Where can you find the best tuna sub? We tried 10 sandwiches and ranked them worst to best
CLEVELAND, Oh — We are halfway through the Lenten season, with Easter on April 17 this year. However, for people who don’t eat meat on Fridays, the usual fish fry food may be getting old, especially when they need or want something a little lighter. Or let’s face it you may just be sick of fried fish.
Recently cleveland. Yadi Rodriguez of com tried and ranked 15 fried fish sandwiches from fast food chains in Northeast Ohio. Which has the best-tasting ocean meat? You can check out her thoughts here.
Still, 40 days is a long time to eat fried fish, and lettuce and tomato sandwiches might not be as filling. You can still eat seafood if you follow a pescatarian diet, though. Tuna subs are a tasty and healthier option for lunch.
Rodriguez went on the road again not long ago to find the best tuna subs at well-known sub shops in the Greater Cleveland area.
She ordered the standard six-inch sub at each outlet. In places that didn’t have a set menu, she asked for wheat bread with lettuce, tomato, onion, and cheese. Then she gave points based on how close the sub was to what was written on the menu, how it tasted, how fresh the bread and toppings were, and, of course, how it looked.
Tuna sandwiches are a lunchtime staple for many. The combo of flaky tuna, crunchy vegetables and soft bread is hard to beat. But a tuna sandwich is only as good as its tuna. So it’s concerning when rumors start swirling that a popular sandwich chain may not be using real tuna in their famous tuna subs.
This is the debate currently surrounding Jersey Mike’s and their tuna sandwiches. Some consumers have questioned if Jersey Mike’s is really using tuna in their tuna subs, or if they are stretching their tuna salad with other cheaper ingredients. As a Jersey Mike’s fan myself, I decided to get to the bottom of this tuna debate once and for all.
A Breakdown of the Jersey Mike’s Tuna Sandwich
First let’s take a look at what goes into a Jersey Mike’s tuna sub. According to their website the ingredients are
- Tuna salad (tuna, mayo, celery, black pepper)
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
The tuna salad contains just 4 basic ingredients: tuna, mayo, celery, and black pepper. Jersey Mike’s uses two types of tuna in their tuna salad – albacore and light tuna.
So based on these published ingredients, it appears that real tuna is used in Jersey Mike’s tuna sandwiches. But some customers remain skeptical.
Why Do People Question the Tuna?
There are a few reasons some consumers doubt the veracity of Jersey Mike’s tuna:
Price – Jersey Mike’s tuna subs are relatively inexpensive compared to competitors. This makes some suspicious that corners may be cut to keep costs down.
Texture – Some note the tuna salad has a smooth, almost pasty texture that is different from chunky homemade tuna salad. They believe this indicates the presence of fillers.
Taste – Those who find the tuna flavor mild suggest more tuna or less mayo should be used if real tuna is present.
Appearance – The uniform color of the tuna salad raises eyebrows, instead of the flakes of pink and white fish found in some tuna salads.
These characteristics lead some to believe the tuna salad is not 100% tuna, or that cheaper fish like whiting may be mixed in.
So Is It Real Tuna After All?
While questioning big brands is often healthy, in the case of Jersey Mike’s tuna the evidence suggests they are using real tuna. Here’s why:
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Simplicity of Recipe – With just tuna, mayo, celery, and pepper, the recipe doesn’t allow room for mystery ingredients.
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Tight Food Safety – Restaurant chains like Jersey Mike’s have strict safety protocols, making it unlikely they would risk reputational damage by mislabeling ingredients.
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Employee Accounts – Former employees describe making tuna salad with real tuna in large batches, not powder or paste.
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Lack of Legal Action – Despite public speculation, no lawsuits have been brought against Jersey Mike’s alleging fake tuna. This suggests there is no basis for legal action.
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Taste Tests – Those doing side-by-side taste comparisons find Jersey Mike’s tuna salad tastes comparable to homemade versions using canned tuna.
So while some characteristics of the tuna salad may be less than ideal, it does not appear that Jersey Mike’s is using anything other than real tuna in their sandwiches. They may use methods to create a smooth texture and regulate flavor, but real tuna seems to be present.
