When you're craving a good turkey sandwich, you're gonna need some good turkey — not rubbery, salty, questionable lunchmeat. Here's how the deli counter stacks up, from worst to first.
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00:00This video was adapted from an article written by Nicole Adams.
00:03When you're craving a good turkey sandwich, you're gonna need some good turkey,
00:07not rubbery, salty, questionable lunch meat.
00:10Here's how the deli counter stacks up from worst to first.
00:14Buttig Deli Turkey looks like deli meat, but it really doesn't deserve the title. The price is on
00:19the higher end compared to other brands, though it appears to be a deal because the package weighs
00:24just over a pound. But after trying one slice of turkey, I couldn't be bothered to finish the
00:29package. The only reason I can say this is deli turkey is because the package says so. Otherwise,
00:34I wouldn't know what to call it. The small, thin, round slices came out of the package okay.
00:39I first thought they looked like bologna, but they're not even as good as bologna.
00:43The slices are rubbery, chewy, and very salty. The package states the product is smoked,
00:48chopped, and pressed. It contains ingredients like dextrose and various sodium preservatives.
00:53It's not surprising Buttig is one of the packaged deli meats with the lowest quality ingredients.
00:58Unfortunately, I couldn't find any redeeming factors about this deli turkey.
01:03Just the look of the plum rose package had me hesitant to try what's inside.
01:07It resembled canned ham or grade school lunch meat. The package is hefty, weighing almost two
01:13pounds. Since each package contains roughly two dozen rectangular slices of turkey, it feels like
01:18you're getting a deal. Except you're not, unless you truly enjoy pressed and processed meat. The
01:23only positive I could find is the large shape and somewhat dense texture of the meat would help to
01:29create a thick sandwich. The main ingredients include turkey breast, turkey broth, and salt,
01:34and there are additions like sugar, nitrates, food starch, and vinegar. There is, however,
01:39no flavor. It didn't help at all that I could barely get a slice out of the package without
01:43it tearing into multiple pieces. Other than the size and density of this deli turkey,
01:47there isn't much positive about it.
01:50Know & Love Deli Turkey comes in a resealable 8-ounce hard plastic container. While I like
01:55this type of packaging, I couldn't get the slices apart without tearing them into pieces.
01:59It's not an issue if you just plop the entire blob of turkey on a bun or in a wrap, but if you want
02:04to separate the slices, good luck. If that was the only downside, I'd overlook it, since deli
02:09slices don't have to be perfect to be eaten and enjoyed. But this turkey was also basically
02:14tasteless and a smidge too sweet. The package states the deli meat is coated with caramelized
02:20apple juice and natural flavors, which is odd for a brand that claims high-quality meat free from
02:25unacceptable ingredients. Regardless of whether or not you think the flavored coating is an
02:29unnecessary addition, it clearly doesn't boost the taste of the product. Its bite is a cross
02:34between fresh and processed deli meat. Though I had trouble separating the slices and feel
02:39they are tasteless, I don't dislike the turkey.
02:42Lando Frost is not one of the best deli meat brands, and it doesn't impress me with its
02:46oven-roasted turkey, either. It looks like classic deli meat, but it has a rubbery and
02:50chewy quality to it. This deli turkey is also lacking in flavor. It's overly salty and not
02:56something I would reach for to make a light snack or meal. The lengthy ingredient list,
03:00which contains two types of sweeteners, also doesn't do it any favors.
03:04Oscar Mayer is another brand with less than stellar ingredients, including dextrose and
03:09sugar. But though it features more ingredients than a deli meat needs, there is something to
03:13be said about its presentation. The turkey slices are easy to separate, uniform in shape,
03:17and decently sized for sandwiches.
03:19"...Is that a turkey sandwich?"
03:22They look, act, and taste like quality deli meat. Personally, I think the meat is on the
03:26sweet side, especially for what should be unsweetened deli turkey. However, the bite
03:30is more like freshly cooked poultry, rather than something that's been pressed or canned.
03:34That said, the quality of Oscar Mayer's ingredients are just so-so, and the turkey
03:38is just too sweet. You can tell it's not a natural taste, as the almost sickeningly
03:43sweet backdrop borders on being chemical-flavored. But if you're putting this turkey on a sandwich
03:47with mayo, lettuce, and tomato, you probably won't notice that lingering aftertaste. Compared
03:52to other brands, Oscar Mayer is a little on the expensive side, too.
