The best deli turkey is moist, meaty, and fabulously versatile. Unfortunately, a lot of deli turkey is wet and flavorless.
I tend to stay away from deli meats because they are typically soaking wet (why are they always so wet?) and have a peculiar odor. They’re great on a sandwich, but they often leave much to be desired when eaten alone. Is the popular opinion that turkey is boring and flavorless just a myth? Or are people just eating the wrong turkey? I, along with my Sporked coworkers, tried many different brands to find you the best deli turkey out there. We were looking for the best sliced turkey with a mild flavor, relatively no odor, and a texture that resembled actual meat instead of processed meat product. Bonus points went to any brand with packaging that made the meat easy to access. Here are the best deli turkey brands we tried. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m covered in packaged meat juice.
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- Boars Head Oven Turkey No Salt Added Turkey from the Deli
Don’t get me wrong: I wouldn’t buy this if I were looking for the best turkey at the grocery store. That being said, if you need to cut down on salt, this is a wonderful option. If you put this on a sandwich with mustard and mayo and fresh veggies, you won’t notice the lack of salt in the meat. The texture and quality of the meat are great, and that’s what you’re looking for in low-sodium deli turkey.
Credit: Liv Averett / Ralphs
- Good & Gather Ultra-Thin Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast Deli Slices
Whenever I’m waiting in line at the deli counter, I hear the people ahead of me instructing the meat maestro behind the counter to slice their cold cuts “as thin as possible.” I’ve never really understood this. Why do you want such thin meat? This Good & Gather Ultra-Thin Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast Deli Slices make me understand. It’s like eating floppy turkey glass. It practically melts in your mouth. If you like your cold cuts thin, this Target version is some of the best deli turkey we tried.
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Boar’s Head Spicy Salsalito Roasted Turkey Breast
If I’m ordering sliced turkey at the deli counter, I’m always getting some flavor that I can’t get in prepackaged form. We tried a few nationwide versions in our best deli turkey taste test and Boar’s Head Spicy Salsalito is my favorite. I thought that maybe these slices were an homage to the coastal California town of Sausalito, but that’s not the case. It’s salsa-lito! Because salsa! This is some of the best turkey we tried because the meat is high quality in addition to having a fun flavor. It’s zestier than salsa (don’t worry, cilantro haters). This turkey would be perfect for a wrap filled with romaine, avocado, and a little mayo.
Credit: Liv Averett / Ralphs
- Castle Wood Reserve Smoked Honey Turkey
I adore Castle Wood Reserve Smoked Honey Turkey Breast. It’s not too sweet or too smokey. It’s just right. There’s nothing artificial either. It has a genuine sweet honey flavor. This turkey with brie and honey mustard on sourdough, panini-d until melty? Heaven. It’s also the best deli turkey for snacking on right out of the package. If you just want a little bump of protein in the middle of your day, grab a couple of slices of this turkey and you’ll be good to go.
Credit: Liv Averett / Vons
- Hillshire Farm Premium Carved Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
Hillshire Farm Premium Carved Oven Roasted Turkey Breast is like leftover Thanksgiving turkey if your Thanksgiving turkey was actually moist and flavorful (and you didn’t have to see your extended family). I’ve never wanted “thick cut” deli meat, but I’ve changed my tune. I absolutely want “carved” Hillshire Farm turkey. These slabs would be so wonderful tossed over a Cobb salad along with blue cheese, hard-boiled egg, and cherry tomatoes. Add a little ranch and you have an excellent lunch.
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
You don’t get a vehicle that looks like a hot dog by being bad at making processed meat products, so it’s no surprise that Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Oven Roasted Turkey is one of the best sliced turkeys on the market. Speaking of packaging, these deli slices are extremely efficiently stored. They glide out of the plastic container with little to no tearing. This was the only turkey we were able to successfully remove from its package without ripping the meat to shreds. The meat is flavorful enough to stand up to the other ingredients on a sandwich but mild enough to not pull all the focus. It’s the star of the show in the most tasteful way. Sometimes its greatness is forgotten, but it is certainly never doubted. This turkey is the Famke Janssen of deli meats.
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Dietz & Watson Sliced Black Forest Smoked Turkey Breast
Dietz & Watson’s products are frequently a hit for us, and their turkey is no different. This turkey breast is lightly smoked rather than being packed with fake smokey flavor like most other smoked deli turkeys on the market. I wouldn’t even necessarily know that this turkey was smoked if you didn’t tell me. It just tastes like delicious roasted turkey. It doesn’t taste processed and it’s not soaking wet (thank goodness). It’s also the perfect thickness. I brought this home after our taste test and snacked on it all week. It’s the best deli turkey even if you don’t normally opt for smoked turkey.
Credit: Liv Averett / Vons
Best Low Sodium
Best Thin Cut
Best Flavored
Best Honey
Best Thick Cut
Best Classic
Best of the Best
Other Products We Tried: Good & Gather Low Sodium, Good & Gather Honey, Hormel Oven Roasted, Applegate Honey, Boar’s Head Honey, Boar’s Head Salsalito, Boar’s Head Oven Gold, Bistro Favorites, Prima Della, Castlewood, Butterball Oven Roasted, Prima Della Honey, Prima Della Cajun
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there is listed the price but not the weight of the product, or even price per ounce. Boars Head is a pricey product that is generally 2-3 times the price of everything else of the same weight. is it worth the cost is what I am asking if you are poor?
I agree. They didn’t include all the Boar’s Head sliced meat from the deli.
We only review packaged products so nothing shaved at the deli counter counts!
So much yes about the Great Value!!! I have some in the fridge and I literally ate that exact sandwich tonight with a juice box!! It was a trip back to my childhood!
The Oscar Mayer Carved Turkey slices are amazing too! But I agree wholeheartedly with your #1 pick
If you ever do a “best chicken deli meat” list, the Boar’s Head Everroast tastes like Thanksgiving dinner. It’s literally the best!