The joy of canned meat...

(Further to my thoughts on Corned Beef Hash a short time ago.)

A week or so ago, I was walking down one of the food aisles of a local bargain price store and out of the corner of my eye (which doesn't work very well usually) noticed the words "canned corn beef", but it didn't look like the can I remembered. The one I recall had a cow or bull on it. So... I didn't think anything else of it, other than the next time I went to the grocery store, I would check to see if they had the can that I remember. Anyways, the other day, not yet having been to the grocery store, and despite the not so bargain price (to me anyways) I picked up a can. At $3.50 it seemed rather steep. As I started to write this, I went agoogling for an image, and my memory IS actually spot on... The can I remember is this:

This morning I decided it was time... I heated up the cast iron skillet (Except I used a crepe pan... yes... a crepe pan is very versatile... It can be used for heating up nachos just as well as crepes and corned beef hash.) with butter... When the butter was all bubbly and hot, I plopped about a third of the can onto it and pressed it down... The smell when the meat first hit the pan was rather intense, but it soon dissipated. All I could think of was "Will it taste like I remembered it". I wanted it to get dark and crispy, but it didn't quite make it there. However, as part of it started to stick to the pan and a crust was forming from the heat, it just looked... right. I turned the stove off and was contemplating putting it in a bowl or on a plate to eat it, but decided to go for straight from the hot pan... Excellent choice. I tentatively and gingerly took my fork to it and had a nibble... Hmm... not sure... And then... I spotted the ketchup packets I have sitting in a bowl by the stove... That had to be it... and... it was... THAT is what I remember. The unique taste.. with ketchup for some strange reason... more... comfort food. Still don't recall the can though... I think mom used to get just the canned corned beef and mix it with potatoes.

I had it with a couple slices of olive and herb bread toasted, with some cheddar, and... the last few sips of my orange juice that I had saved from McDonalds a few days ago. Sigh.

I think I may have to use what is left in the can for dinner... Mmm... Maybe with scrambled eggs...