The 2-Ingredient Spice Blend That Makes Jersey Mike's Subs Taste So Good

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Reddit recently decided that Jersey Mike's is the best sub sandwich chain, and we'd have to agree that they are serving up some of the finest out there. While Food Republic has ranked 8 of its sandwiches (which means there are a few standouts), if you get your subs Mike's Way the sub makers include a selection of ingredients that can really make your order sing. This includes a simple two-ingredient spice blend made of oregano and salt, which might not sound terribly impactful, but actually adds more flavor than you might think.

Oregano is a bit of a workhorse, perhaps best known for its use in Italian cuisine, but at Jersey Mike's its pungent and peppery flavor adds a pleasingly herbal undertone to any sandwich. Much like bay leaves do to basic rice, oregano gives Jersey Mike's subs subtle depth of flavor; you might not notice it while you're eating, but you would notice it was missing if you were to compare two subs, one with oregano and one without.

The extra hit of salt, on the other hand, works to enhance big, meaty flavors and overcomes any bitterness that might be lurking. It also complements and highlights any sweetness that might be on your sandwich, like in tomatoes or the honey mustard sauce. In all, the oregano and salt combo is the perfect addition to Jersey Mike's subs, subtly spreading its seasoned flavor over all the other ingredients.

Jersey Mike's offers its own set of specialty ingredients and add-ons for each sub, which is what differentiates its sandwiches from all the rest. In addition to the salt and oregano you can have sprinkled on your eats, the sub chain offers what it calls "The Juice." The Juice is red wine vinegar and an oil blend, which includes 25% olive oil and 75% soybean oil (this is a pretty big change from its pre-pandemic recipe, where the percentages were reversed). Still, if you like your sandwiches with a sharper bite and a nice, puckery tang, adding The Juice is going to please your palate.

Jersey Mike's also carries eight toppings, among them three different types of mustard, jalapeño peppers, bananas peppers, dill pickles, and its signature Hot Chopped Pepper Relish. The latter item adds a hint of heat, as it's not too spicy, but like The Juice, it also contributes a tasty tang to your sandwich, thanks to the vinegar used to pickle the peppers. If you've tried it and can't enough, you might be able to pick up a jar at your local Jersey Mike's location or order it on Amazon.