The Kitchen Appliance You Can Use To Make Copycat Firehouse Subs

Named after the former firefighting careers of owners Chris and Robin Sorensen, Firehouse Subs has been serving flavorful sandwiches across the nation since 1994. Not only was Firehouse Subs' name inspired by firefighting, but it also alludes to its hot sandwich specialty. Tasting Table's own Lauren Schuster ranked Firehouse Subs seventh out of the 21 most popular sandwich chains, so recreating these deliciously steamy sandwiches at home would be quite a feat. Thankfully, there is one kitchen appliance that you may already have which can help mimic the trademark Firehouse Subs technique: a rice cooker.

A rice cooker will gently steam your sandwich fillings, similar to the industrial steamers that Firehouse Subs' uses at its locations. You'll need a rice cooker with a steaming basket attachment to execute this hack. Add some water to your rice cooker to preheat while you assemble your choice of meat and other sandwich fillings onto a sheet of parchment paper. Be sure to fold and twist the sides of the paper around the meat to create a makeshift steaming pouch. Once the water is bubbling, you can remove the steaming basket and lid, place the pouch into the basket, and insert it back into the rice cooker. It will take around 4 minutes for the gentle simmer of water to effectively steam your meat, veggies, and cheese combination. Afterward, you can simply slide the steamed meat into your sandwich bread of choice.

While your sandwich fillings steam, take a few minutes to prepare your bread, condiments, and any other raw ingredients you wish to add. If you can't find a pack of hoagie rolls at the grocery store, French baguettes make a great substitute for a homemade sub sandwich. Additionally, Italian sandwich rolls and bolillos, used for Mexican tortas, are also tasty options with pillowy, soft crumbs.

Don't forget to toast your sandwich bread to give the soft, steamy fillings a crunchy contrast. Since a sliced-bread toaster might be too narrow for hoagie rolls or baguettes, you can place your bread slice side up in a toaster oven or the air fryer. In the time it takes to steam your fillings, the bread should finish toasting. If a toasted bun isn't your thing, the residual heat from the meat, cheese, and vegetables will add warmth and moisture to your bread. To ensure the sandwich is hot all the way through, you can wrap your freshly made meal in tin foil to trap the steam.

Placing the cheese on top of your meat to melt will help bind the sandwich fillings together, making it easier to slide the steamed insides into the roll. If you add veggies like peppers and onions to a homemade Philly cheesesteak, place them between the meat and the cheese. Leafy greens, such as collards or spinach, may also steam quickly and would taste delicious alongside provolone cheese and roast beef.