Contributed by Info Guru Oliver VanDervoort

From time to time, we have the hankering for a special kind of sandwich.

There are times when we turn our nose up at some of the foods we normally can get at the delicatessen, but more often than not we love getting those much beloved deli meats because they remind us of a better time, or at the very least it reminds us of a time when we weren’t hungry. Sometimes we want a nice basic sandwich with something that they tell us is meat like Bologna but other times we’re looking for a sandwich with some truly tasty, dare we say more pure bread meat. For those of us who love our sandwich meats, we’ve brought you the top ten deli meats out there.

10. Sliced Turkey

When it comes to having the whole bird, Thanksgiving and Christmas are the times of year when this meat is most popular. The rest of the time, a couple of juicy slices of turkey from our favorite deli can really hit the spot in between a couple of slices of warm bread.

9. Pastrami

This particular salty meat is a deli favorite because it packs such a wallop in the taste department. Pastrami is usually seasoned with a ton of salt and some black pepper to give it a real spicy punch.

8. Roast Beef

One of the all-American favorites you can get roast beef at most delis in darn near any grocery store in the country. Whether you are wanting to go with a regular old roast beef sandwich, or come up with something a little fancier like a French Dip, this is a big time favorite. Or take it over the top, and make a roast beef and thin slice it yourself for an over-the-top flavorful sandwich no deli counter can match.

7. Salami

Salami is yet another salty meat that has become incredibly popular over the years. There are actually a couple of different kind of slices from really thin, to quite thick depending on how you like your meat.

6. Pepperoni

There is a bit of a trend when it comes to the top deli meats: flavor and lots of uses. Pepperoni is known as a great addition to pizza but it can also be a great addition to a sandwich if it is cut correctly at the deli.

5. Bacon

People might not always think of bacon as being a deli meat because it is so often pre-packaged in a different aisle. The fact of the matter is that specialty bacon – thick cut, peppered, smoked – is one of the best deli meats around.

4. Prosciutto

Prosciutto is actually a type of ham that is an Italian delicacy. Generally sliced very thinly, this has an interesting mix of salty and sweet and is often served with fresh juicy melon or fresh or dried figs.

3. Summer Sausage

When talking about incredibly tasty deli meats, you certainly can’t leave Summer Sausage off the list. The one thing that sets this aside from the others is that it is less a sandwich meat and more one you can eat with cheese and crackers or by itself.

2. Chicken

There are a ton of different ways you can get chicken from your local meat counter or online deli. You can just get it sliced up for a sandwich, or pulled and sauced for a barbeque.

1. Ham

Whether talking about thick cuts that can be used for ham steaks, or thinner cuts that go great on a sandwich, sliced ham is without a doubt the most popular of any meats on the list.