During the era of early Hyrule in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, long before town with inns and markets dotted Hyrule, sustenance for soldiers, explorers, and hunters had to be durable, portable, and reliable. The Zonai answer was not a fresh dish, but a preserved one. Compact protein rations prepared by culinary constructs, sealed for travel, and meant to be eaten at camp.
These rations were designed to endure long marches, extended patrols, and remote expeditions. Dense, seasoned meat provided the necessary calories and salt for sustenance, while also being flavorful enough to be an enjoyable meal. Once opened, the ration could be eaten as-is, warmed over a flame, or even sliced and fried.
“A travel ration prepared by a Culinary Construct. Use it to recover hearts.”
To bring the Special Ration to life, I had to envision what Hyrulean spam may look like, because, let’s be honest… this is a can of spam. So, the rations started by finely grinding pork and ham together into a smooth, cohesive mixture, then seasoning it with salt, sugar, and a restrained blend of spices. The key goal of the spices was to enhance the meat rather than dominate it. Additionally, bay leaf was steeped in water for an additional mild aromatic touch which was added to help bind the mixture. Potato starch provides structure, allowing the meat to set firmly when cooked.
The mixture was shaped into compact loaves and baked at a low temperature to fully cook and stabilize the ration without browning. Once chilled, the loaves become dense and sliceable, suitable for storage and transport. When eaten, these rations can be eaten as is, or preferably, sliced and fried.
These little loafs of Hyrulean spam are quite tasty and versatile. They can be sliced and fried to accompany a breakfast, stacked on a sandwich, or diced up and tossed in a fried rice. If I was an early Hylian at camp, I definitely wouldn’t mind having a few cans of these Special Rations on hand to whip up a quick evening meal.
Ingredients
1 lb ground pork
½ lb ham steak, diced
1 tsp salt
½ tbsp sugar
2 tbsp potato starch
½ cup water
1 bay leaf
½ tsp white pepper
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried shiitake powder
¼ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp smoked paprika
⅛ tsp allspice
⅛ tsp cumin
1 lb ground pork
½ lb ham steak, diced
1 tsp salt
½ tbsp sugar
2 tbsp potato starch
½ cup water
1 bay leaf
½ tsp white pepper
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried shiitake powder
¼ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp smoked paprika
⅛ tsp allspice
⅛ tsp cumin
For the dried shiitake powder, you can either purchase the powder or grate a dried shiitake mushroom and use 1 tsp of the powder from the grated mushroom.
Let’s begin by creating the bay infused water. You will want to make this far ahead of time to allow for steeping and cooking. Add 1 cup of water to a pot over medium-low heat. Heat the water until it is steaming hot but not boiling. Once the water is hot, remove it from the heat, add in a bay leaf and cover it with a lid. Allow it to steep for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, remove the lid and allow the water to cool enough to transfer to a jar or container with a lid. Place the container in the refrigerator to cool completely until it is cold.
Now we can made the special ration. Add the ground pork and the diced ham steak to a food processor. Turn the processor on high and grind the pork and ham until it becomes smooth and paste-like.
Now we can made the special ration. Add the ground pork and the diced ham steak to a food processor. Turn the processor on high and grind the pork and ham until it becomes smooth and paste-like.
Preheat an oven to 300°F (150°C).
In a small bowl, mix together the salt, sugar, white pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, dried shiitake powder, ground coriander, smoked paprika, allspice, and cumin until fully blended.
Remove the meat mixture from the food processor and add it to a large bowl. Add in the potato starch and the spice mixture. Remove the bay leaf from the infused water and measure ½ cup of the cold bay infused water. Add the ½ cup of water to the meat mixture and discard the rest.
Mix the meat by hand until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated and the meat becomes, sticky, slightly glossy and cohesive. The water will fully blend into the meat mixture helping to create the sticky, paste-like texture.
Once the meat mixture is fully blended, use a musubi mold or a spam mold (or an empty spam can) to shape the meat into small spam loaves. Press the meat firmly into the mold to eliminate any air pockets. You should have enough meat to make three loaves.
Lay the loaves flat on their widest side on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Space them out on the baking sheets cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil and bake for approximately 40-50 minutes, until the center of the loaves reaches 155–160°F.
Once they are fully baked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool. Once they are cool enough to touch, arrange them on a dish, cover it with more aluminum foil, and place it in the refrigerator overnight to chill. This is essential for clean slicing.
Refrigerate several hours or overnight. This is essential for clean slicing.
Your special ration is now ready. To eat, I recommend slicing it into ½ thick slices and frying in a little oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side. Enjoy your Hyrulean spam!