Tips for Improving Jersey Mike’s Tuna Sandwiches
If you find Jersey Mike’s tuna salad isn’t quite to your liking, there are some easy ways to enhance the flavor and texture:
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Add crunchy vegetables like onions or peppers to add some chunkiness.
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Request extra black pepper to increase the tuna flavor.
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Swap mayo for a spicier sauce like sriracha for a flavor boost.
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Top with extra sharp cheddar for a sharper, tangier cheese complement.
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Dip in vinaigrette dressing for some zing.
With a few customizations, you can easily turn a decent Jersey Mike’s tuna sub into a great one more suited to your preferences.
The Verdict? Real Tuna
After looking at the straightforward recipe, employee accounts, lack of lawsuits, and taste test results, I’m convinced Jersey Mike’s does in fact use real tuna in their sandwiches. The texture and flavor may not be gourmet, but real tuna seems to be present in a reasonably priced and conveniently prepared sandwich. With a few tweaks, Jersey Mike’s can make a tasty and legitimate tuna sub. So rest assured, when you order the tuna at Jersey Mike’s, you are getting actual tuna fish in your sandwich.
DiBella’s Subs: Albacore Tuna Sub
No. 6 DiBella’s Subs: Albacore Tuna Sub
Served: Cold
Price: $8.79
Menu description: “100% all-white albacore tuna is the base of this tasty sandwich. You build it from there. It’s really good, and you don’t even have to catch the fish yourself!”.
Our thoughts: The bread was the best part of this sub. It looked like the bread would be hard, but it was soft, fresh, and shiny. The provolone slices were cut in half, and the slices of tomato were small. There was plenty of shredded lettuce and large white onion slices. This tuna was more mayo than anything else. It was bland and all you got was mayo flavor. The bread saved this sub from being completely ordinary.
Firehouse Subs: Tuna Salad
No. 4 Firehouse Subs: Tuna Salad
Served: Cold
Price: $8.99
Menu description: “Blend of tuna, mayo, relish, and black pepper – an old fire department recipe. Served Fully Involved. There is mayo, deli mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a kosher dill pickle on the side of the “Fully Involved®.”
We thought the sub roll had mayo on both the top and bottom. The tuna was topped with a lot of shredded lettuce, whole slices of white onion, big tomato slices, and mustard. While the bread was warm, the tuna remained chilled.
When we talk about tuna, there were so many big scoops that it was hard to fit it all in the sandwich.
It was not too mayo-y or runny. A good consistency. There was just enough mustard to add a little something extra to this sandwich. Not a combination I would have chosen, but it worked.
Tuna Fish #10 – A Sub a Day for 30 Days
FAQ
What does Jersey Mike’s put in their tuna?
Is the tuna at Jimmy Johns real tuna?
Can I eat Jersey Mike’s tuna while pregnant?
What kind of tuna do firehouse subs use?
What is Jersey Mike’s tuna sub?
Jersey Mike’s tuna sub is made with fresh tuna salad that’s mixed with celery, mayonnaise, and a little bit of pepper. It’s also got lettuce and tomato, making it a more simple tuna sub compared to others on this list. Sometimes, simplicity in a sandwich makes for the best meal, but in this case, it left us with a pretty flavorless hoagie.
Can pregnant women eat Jersey Mike’s tuna?
Yes, pregnant women can eat Jersey Mike’s tuna recipe as long as all the ingredients used are fresh and of good quality. However, it is recommended to consult a doctor before consuming any new food during pregnancy. What can I serve with it? This tuna recipe can be served as a sandwich filling or as a topping on salads.
Is Jersey Mike’s a good sub shop?
Jersey Mike’s is a popular sub shop you might stumble upon. Here, you may not find sandwiches dripping with sauce, oil, or cream, but there could still be hidden sources of excess fat and sodium, while maybe some surprises with added vegetables and fiber.
Does Jersey Mike’s have melted cheese?
More melted (or cold) cheese can amass calories quickly and none of the cheese used at Jersey Mike’s aligns with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 recommendations of reduced fat, low fat, or fat-free cheese. Avoid too much meat. More meat might make us assume that there is simply more protein within final nutrition facts.