9 Turkey Bacon Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

Bacon is a favorite breakfast side for many people. Others don't eat or like pork, and many avoid red meat altogether. For those looking for a great breakfast side dish that doesn't contain pork, turkey bacon gives bacon lovers a run for their money. It's also a good choice for those concerned with sustainability since raising turkeys has less of an environmental impact than raising pigs.

How do the two side dishes compare? Pork bacon comes from a single, fatty cut of pig meat that is then cured. Turkey bacon, on the other hand, is made by processing various turkey parts together. It contains fewer calories and less saturated fat than its pork cousin. Most brands I tested stated what type of turkey meat they used on the package, such as chopped turkey or turkey thigh.

While most of these selections don't taste quite like bacon, turkey bacon can be a suitable substitute for bacon, depending on your dish. You might even want to add turkey bacon to your Thanksgiving turkey recipes for an ironic twist on a classic upgrade. For ranking, I selected many of the most readily available turkey bacon brands to compare the cooking processes, flavor, and nutritional value. While few tasted like pork, there was a wide range of flavorful options. Here are turkey bacon brands ranked from worst to best.

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9. Butterball Turkey Bacon Original

When you think of turkey, the Butterball brand has set itself apart as the premiere choice for this poultry. The name is practically synonymous with Thanksgiving, and now, Butterball wants you to think of it for buying your turkey bacon. Choosing Butterball turkey bacon should be a no-brainer since this company strictly carries turkey products. I was hopeful it would be a top-ranked choice, but sadly, the turkey bacon was disappointing on several levels.

The package contained so much liquid that, when opened, it spilled all over the floor, so be careful if you purchase it. The slices were slimy but delicate and thin, tearing easily in the pan when flipped. The meat looked very processed, with a too-smooth appearance. After cooking for the recommended nine minutes, the result was too chewy, more like the consistency of deli bologna. It did taste like turkey, but it was too mild and rather bland. This brand is also American Heart Association (AHA) approved, and you can find it at most major grocery stores for generally around $4, but the appearance and taste were enough to land it in last place.

8. Butterball Turkey Bacon Lower Sodium

There was only one turkey bacon available with lower sodium. Butterball Turkey Bacon with Lower Sodium is a good choice for anyone watching their sodium levels. This brand contains 66% less sodium than regular pork bacon, compared to 43% less for the original style from the popular brand. Like the original Butterball Turkey Bacon, the lower sodium version also contains many additives. However, it is free of MSG, fillers, added hormones, and steroids, and is AHA-approved. I also liked that the Lower Sodium version is gluten-free and low-fat, making it a fine option for folks looking for those qualities.

This turkey bacon cooked up faster than the original style. However, it was also too delicate and too chewy. It had very little flavor at all, despite the addition of smoke flavor to the ingredients. I put it ahead of the original in ranking because it was more nutritious, but that's about all.

7. Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon

The brand that makes you think of the best hot dogs in America is not the first one you think of for turkey bacon, but Oscar Mayer's Turkey Bacon is a popular option stocked just about everywhere. This is one of the lower sodium brands, too, with just 140 milligrams, or 57% less than traditional pork bacon.

I liked that it's gluten-free and low in fat (2.5 grams) if that's something you're looking for. What I didn't like were some of the ingredients. This bacon contains autolyzed yeast extract, which contains MSG. It also contains soy, so avoid this brand if you have a soy allergy or sensitivity.

This was one of the few brands that sizzled, just like regular bacon, while cooking its semi-thick slices. It gives off a hearty bacon-like aroma that will bring your family or housemates into the kitchen for a taste. Unfortunately, it had a very processed appearance that was off-putting. While still hot, it was a little crunchy and somewhat chewy. However, once it cooled down for a few minutes, it had the consistency of bacon with a nice crunch to it. The taste was not bad but a little bland. I advise cooking it for a full 10 minutes for better texture.

6. Good & Gather Applewood Smoked Uncured Turkey Bacon

The next turkey bacon comes from Target's house brand, Good & Gather. The brand raises its turkeys without hormones or antibiotics and is nitrate-free. At 210mg, the sodium is a bit high compared to other brands. So was the price at over $5.

This is the first brand on this list that is uncured. Are cured and uncured bacon different? Curing is a process that adds flavor to the meat and helps preserve it. It can be done dry, with seasonings only, or wet, which uses brine. Manufacturers generally use wet curing, which injects the flavored liquid directly into the meat. When bacon is labeled uncured, only naturally occurring nitrates, typically from a form of celery, are used.

The seal on this package was the only one that was easy to open. How did this uncured turkey bacon fare? The slices were nice and thick. The package itself did not contain much water. However, the bacon released plenty of juices while cooking, making it a good option for gravy. Good & Gather's turkey bacon had a hearty but mild flavor. The mouthfeel was perfect, providing a pleasant chewing experience. I recommend trying it in our Easy Benedictine And Bacon Sandwich Recipe, where the red onion, cucumber, and dill flavors can really stand out.

5. Godshall's Maple Turkey Bacon

For most brands, turkey bacon is an afterthought. Not so for Godshall's. They only carry a variety of turkey bacon items, plus one beef bacon. This Pennsylvania-based food supplier even has a claim to fame. In 2023, it set the Guinness World Record for the Longest Piece of Turkey Bacon at over 17 feet long and nearly 2 feet wide, 1,500 times bigger than the average slice.

