7 Roast Beef Deli Meat Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

Roast beef feels like such a hearty deli meat compared to leaner options like smoked turkey, to me at least. Even a thin slice of roast beef feels weighty with a satisfying chew, whereas something like turkey seems softer and less meaty. Roast beef makes great sandwiches, but you can find other uses for it, like adding some to ramen or incorporating the deli meat into a batch of fried rice. But you don't want to use any old deli roast beef in every application. Who wouldn't want to buy the best-tasting roast beef with a superior texture?

So, I ventured to the store to try as many deli roast beef brands as I could find. I tried the meats side by side to identify which one had the best flavor — meaty, flavorful, and not too salty — and the best texture — easy to eat and pull apart and not rubbery. I found some better picks as well as some you should just leave on the shelf. That said, I will note when a particular brand or product might be better suited for a specific application.

Prices are as of the date of publication and may vary based on region.

You can find Signature Select at Albertsons Companies stores, meaning it's widely available anywhere from Acme to Tom Thumb. I bought mine at Albertsons, but you may want to skip the Signature Select Thin Sliced 96% Fat Free Roast Beef altogether. You'll get 7 ounces of packaged deli meat for $5.99, which isn't a bad deal. However, the quality and flavor are truly unpleasant. 

Signature Select's product is quite chewy and rubbery. There's also a bit of fattiness, or perhaps gristle, that makes the texture of certain bites funky; the oddly spaced-out chewiness compounds with the general rubberiness, making for a terrible combination. The fatty texture seems strange given the 96% fat-free label. On top of that, it has almost no flavor. So when I ate it, I had a plain, uninteresting taste with a bad texture. There's really not a lot going on, and I couldn't even finish the slice; everything from the taste to the texture makes it undesirable to eat. Believe me, I love a good deal and often use coupons when I grocery shop, but this isn't worth the cost. The best way I can think to use it is to fry it up or pop it in the air fryer so it's crisp.

Next up we have Hillshire Farm's Ultra Thin Sliced Roast Beef Sandwich Meat. It's a little chewy, with a rubbery texture and a slight squeakiness that's particularly strange — kind of like eating cheese curds. There's not much going on with the flavor, but at least it's more interesting than Signature Select. It is salty with a mild beefy taste, but I wouldn't really want to purchase it again — even when factoring in the price. It is the same weight and price as Signature Select, so clearly, I suggest going with Hillshire if you have to pick between the two at Albertsons. But overall, I can't recommend either. 

The texture of this meat isn't quite as egregious, and I appreciate the thinness, which is good for sandwiches or frying. It might be a good idea to douse it in something like a cheesy sauce in a DIY Arby's-inspired roast beef sandwich. However, I must note that it is hard to peel out a slice from the bag, and the slices break apart. Additionally, this brand doesn't have the fall-apart texture I seek in roast beef and falls flat on flavor compared to some other brands. This is more like bologna than roast beef. I'd skip this altogether and snag the next brand instead.

Wouldn't you know it, Hormel Natural Choice Roast Beef is also priced at $5.99 at Albertsons, although it only has 6 ounces of meat. I actually got it on sale for $3.99, which makes it a pretty good bargain. Regardless of the sale price, it's better than Hillshire Farm and Signature Selection. There was plenty of liquid pooled in the bag, which ensures a moist product. There is some fat and marbling, but not enough that it negatively affects the texture. It has a potent smoky aroma, but it wasn't as intense once I bit into it; it is, however, very salty thanks to the solution used: a blend of water, salt, turbinado sugar (which is not the same thing as brown sugar), sodium bicarbonate, and a generally labeled "flavoring."

The salt is the first thing I taste, then it gives way to some of the beefy taste. That's where we see some improvement compared to the past two brands. Hormel's actually tastes like beef, which is a quintessential component of roast beef's flavor. The texture is interesting because it doesn't shred, which puts it in fifth place; this seems to be the case with the three lowest-ranked pre-packaged roast beef brands, though. Hormel is the best packaged option, making it convenient if you want to quickly pick up roast beef at the store. The rest of the brands are all freshly sliced from the deli department.

I recently tried an array of Dietz & Watson meats, so I have a fair grasp of the brand's offerings as a whole. Now I can compare it to other brands. This time around, I tried the Dietz & Watson Medium Cooked Trimmed & Tied Roast Beef and the brand's Top Round London Broil Roast Beef. Each one costs $4.25 per ¼ pound at Albertsons, making it more expensive than the aforementioned options. The Trimmed & Tied Roast Beef includes ingredients such as raw sugar, dried onion, garlic, and lemon oil to give it a well-rounded flavor. It has a beef taste, which I'm looking for, but it still tastes a smidge plain, even with all the seasonings. 

