be a little on the chewy side, and rarely choose it when eating out or cooking at home. I wanted to give the Irish Beef rump steak a try to see if Irish Beef really did live up to its reputation for being a premium product, superior to much of the meat available to consumers. I can honestly say that I was not disappointed with this cut of meat, which worked perfectly in this dish, and had the family fighting over the skewers. They were divine.


If you've never considered Irish Beef before, here are a few reasons why you should :

Irish agriculture: Spread across a network of 120,000 small farms, Ireland’s agricultural production uses a seamless blend of traditional craft passed down through generations and modern farming methods developed using cutting edge technology – resulting in bumper harvests and best-in-class, world-renowned cattle.

Irish Cattle: Today, Ireland sets the benchmark for high quality cattle. Enviable lineage and exemplary breeding practices have enabled Irish farmers to produce cattle that possess many benefits of different breeds – from superior conformation and marbling to fertility and milk production.

Irish grass: Ireland’s nickname is ‘The Emerald Isle’ – and for good reason. A phenomenal mix of perfect atmospheric conditions, proximity to the gulf stream and unprecedented levels of nutrient-enriched grasslands all combine to create a landscape as perfect for cattle grazing as it is beautiful.

Health benefits of grass-fed Irish Beef: Imbued with heightened levels of Vitamin A, carotene and Omega 3 fatty acids, coupled with superior marbling and tenderness, Irish Beef is a great fit for any balanced diet.




WIN a Weber Barbecue
If you think this recipe is worthy of winning the Irish Beef Summer Beef Encounters blogger competition then please head over to their site to cast your vote. By voting you could be in with a chance of winning a Weber barbecue for yourself too! Voting is open until 9th July. (full terms & conditions)

Asian Beef Skewers - serves 2-3

2 x 265g Irish Beef rump steaks
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2cm of fresh ginger, peeled & finely grated
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp honey

• Trim any excess fat from the steaks, and cut them against the grain into 2cm strips
• Mix the remaining ingredients together to make a marinade
• Add the strips of steak to a large bowl and toss them in the marinade
• Cover and refrigerate overnight (or at least a few hours)
• Thread the steak strips onto skewers 
• Place the skewers on a very hot bbq and cook for just a few minutes each side (depending on how you like your steak cooked)
• Serve with sticky rice, chilli dipping sauce and a salad of noodles, lettuce and spring onions

For more information on Irish Beef & their Summer Beef Encounters, follow their social media via the links below, or search using the hashtag #SummerBeef :

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a commissioned post for Irish Beef