I Tried 10 Bacon Brands and the Winner Totally Surprised Me

It turns out that bacon is a rather controversial food. When I accepted the job to test it, I did so without hesitation. After all, I love bacon, and I knew that I could easily recruit some volunteers to help me find the best one. What I learned from testing is that while yes, everyone likes bacon, when it comes to choosing the best, it’s not so simple or clear-cut.

For example, I like bacon that’s ultra-crispy and cut thick enough so that it doesn’t shatter when I pick it up. It can’t be too greasy, and it must actually taste like bacon. (It sounds obvious, but we tested some that didn’t...I know!) Other testers cared more about the size of the strip, and also preferred a chewy versus crispy bacon slice.

With all of these varying opinions, I had to change the way the results were shared. You’ll see what I mean below. Even so, the results were quite surprising, with a few generic brands coming out on top. Here are the bacon brands we tested, and our thoughts.

How I Selected the Bacon to Test

To keep things as fair as possible, I purchased bacon that can be commonly found in large grocery store chains. I also included store-brand varieties from Whole Foods, Aldi, Target, and Costco. I chose only full-fat bacon without any salt reduction or added flavors or sweeteners as indicated on the packaging (in other words, nothing that said “hot honey” or “maple”).

If the brand had multiple types of bacon, I selected the most straightforward preparation, which was often smoked and labeled as “hickory” or “applewood.” I included two thick-cut bacon brands by request, but otherwise, the bacon was what we’ll call “regular cut,” meaning it wasn’t designated as thick or thin.

How I Cooked the Bacon

To achieve the best crispy bacon for the test, I chose the chef-approved method of cooking the bacon in the oven. I lined a large baking sheet with foil, then topped it with an oven-safe wire rack. I placed strips of bacon on the rack and baked until done, which was about 20 minutes in a 400-degree F oven.

How We Tested the Bacon

This was a concealed taste test, meaning my testers didn’t know which brand they were trying. Each slice was numbered and displayed on a plate. I asked them to rank the bacon in order from least to most favorite. Unlike other taste tests, I didn’t provide any parameters, and instead asked them to be ready to back up their choice when testing was complete. Here are the results.

The Best Bacon, According to a Taste Test

For clarification purposes, I’ve opted to categorize the results. Each variety of bacon can be found in one of three categories: the Basic Bottom, the Average Joes, and the Winners. I’ve explained them below.

The Basic Bottom

Bacon that landed in this category was found either unpleasant or simply unimpressive. Testers agreed they wouldn’t buy these again.

10th Place: Hormel

Hormel was our least favorite and everyone had something to say. Some of my personal favorite comments were, “super not good,” and “this tastes like fat.” In other words, it wasn’t for us. It was greasy and messy and not fun to eat.

9th Place: Target

We couldn’t figure out how this gets sold as bacon. It tastes nothing like it. Instead, it tasted like soap with a chemical flavor.

8th Place: Oscar Meyer

This is super basic bacon. It cooked up crispy, but left a lot of fat and grease behind on the plate. One tester said it was “ho-hum” and another claimed it “wasn’t worth” whatever I paid for it. Ouch.

7th Place: Smithfield

This bacon almost landed in “The Average Joes,” but it was the grease that prevented it from getting there. Most testers found the flavor to be “decent,” but it came out quite greasy, which kept it from ranking any higher than seventh place.

The Average Joes

This is the “average” group. The bacon in this category was labeled as “fine” or “pretty good,” but lacked any characteristics that made it stand out in a particular way.

6th Place: Whole Foods (365)

Testers said this bacon didn’t seem as fatty as others, but were surprised at how greasy it was after cooking. They liked its meaty texture, but felt it lacked flavor. Overall they said it was “fine” and a “nice choice” for sandwiches.

5th Place: Costco (Kirkland Signature)

This thick-cut bacon gets high praise across the internet, but testers weren’t that impressed. Perhaps the allure has something to do with the fact that you can get three whopping pounds of bacon for around $15. Since my testers didn’t know this, it didn’t factor into their decision-making. They thought it was meaty, but “meh” when it came to flavor, which is why it landed in fifth place.

4th Place: Applegate

The bacon was crispy and exactly what you’d expect if you ordered bacon at your favorite breakfast spot. It’s good, but fell a bit short when it came to flavor.

The Winners

Like the name implies, this category of bacon includes the best of what we tested. Testers were unanimous in their love for these three, as well as the ultimate winner.

3rd Place: Wright

Out of the two thick-cut bacon varieties on the list, this was the winner. It was meaty and smoky and chewy, like a cross between jerky and bacon, which made for a tasty experience. If you like a heartier bacon, this is the one you need to try. It’s even chef-approved!

2nd Place: Trader Joe’s

This bacon was a close contender for first place thanks to its almost buttery taste and crispy texture. Like the winner, it had good porky bacon flavor, amplified by a nearly perfect salt level. If you frequent Trader Joe’s, you’ll want to pick up a package on your next run.

1st Place Winner: Aldi (Appleton Farms)

Every taster agreed this was their favorite. Even though the strips cook down significantly, this bacon hit differently than the rest. It was crispy, it wasn’t greasy, and it tasted so delicious. It had the saltiness we loved but also a bit of smokiness to keep things interesting. In even more great news, a pound of it costs less than $4.50. As if we needed another reason to love Aldi.

Read the original article on ALLRECIPES