Have you ever looked at a submarine sandwich roll and thought, “Hey, that’s shaped just like a giant pickle?” Well, the culinary minds at Jimmy John’s certainly did, and that stroke of genius has given birth to “The Picklewich.” For a limited time, until November 14th, we’re living in a world where sandwiches are being served inside massive pickles. As someone who spends a considerable amount of time taste-testing various fast-food innovations, it became my mission to try this sodium-packed creation for all of you – whether you’re a Jimmy John’s regular or just a curious foodie.
As a self-proclaimed lover of both pickles and sandwiches, I was initially skeptical. Could replacing bread with a giant pickle be too much? Would the flavors of the fillings get lost? And perhaps most importantly, could I eat this in public without causing a spectacle?
Determined to find out, I headed straight to Jimmy John’s the moment the Picklewich was launched. Here’s my honest take.
What Exactly is the Jimmy John’s Picklewich?
The name pretty much says it all: pickle + sandwich = Picklewich. This limited-edition offering from Jimmy John’s takes a massive dill pickle, slices it lengthwise, and uses it instead of their signature French bread to house the usual sandwich fillings – meat, cheese, and condiments.
According to the official Jimmy John’s website, the Picklewich is supposed to come in two main varieties: the Vito Picklewich, loaded with salami, capocollo, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, oil, vinegar, and oregano-basil; and the Turkey Picklewich, featuring turkey, provolone, lettuce, and tomato. However, when I placed my order in-store, the staff happily informed me that they could make any of their subs “Picklewich-style,” which was a welcome surprise and opened up a world of possibilities.
Taste Test: Is the Jimmy John’s Pickle Sandwich Delicious?
Jimmy John
For my Picklewich experience, I decided to push the boundaries and asked the Jimmy John’s team to transform their Cubano into a Picklewich. This meant bacon, ham, provolone, mayo, and mustard, in addition to the standard sliced pickles that come with the Cubano. I have to give them credit for their willingness to venture into pickle-on-pickle territory, but, as suspected, it was a bit of an overload. After the first bite, I had to remove the inner pickles, saving them for later.
What remained was still, unfortunately, dominated by pickle flavor. It became clear that bread isn’t just a vessel for sandwich ingredients; it plays a crucial role in flavor balance. Bread acts as a neutral base, allowing the various toppings to harmonize. Without it, the intense sodium from the pickle becomes overwhelming, overpowering your taste buds and making it hard to discern any other flavors, including the fillings. Bread is the buffer that allows pickles and ham to coexist peacefully; without it, you’re left with a salty chaos.
While the Picklewich falls short as a traditional sandwich in my book, it does succeed as a novelty fast-food item. It’s definitely something fun to share with friends who are die-hard pickle fans, as long as everyone is mindful of the sodium content. While I appreciate all types of pickles, in a sandwich context, they generally work best sliced. Using a whole pickle as the base results in too much pickle flavor – great if you’re just eating pickles, but not ideal when you’re trying to enjoy other sandwich components.
Jimmy John’s Picklewich: How Long Will It Be Around?
If you’re intrigued and want to try the Jimmy John’s Picklewich for yourself, it’s available now at all Jimmy John’s locations. However, this pickle-centric sandwich is a limited-time offering and will only be on the menu until November 14th. For those who love pickles but might be hesitant about the full Picklewich experience, Jimmy John’s has also brought back their pickle-flavored potato chips, offering another way to satisfy your pickle cravings.
