Jimmy John’s, known for their speedy sandwich delivery, has taken a bold leap into the world of pickles, creating a buzz with their limited-time offering: the Picklewich. If you’ve ever pondered the structural similarities between a submarine sandwich roll and an oversized pickle, you’re not alone. The culinary minds at Jimmy John’s certainly did, and now, until November 14th, we exist in a reality where “The Picklewich” is not just a concept, but a menu item. As someone who has spent considerable time navigating the landscape of fast food as a critic, it became my duty to sample this sodium-rich creation for the benefit of everyone, regardless of their proximity to a Jimmy John’s location.
As a devoted enthusiast of both pickles and sandwiches, the notion of substituting bread with a massive pickle initially seemed like a step too far. Would it be too much pickle? Could the flavors of the fillings even be discerned? And perhaps more importantly, could one consume this in public without attracting unwanted attention? Driven by curiosity and professional obligation, I ventured to Jimmy John’s the moment the Picklewich was launched to experience it firsthand. Here’s a breakdown of my experience.
Decoding the Picklewich: What Exactly Is It?
The name itself is quite self-explanatory: pickle + sandwich = Picklewich. For this limited-edition menu item, Jimmy John’s ditches their signature fresh-baked French bread and instead employs a substantial dill pickle, sliced lengthwise, to house the sandwich fillings.
According to the official Jimmy John’s website, the Picklewich is supposed to come in two distinct forms: the Vito Picklewich, featuring salami, capocollo, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, oil, vinegar, and oregano-basil; and the Turkey Picklewich, composed of turkey, provolone cheese, lettuce, and tomato. However, during my in-person order, the staff pleasantly surprised me by indicating that any of their subs could be transformed into a Picklewich. This unexpected flexibility opened up a world of pickle-possibilities.
Taste Test: Is the Jimmy John’s Picklewich Actually Good?
Jimmy John's Cuban Picklewich
I decided to push the boundaries and requested a Picklewich version of the Cubano, which already includes sliced pickles in addition to bacon, ham, provolone, mayo, and mustard. I must commend the Jimmy John’s team for their willingness to embrace pickle-on-pickle sandwich inception. However, as intuition might suggest, this particular combination proved to be a less than stellar idea. After the initial bite, I found myself extracting the interior pickle slices and setting them aside for later enjoyment.
What remained, unfortunately, was still overwhelmingly pickle-centric. It became clear that bread serves a more crucial role than merely acting as a portable container for sandwich ingredients. Bread is the binding element that allows the various components to harmoniously coexist. Without it, the sodium from the pickle becomes overpowering, essentially hijacking your taste buds and making it difficult to detect any other flavors. Bread acts as a crucial buffer between the intense flavors of pickles and ham, or any other filling for that matter. In its absence, culinary chaos reigns.
Despite my fondness for a wide variety of types of pickles, their role in a sandwich context necessitates slicing. Using a whole pickle as the structural base unleashes an excessive amount of flavor – wonderful if you’re solely consuming pickles, but detrimental when trying to appreciate the nuances of ham and other fillings simultaneously. While the Picklewich may fall short as a traditional sandwich experience, it undeniably succeeds as a fast-food novelty. It would be an amusing item to share with a group of pickle enthusiasts, provided they are all in good health and have a high tolerance for sodium.
Picklewich Limited Run: How Long Will It Be Around?
The Jimmy John’s Picklewich is currently available at all participating locations and is scheduled to remain on the menu until November 14th. For those who appreciate pickles but are hesitant to commit to the full Picklewich experience, Jimmy John’s has also reintroduced their pickle-flavored potato chips, offering a less intense, yet still pickle-y, snack option.
