Is Jimmy John’s Salami Made of Pork? Examining the Ingredients

Jimmy John’s is one of the most popular sandwich franchises, with over 2,000 locations across the United States Their simple menu focuses on subs and clubs packed with deli meats like salami. But is Jimmy John’s salami actually made from pork? Let’s take a detailed look at what goes into this favorite sandwich filling.

Jimmy John’s Salami Ingredients

According to Jimmy John’s online nutrition information, their salami contains the following ingredients:

• Pork
• Beef
• Water
• Salt
• Natural flavors
• Paprika
• Sugar
• Sodium phosphate
• Sodium erythorbate
• Sodium nitrite
• Sheep casing

While the exact ratio isn’t provided, pork and beef are both clearly main components of Jimmy John’s salami. The pork adds rich, fatty flavor, while the beef provides a firm, meaty texture.

Water keeps the salami moist, and salt cures and preserves it. Spices like paprika enhance the taste. Preservatives including sodium nitrite prevent bacterial growth. Finally, the salami mixture is stuffed into casings to form the sticks of sliced deli meat.

How Salami is Manufactured

Jimmy John’s salami is made through the following multi-step manufacturing process:

• Meat selection – Pork and beef are chosen for optimal fat content, flavor and quality

• Grinding – Meats are finely chopped to the desired minced texture.

• Mixing – Pork, beef, spices, curing salts and ingredients are thoroughly blended.

• Stuffing – The meat mixture is stuffed into casings to create salami logs.

• Curing – Logs cure 1-3 weeks to develop signature flavor.

• Slicing – Cured salami is thinly sliced using high-speed deli slicers.

• Packaging – Slices are packaged for distribution to Jimmy John’s locations.

The curing stage with controlled temperature and humidity gives the salami its distinctive taste.

Why Jimmy John’s Uses Pork in Their Salami

There are a few reasons why Jimmy John’s chooses to use pork in their salami recipe:

• Flavor – Pork provides a rich, meaty pork flavor that balances the beef notes.

• Fat content – Pork fat gives the salami a smooth, tender texture after slicing.

• Texture – The marbling of fat helps the thin slices hold together instead of falling apart.

• Color – Pork contributes to the salami’s reddish-pink color.

Using 100% beef would make the salami slices too dry and prone to breaking. The added pork keeps the salami tender and supple when cut paper-thin for sandwiches.

Ordering Salami Alternatives at Jimmy John’s

For those looking to avoid pork, Jimmy John’s does offer some deli meat alternatives:

• Smoked Turkey Breast – Thinly sliced smoked turkey with bold flavor.

• Roast Beef – Classic sliced roast beef with peppery spice notes.

• Capicola Ham – Robust dry-cured ham.

• Genoa Salami – Contains just beef, no pork.

• Provolone Cheese Slices – Nutty flavor instead of deli meat.

Veggie-based sandwiches without deli meat are also an option, like the JJ Unwich® lettuce wrap.

Health Considerations with Processed Meats

While tasty, there are some health concerns linked to frequent processed meat consumption:

• Nitrates/nitrites – Curing agents potentially tied to cancer risk.

• High sodium – Most processed meats are very high in sodium, affecting blood pressure.

• Obesity – Eating deli meats regularly associated with weight gain/obesity.

• Heart disease – Processed red meats may increase risk of heart disease.

For the best health, it’s recommended to limit processed meats like salami to no more than 18 oz per week.

The Bottom Line on Jimmy John’s Salami Ingredients

Those avoiding pork can opt for smoked turkey, roast beef, capicola ham or Genoa salami when ordering a Jimmy John’s sub. But for those who don’t mind pork, the classic salami sandwich remains a quick and convenient option at this popular sandwich chain.