6 Turkey Hot Dog Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

If you know me, you know I am a big hot dog fan. Concert tailgating, summer BBQs, a random night where I don’t actually feel like cooking –- all worthy of the delicious tube meat that is the hot dog. I’ll take one (or three) on a toasted bun, with or without an array of toppings; it doesn’t matter to me. I am always happy to indulge. I’ve tried almost every brand on the market, showcasing the best hot dogs on store shelves. While I’m a pork or beef girl, I attempted to branch out for this taste test, trying a selection of turkey hot dogs instead of my go-to protein base. Do they hold up to the tried and true originals? Debatable.

While there isn’t a huge selection of turkey options to choose from, these bird dogs did put up a good fight. From taste to texture, I analyzed each offering to determine which hot dog alternatives to try and which ones to leave at the store. And trust me — there are definitely a few to leave at the store.

I love most things Aldi, especially its must-have selection of snacks, so I was bumming hard when I had to put its hot dogs in last place. The Parkview brand left me a little speechless with a whole lot of ick. 

While these turkey franks did have some kind of turkey deli meat flavor and a touch of spice, there was something super off about the flavor profile. The aftertaste was less than appealing; I’m not sure how to describe it. Honestly, I’ve never tasted anything like it in my life, and I don’t want to again. I tried a second bite to be sure I got it right. Yup, Aldi got it wrong. You can’t accurately call the flavor turkey, and it didn’t taste like a normal hot dog. This frank was a wild experience in mystery meat. I hated the texture, too. The franks were way too soft with no snap. 

This one was way different than the rest but not in a good way. With Parkview failing both categories, these went to the back of the list.

My bologna has a first name, but in this case, it’s actually turkey. Oscar Mayer, the tried and true hot dog brand with the famed Weinermobile, placed No. 5 on my list. 

Upon first bite, I thought we had something here, as there was a light snap to the casing. But the inside was too soft, which gave it a weird mouthfeel. It wasn’t like your average hot dog, and the texture became a little mushy the longer it sat on the plate.

When it came to taste, these turkey dogs also had an off flavor. The only way I can describe it is pork water — like the leftover pot of water after you cook a regular hot dog. What’s wild was that even though that’s the flavor profile, the meat overall was pretty bland. With no odd aftertaste and something resembling pork, these didn’t place last, but that’s not saying much. No salt? No flavor? No, thank you.

I’m not a huge fan of Applegate’s beef hot dogs, as they don’t quite have the flavor profile I’m seeking when I want a hot dog. However, they are relatively healthy for you, as far as hot dogs go. Needless to say, I didn’t know what to expect with the brand’s turkey option. 

Applegate is known for its uncured dogs that are natural with no antibiotics. This one definitely tasted “healthy.” Unfortunately, there was no real flavor with barely any salt. The bite was a little too thick and firm, signaling something was off. You could tell these weren’t your average hot dogs. 

They placed high enough because there was no bad aftertaste; I’d rather have no flavor over a negative option. While they didn’t really taste like anything, they had a decent ingredient list and a clean base for a variety of toppings and hacks. With some ketchup or mustard (maybe some bacon, too — sorry, Gordon Ramsay), I think these could be considered okay.

Placing in the top three is Ball Park, an icon in the hot dog world. I had some high hopes here, and my first bite was a lot better than the rest — by far.

What I loved most about this one was the texture. It had the best snap on the list, just like a real hot dog. It did taste more like a regular hot dog, too, but there wasn’t enough salt to convince my palate this wasn’t an imposter. Be that as it may, this was the first hot dog on the list that tasted good. And to be clear, it didn’t taste like turkey.

Why didn’t it place higher? After trying all the dogs and going back to this one, Ball Park didn’t hold up to my top two choices. It’s a worthy contender, but there are some better options out there. Keep reading for the best of the best!

I had never heard of the Jennie-O brand before, but apparently, it makes some decent turkey products. Its turkey franks placed second on my list and featured a pretty solid flavor profile, touting natural hardwood smoke — whatever that means.

While I did not get any smokey notes (maybe that flavor would perk up on a grill), Jennie-O turkey franks did offer a solid flavor profile with light salt and no off aftertaste. These turkey dogs also had a good texture, with the inside offering the same mouthfeel of a traditional beef or pork hot dog. However, there was no snap — the only true disappointment with this one. 

Unfortunately for me, Jennie-O turkey franks were hard to find in my area, making it a bummer to seek them out again. If you have these in your local stores, they are worth a try. 

When it comes to my top pick and the only turkey dog I would willingly buy again, I’m going with Bar S turkey franks. Funny enough, its chicken and pork hot dogs placed second for me, too! I don’t know what Bar S knows that other brands don’t, but it is one to check out.

The flavor was tight, offering light salt and a little smoke. But there was something about this one that tasted like a real hot dog. With a blind taste test, this was the only option on my list I would most likely confuse. These dogs didn’t have a snappy outside, but the inside texture was good. With the flavor being so bold, I had to give them the edge, even without the snap.

Overall, Bar S was the winner, offering the best texture and taste combo of the bunch. If you’re looking for a hot dog alternative, this is the only real option out there in my eyes.

For this taste test, I boiled up six types of hot dogs — my favorite way to eat them. #IYKYK I looked for the best taste overall, but texture did play a part. If the mouthfeel was off and or they didn’t bite like a beef or pork hot dog, they lost points.

Regarding taste, I knew these franks weren’t going to taste like traditional hot dogs, but I was looking for a solid profile with enough flavor that they tasted good. They didn’t have to resemble a pork or beef dog, but if they had an odd aftertaste or a funky profile, they went to the back of the list.