Appearance: Does the corned beef’s color look natural or suspiciously artificial? Is there visible fat or cartilage, or is it lean? Is it wet or dry? Does it look appetizing?
Texture: Does the corned beef pull apart into strands, or is it more chunky or ground-up? Does it have a satisfying chew, or does it melt into mush?
Flavor Profile: Is it savory and well-seasoned, or does it lean salty or bland? Can you taste the beef? Are there any notes—metallic, liver-y, artificial?
Aroma: Does it smell beefy and appetizing, or are there any red flags?
Fine Print
The Lineup: We tested 16 local and imported brands of canned corned beef available in local groceries. We did not include frozen corned beef (yet).
Why We’re Doing This: We all grew up loyal to our household’s corned beef brand of choice. Switching can feel like betrayal—and with corned beef being one of the more expensive canned goods you can buy, it’s safer to stick to what you know. In this taste test, we wanted to test which brands are worth switching or sticking to.
How We Tasted: All brands were cooked until hot but still soft, not crispy. Each brand was sampled as is, with rice, and with Skyflakes.
Blind Taste Test: All brands were removed from their packaging, cooked, labeled, and tasted blind to prevent brand bias.
How We Scored: Each product was evaluated across 4 criteria. Final placements reflect the Pepper team’s averaged impressions.
Transparency: No brand paid for inclusion in this taste test. However, CDO and Purefoods have been past and present advertising partners of Pepper.