The London Broil, however, is fantastic. It has some moisture and a better texture, whereas the roast beef was firm and harder to eat. The London Broil seems more versatile, as its texture is more delicate and it has an enjoyable tenderness. Both were easily shredded when I pulled on them, but the London Broil stands out for its better flavor balance. It's easy to eat alone, rolled with a slice of cheese and a squeeze of mustard, or incorporated into a sandwich. This might have something to do with the "grill flavor" listed in the ingredients, as well as the onion powder, garlic powder, lemon juice, lemon oil, and black pepper.

I have a beef with Signature Select, as it consistently lets me down; sometimes I get a surprisingly good item, but it typically finds itself toward the bottom of my rankings. However, Primo Taglio is also an Albertsons Companies store brand, and its roast beef fared pretty well. First off, the Primo Taglio Roast Beef has a nice aroma that enticed me to open the bag and take a bite. There's an herbal fragrance that makes it alluring, but the taste backs up the intrigue. The herbiness adds to its flavor, making it the most flavorful out of anything so far. 

The ingredients list includes garlic and onion powder, as well as "spices" and natural and artificial flavors. Whatever the flavor is works here. Additionally, it has some of the shredding I like, which gives it a more delicate texture. There is no chewiness like in the lower-ranked brands, including Signature Select. Most of all, I appreciate the tenderness that makes it a great foundation for whatever you want to make. It would pair nicely with various cheeses, breads, and condiments. There are many ways to use leftover roast beef, and I think this Primo Taglio would be tasty in a quesadilla or shredded beef pasta. At $4 per ¼ pound, it's a slightly better deal than Dietz & Watson. I think the Primo Taglio roast beef flavor is much better than Dietz & Watson's Trimmed & Tied Roast Beef, but it's about on par with the London Broil. As such, I have to give Primo Taglio a slight lead in the ranking.

I found a couple of Sprouts-brand options at the grocery store. Sprouts Roast Beef Pre-Sliced costs $4 per ¼ pound, or $15.99 per pound, while the London Broil is slightly pricier at $4.25 per ¼ pound. This classic roast beef contains beef, vinegar, and various rub ingredients such as onion powder, sugar, and natural flavors that contribute to its well-rounded flavor. It's a pretty salty product, but there are some decent seasonings in there beyond that. I don't detect a peppery spiced note or any identifiable flavors; it was more generically well-seasoned. It tastes like beef, which I enjoy, making it a good choice for your sandwiches. Even with the standard sandwich cut, it feels a little thick, though. Therefore, I reckon it could be improved with a thinner cut.

The London Broil is delicious and savory, with a clear, peppery depth of flavor that helps Sprouts rise toward the top of the list. I think this would be perfect for a roast beef and horseradish crostini as the pepper would complement the bite of horseradish. The texture in particular helps to stand out from some of the lower-ranking stuff that felt chewy. The natural beef flavor and seasoning of both products give the brand a leg up. They're scrumptious all on its own, but you can add more intrigue by including it in a sandwich. Both products melt in the mouth, and the seasoned, beefy flavors help Sprouts place above Primo Taglio. It is easily one of the strongest contenders in this roast beef showdown.

So, I guess I really like London broil roast beef. I love learning new things about myself. Each London broil I tried in this taste test was better-tasting and more tender than the regular roast beef counterpart. Boar's Head's London Broil Roast Beef came out on top because it was exactly what I was looking for. Its texture is the perfect middle ground between dry and moist; it's not as wet as Hormel's or as dry as Dietz & Watson's. It's very delicate and breaks down easily in the mouth, making it pleasant to eat. 

It's buttery, and the thinness of the slices eliminates chewiness or stringiness. It kind of falls apart when I pull on it, showcasing its sheer tenderness. It is seasoned and not too salty, and it still has a flavorful beefy quality. It just tastes like a good piece of thinly sliced meat, and that's really all I was looking for — something tasty on its own but adaptable for various recipes. 

The mild seasoning of onion, garlic, spice, and other ingredients lets the meat shine bright. Boar's Head London Broil Roast Beef has the best balance of quality, taste, and texture, making it the best store-bought option. No matter whether you just eat a couple of slices from the bag, prefer it in a wrap, or drop it in pho, it offers a fantastic taste. It is the priciest out of all options, costing $5 per ¼ pound, but it's worth the splurge.

I purchased everything from two stores: Albertsons and Sprouts. I tried everything straight from the fridge, plain, without any accouterments, so I could taste the meat on its own. 

The taste and texture were both important ranking criteria. I was looking for a beef flavor that was balanced without any overwhelming saltiness, smokiness, or other flavorings. Texture was vital as well, as lower-ranking options were chewy or rubbery. Higher-ranking roast beefs had the most straightforward beef taste with a pleasant seasoning and pull-apart texture.