The cooking process for this brand was slightly different from most of the others, requiring a preheated pan rather than a non-heated one. Because of this, the bacon cooked faster than most of the others. It also browned better than the other brands, giving it a slightly more traditional bacon appearance.

It had good turkey flavor, but the maple glaze made the taste unique and more complex than its competitors. The bacon oddly gave off the aroma of cake, making this brand a great replacement for bacon in sweet dishes like Sweet And Salty Bacon Scones With Maple Glaze. Godshall's Turkey Bacon is free of MSG and gluten, but it does contain additives and nitrates. At 50 calories, this turkey bacon had the highest caloric content yet managed to be sweet with only 1 gram of sugar.

4. John F. Martin & Sons Turkey Bacon

Unlike all the prior products, John F. Martin's turkey bacon looked and smelled like real bacon meat, evidence of their history in the butcher business. Rather than providing a cooking time, the package instructs consumers to cook until brown, giving more flexibility to the cook. The flavor of this brand was a real treat, tasting more like pork bacon than any other brand on this list. It had a nice chewiness, too, making it a good substitute for Canadian bacon.

While the package states that it contains no MSG, autolyzed yeast extract is one of the ingredients, so I felt this was a bit misleading. John F. Martin's Turkey Bacon also contains nitrates. Unfortunately, the website did not provide any additional nutritional data other than that the product is 94% fat-free. The flavor and price were good but the labeling was unimpressive, earning this brand a rank in the middle.

3. Sam's Choice Uncured Turkey Bacon

Sam's Choice is Walmart's private-label brand that focuses on premium foods. Made from turkey thigh meat, this brand is naturally hardwood smoked. That means the bacon has been cooked in a smoker rather than using liquid smoke as an ingredient like some brands above have done.

The directions call for cooking over high heat, so this turkey bacon had the shortest cooking time of them all. The package states that this bacon is minimally processed, as evidenced by the fact that once cooked, this brand resembles the look of regular pork bacon more than any other on this list. This gave the product a pleasing texture.

The ingredients are straightforward, with no additives, nitrates, or hidden MSG. Because it was naturally smoked, the flavor was delicious, although milder than we would have liked. Containing 70% less fat than USDA data for pork bacon and 180 milligrams of sodium, I think this is an excellent buy. At under $4, it was the most affordable bacon on this list, earning the No. 3 spot. If you are new to turkey bacon, this is the brand to try.

2. Wellshire Organic Classic Uncured Turkey Bacon

If you're looking for a farm-based brand that cares about sustainability and healthier livestock practices, Wellshire is a perfect option. I chose the USDA-certified organic option because it was the same price as Wellshire's non-organic turkey bacon.

What difference does this certification make for turkey bacon? To be eligible for the label, poultry farmers must give their livestock 100% USDA organic feed. The birds must be allowed to roam the pasture (as opposed to living in cages) and get 30% of their feed there. An organic certification means that companies must be careful with how they handle and feed livestock and disclose ingredients. These bacon slices were somewhat thick and must be cooked until brown. The slices had a nice chew and the flavor was delicious, although a bit salty. Wellshire's Turkey Bacon is reminiscent of pork bacon and would make a perfect substitute for Canadian bacon.

At Wellshire, turkey is humanely raised without antibiotics and no added hormones. This product is free of all the major allergens, including gluten, dairy, lactose, and soy. I also like that the brand took care to use organic sugar, presumably in the curing process. Safe, tasty, and healthy, I loved this turkey bacon. Unfortunately, the price was a bit high at nearly $8, knocking off a few points and earning Wellshire the No. 2 spot on this list.

1. Applegate Naturals Uncured Turkey Bacon

At the No. 1 spot in these rankings is Applegate Naturals Uncured Turkey Bacon. Applegate never uses antibiotics, and its livestock is humanely raised. It does not use nitrates, either. The slices were somewhat thin and delicate but did not break apart while cooking like the Butterball turkey bacon slices. One thing that stood out about this brand is that it is officially Whole-30 approved. This label is only added to products that don't contain dairy, grains, sugar, alcohol, or legumes. Most turkey bacon products use sugar in their curing process, so compliant brands are hard to find.

Why did Applegate clinch the No. 1 spot? Mostly, because it tasted more like turkey than any other brand, with a rich intense flavor. You could swap this out one-for-one for deli meat. It's a great choice for sandwiches, salads, pasta, wraps, and just about any dish where you can replace bacon with turkey. Diners who want to try cured meats but don't like the taste of pork should try Applegate's Turkey Bacon.

Applegate is generally a high-end brand, but the price was far better than Wellshire at just over $5. There were fewer slices in a pack, but they were sliced in wide slabs, making for a good-sized piece of turkey bacon. It's also gluten- and casein-free, so there are no major allergens to worry about. With 150 milligrams of sodium and a mere 30 calories per slice, this is as good as turkey bacon gets.

Methodology

I selected available brands available for purchase at your local Walmart, Target, or neighborhood grocery stores that were within a reasonable price. The selections had a variety of prices and came from many different types of food producers, including brands that focused on turkey, deli meats, bacon meats, or other options. I selected original flavor turkey bacon products when possible unless there was an option for organic certified or low sodium.

Each brand was cooked in cast iron on a stovetop oven according to the directions. I compared appearance, taste, and smell, determining various factors. Did it look or taste like pork bacon? Did it taste like turkey? Was the flavor strong, mild, salty, sweet, or something else? I also analyzed ingredients for levels of sodium, calories, and ingredients. I noted potential uses for the different varieties based on taste and how they are cooked.

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