Think Twice Before Adding This Turkey Hot Dog Brand To Your Cart (We Ranked It The Worst)

A true hot dog should have a juicy middle, audible snap, and rich, meaty flavor, no matter whether it's made of beef, pork, or turkey. However, not every iteration of this classic portable snack hits the mark when it comes to texture, aroma, and taste. Luckily, we've used our culinary powers to discern which turkey dogs are deserving of your attention and which ones should be duly avoided. Our findings? Thick twice before adding Parkview turkey franks from Aldi to your shopping cart. The loser in our ranking of the best turkey hot dog brands, these 'furters had a peculiar aftertaste that we couldn't shake.

The meat that's traditionally used for hot dogs tends to be a mixture of beef and pork (their higher fat content produces a frankfurter with a juicier texture). However, varieties made with poultry, such as a turkey or chicken, have their plus points too; they're naturally leaner and have lower saturated fat. The problem is that while Parkview's turkey franks might be leaner than other hot dogs, they simply didn't taste good and had an unfortunate, funky flavor. In fact, the weird aftertaste we experienced after taking the first bite gave us the ick. Their texture was poor, and they didn't have the distinctive snap of a true hot dog either, so we put them at the bottom of the list behind Oscar Meyer and Applegate (neither of these turkey dogs had a weird aftertaste, but they did have their negatives).

Parkview turkey franks did have one redeeming feature: A touch of spice, which likely came from the onion, garlic, and paprika extracts in the ingredients list. However, they simply didn't have a turkey-like flavor. The unusual aftertaste was off-putting, and it gave the 'furters a weird and unappealing mystery meat vibe. Perhaps serving these turkey 'furters in unique hot dog styles could rescue them? For instance, you could top them in bean-less chili, onions, and mustard to transform them into Coney Dogs or do what the Memphians do and slather over barbecue sauce and cheddar cheese. 

Having said that, you'd be better off buying a better brand to begin with that tastes good in its unadulterated form. Talking of which, the winner in our ranking of the best turkey hot dogs was Bar S. While these frankfurters didn't have the characteristic snap of a beef hot dog, they had a bold flavor and a smoky quality. Plus, they were just about salty enough and had a pleasant texture. If you're set on buying turkey dogs versus classic beef or pork options, we'd advise grabbing some of these instead.