Thick-cut, turkey, slab, or speck: It seems like there are more varieties of bacon out there than there are ways to cook them. While options are nice, it can be hard to find a favorite bacon with all the choices on the shelves. After all, meat isn’t cheap, and if we don’t like a pack, it’d be a shame for this protein to go to waste.
To offer up some clarity to the bacon-curious, Chowhound ranked 12 store-bought bacon brands from worst to best. While we found it’s best to steer clear of some brands (we’re talking about you, Sugardale), others are well worth the hype. The best bacon brand out of all the ones we tested? Trader Joe’s own uncured and dry-rubbed sliced bacon.
This particular pick nixes all the additives and preservatives other brands rely on. It uses only high-quality base ingredients instead like pork, spices, sea salt, celery powder, and raw sugar. We found this brand to be the most flavorful of the bunch, too, offering up a nice balance of meat and fat. It was the best-textured option too, crisping up beautifully while cooking in the oven and the frying pan. At only $6 for a 12-ounce package, this high-quality bacon ended up being one of the most affordable packs on the list, so it easily beats out the rest of the competition.
Give other Trader Joe’s uncured bacon options a try
When in Rome (aka Trader Joe’s), there are a few other bacon varieties that could be worth trying too, aside from the sliced dry-rubbed. From fully-cooked varieties for a quick breakfast, turkey bacon, to apple smoked for a sweet twist, there’s something for everyone.
Flavors aside, all of these options come uncured too. Uncured bacon isn’t really uncured, as all bacon is preserved. Instead this label means that manufacturers made the bacon without any synthetic additives. Instead of being pumped with nitrates to remain fresh, the meat is cured with fresh ingredients like sea salt and spices. This process takes more time than others, but it leads to a more flavorful and less synthetic end product. That is one of the factors that sets Trader Joe’s bacon apart. Try it for yourself to see how it tastes.
