The Rubbery Store-Bought Turkey Bacon Brand That Landed At The Bottom Of Our Ranking

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Turkey bacon is a relic of the '90s low-fat diet fad. Love it, hate it, or vehemently believe that it's not "real" bacon, it's probably here to stay — judging by the fairly wide range of brands available on supermarket shelves. But of those brands, are there any you should avoid?

A Chowhound writer taste-tested and ranked seven brands of turkey bacon — and Butterball landed in last place. For the ranking, the turkey bacon was pan-fried and sampled solo (no sauces or sides) and judged on texture and taste, with particular attention to saltiness and whether it was smoked or made with artificial smoke flavor. Appearance turned out to be relevant too, as some brands weren't exactly enticing to the eye.

Butterball was one such brand, with an unappetizing, oddly light-pink hue, spotty patches reminiscent of bologna, and an overall overly processed look. Things didn't really improve as the tasting proceeded: In the pan, it "bubbled" as if it were closer to melting rubber than meat. In the mouth, it was unpleasantly chewy, and while at least it had some saltiness, the flavor just wasn't really there. But it's not just the flavor that's lacking. This brand also offers little nutritional value, with just 2 grams of protein — far less than most competitors.

Butterball is known for turkey, so was this bad review a blip, or did the famed poultry-producer really fail to bring home the bacon? It seems the latter is more likely, as reviews for this product are fairly spotty. One ranking agreed with the rubbery description, even going so far as to compare it to plasticine, with an odd stretchiness to the bacon. Its saltiness is also a problem for some, who said it tasted like soy sauce (presumably not a desirable trait for turkey bacon).

Consumer reviews are also hit-and-miss: As one reviewer put it, "My dog turned his nose up when offered some. Went straight into the garbage...just gross and inedible."  Another wrote, "Butterball was the worst of any I've ever tried — I'd rather eat a banana peel one piece at a time than try that again." A cardboard taste also seems to be a common refrain. Other notable critiques include that it tastes like packing peanuts and air. So perhaps at best, it's considered mediocre.

Though Butterball has its fans, some compliment its taste for being deeply savory, and appreciate its saltiness, although they still admit it looks relatively processed. Some also like that it crisps up in a way similar to pork bacon. That said, it seems that some positive reviews focus more on its "healthy" (i.e., low-fat) status, rather than its taste and texture. So, which turkey bacon did we rank the absolute best? That would be Wellshire, which came out on top of our ranking.