Famous English Canned Goods

If England is famous for anything it is the canning of all kinds of foods.  A favorite meal is canned beans on toast. The beans in question are usually just flavored with tomato sauce, spices and vinegar. British canned beans are not made with sugar and when you open the can, there is no bit of bacon floating on top. It is more like tomato soup than a maple sugar taste. Beans on toast are one of the few English health foods that exists as it  is high in fiber and carbs and low on sugar. Heinz is a very popular brand in England.

A classic English supper is a meat pie in a can. These pies are made of minced beef and onions or steak and ale. You can also get them in chicken varieties. You simply remove the top of the pie and cook the pie inside the can which is meat sandwiched between two layers of pastry.

One of the most bizarre canned products sold in England are Hot Dogs in a can. These canned hot dogs are usually made from mechanically recovered water, pork and onions and packed in brine. They are very tiny and taste like vinegar. They are also very squishy in texture.  You cook them and eat them in a bun or plain.

Another famous British canned good is mushy peas. These are naturally mushy vegetables known as marrowfat peas.  These peas are very mushy and very bright green color. Eating them is like eating extra thick pea soup.

A very popular food in England, even though it originates in the United States, is Spam. This is canned luncheon meat that is made by the Hormel Corporation. Most English people were introduced to it during the Second World War.  A popular English treat is deep fried spam fritters in which the spam is spiced, battered and then fried in oil.  In the U.K., the Tulip Food Company now produces Spam. In England Spam is usually made from pork.

A favorite for dessert is creamed rice. This is very much like canned rice pudding except that it is boiled rice soaked in Devonshire cream and sold in a can. You top it with whipped cream and preserves like strawberry jam.

Yet another famous canned dessert is Spotted Dick. You can buy this fresh but canned varieties are often meant to be microwaved. This is a sponge cake made out of flour, oil, egg whites , raisins and cane sugar that is sometimes served as part of a British T.V..