03:56Hormel Natural Choice looks like it should be a good choice. Its green packaging claims that
04:00it's free of preservatives, hormones, artificial ingredients, and nitrates. But it sits in the
04:05middle of the deli meat brands on this list and has a mid-range price. For a brand to call itself
04:10100% natural, the ingredient list is a bit surprising. It contains multiple starches,
04:15sugars, and carrageenan. Unlike most other natural brands, this deli turkey resembles
04:20a pressed and processed product. It has small, round slices as opposed to ones more akin to
04:25freshly sliced turkey breast. The meat is fairly wet and textured like processed meat, too. But
04:30does it taste natural? It tastes okay, perhaps a little salty. There's really nothing to make
04:35it stand out, either in a good way or a bad way. The smoked or applewood-smoked
04:39deli turkey varieties may be more flavorful than this one.
04:42Hillshire Farm is a household name for smoked or cured meats, especially sausage and deli cuts.
04:47It's a brand you would expect to make a decent deli meat product, and it does. This brand makes
04:52a deli turkey that looks, acts, and tastes like you would expect a deli meat to. Its 8-ounce
04:57resealable plastic tub can also be used for leftovers once you're done enjoying its meaty
05:01contents. For these reasons, Hillshire Farm is a good buy. The slices are thin and larger than
05:06most deli turkey brands, making this a good choice for sandwiches or subs. They came out
05:11of the package in one clump but were easy enough to pull apart into separate pieces.
05:15Its texture is like a typical deli meat, though it isn't as full of water as some brands can be.
05:20It tastes slightly salty and lightly smoked and has a well-balanced flavor.
05:24Boar's Head has long been associated with quality deli meat. Though the brand has taken a few hits
05:30with deli meat recalls, Boar's Head still stands strong as a deli contender. It's also one of the
05:35more expensive deli brands. Though it's packed into a smaller package, Boar's Head deli meat
05:39slices are pretty large for a deli cut, making it a good choice for large sandwiches and subs.
05:45At Boar's Head, we live for delicious.
05:49Boar's Head pre-sliced packaged roasted turkey is a cross between fresh-sliced
05:54deli and pressed deli meat. Its texture is more like fresh meat rather than processed.
05:58It's not overly salty or watery, and though it's a little bland, it makes for a decent
06:03deli turkey. The main ingredients are turkey and water, with a touch of salt and sugar for
06:07seasoning. Boar's Head could have placed higher if it weren't for the price.
06:11Smithfield could have ranked higher if the ingredients didn't include sweeteners,
06:15thickeners, and natural flavors, but that being said, I really like this one. The large,
06:20somewhat thick, and long slices are perfect for creating hefty sandwiches or sturdy roll-ups,
06:25and as a bonus, they're easy to get out of the package. While it looks like classic deli meat
06:29that's been pressed and processed, its consistency is like a cross between real meat and deli meat.
06:34The deli turkey has a light flavor, is salted just enough, and isn't filled with water.
06:38Smithfield deli turkey is a little pricier than most of the brands on this list, but you receive
06:43a decent amount of meat. If you're looking for a good deli turkey and are not overly choosy about
06:48your ingredients, Smithfield is unlikely to disappoint you.
06:51Applegate is a brand known for its quality products. It claims its farms never use
06:56antibiotics, and its products feature no artificial ingredients. The company's focus
07:00on farming practices, food production, and quality stretches to all its meaty offerings.
07:05I personally like this brand for its simple ingredient list. Applegate's oven-roasted
07:09deli turkey contains turkey breast and water, as well as other ingredients like salt and rosemary
07:14extract. The package is notably smaller than other brands — it contains about eight slices.
07:19The size of the slice is decent for wraps, sandwiches, and roll-ups. The meat isn't
07:24overly wet and feels more like fresh meat as opposed to pressed meat. It's
07:27slightly salted and has about as much flavor as turkey can.
07:31It just comes naturally.
07:32I found the turkey to be enjoyable as-is, but I also paired it with some cheese. It's
07:37sturdy enough to create a hearty roll-up. Even though you get less than a dozen slices at a
07:41price that's higher than most, Applegate earns a top spot due to its simple, tasty ingredients.
07:46It helps that the size, shape, texture, and thickness of this deli product makes for good
07:50sandwiches, too.
07:52Dietz & Watson, the top-ranked deli meat, comes in a 7-ounce package and at a mid-range price.
07:57The slices are a little difficult to extricate from the tightly-sealed package,
08:01but they're a decent size once you get them out. Dietz & Watson doesn't have one of the
08:05best ingredients lists. Aside from turkey and water, it also contains dry milk and sugar,
08:10and the meat is browned in canola oil. However, this ranked at the top of the list because it
08:15tastes more like freshly cooked slices of turkey as opposed to pressed and processed
08:19slices of deli meat. It makes for a heartier, more enjoyable bite.
08:23Compared to the other brands on this list, Dietz & Watson almost appears dry in texture,
08:28but it's not really dry at all. Even though it contains sugar, I don't find this deli meat to
08:32be too sweet. Instead, it has a light, clean flavor that's not overly salty or laden with
08:37fake smoke. The size of the slices is decent for making all types of sandwiches, wraps, and subs.