What temperature does firehouse subs steam their meat

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Fans of Firehouse Subs burning for their favorite sandwiches since our only local location closed this summer can now quench their desires, as the East Side restaurant has quietly re-opened under new ownership.

We noticed the resulting social media uproar and went to see what’s so special about this sub shop.

We found a franchise that not only serves good food but which has an overarching mission to support fire departments, police and other first responders in communities across the country.

Mickey and Jan McKeel of Colombia, Tennessee, are the new owners, but they’re no strangers to the area. They own the Owensboro Firehouse Subs and a total of five of the restaurants in Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana.

“When this one closed, the company contacted me to see if we wanted to open it back up,” said Mickey. “We decided to remodel it and give it a new shine, and we had a grease trap situation we had to remedy, but we got back open within about two and a half months.”

The McKeels feel strongly about Firehouse Subs.

“We were on our way to Gulf Shores, Alabama, on vacation and stopped in a Firehouse Subs,” said Mickey. “We fell in love with it. When we got to Gulf Shores, we found one and ate at it two or three days in a row.”

The couple knew they wanted to open their own franchise, but when they got home to Columbia, they found a friend had already purchased the Firehouse territory. So, they opened their first stores in Clarksville, Tennessee, and then continued to Bowling Green, Kentucky, and Owensboro.

The company has an interesting and poignant history. It was started in 1994 by two former firefighters, Chris and Robin Sorensen, in Jacksonville, Florida. Their father, Robert Sorensen, had also been a firefighter. This profession might or might not be the reason they decided to steam the meat and cheese for their sandwiches instead of using a hot grill, griddle or broiler.

“They had the idea to steam the meat to heat it, and it brings all the flavors out and keeps it very juicy and moist,” said Mickey. “They had one little store with one steamer, and all these people lined up trying to get in, and now 24 years later there are almost 1,150 stores. The Sorensen brothers still own 37 restaurants themselves.”

It was in 2005 that the Sorensens founded the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. After Hurricane Katrina, the brothers took a Firehouse Subs bus to the hurricane-ravaged part of Mississippi and stayed to feed storm victims and the first responders there to help. The experience moved them to begin a foundation which would provide equipment to public safety organizations.

“Each store collects donation money,” explained Mickey. “You can donate change in the donation jars, or round up your bill, or you can buy pickle buckets. We keep the food-grade 5-gallon buckets and sell them for $2. All that money gets put into the same pot, and then the foundation meets once a quarter and reviews grant applications. They give equipment all over the country. As of 2018, the foundation has given $37.7 million.”

On the menu, you’ll find a selection of signature subs, salads and more.

The Hook and Ladder is the most popular sandwich nationwide, according to the McKeels. It contains smoked turkey breast, Virginia honey ham and Monterey jack cheese steamed to melt, then served “fully involved” with mayo, deli mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion and a dill spear on the side.

Another favorite is the Smokehouse Beef & Cheddar Brisket with cheddar cheese, mayo and Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce.

There is a large selection of other signature sandwiches, or you may create your own from a list of meats including those mentioned above, pastrami, corned beef brisket, roast beef, grilled chicken breast or tuna salad with your choice of cheddar, Swiss, provolone or Monterey jack cheeses.

Salads include the Firehouse with smoked turkey breast and grilled chicken, the Italian with grilled chicken and salami or the Hook and Ladder with smoked turkey and Virginia honey ham.

Sandwiches can be served with chips or a cookie, or upgrade to chili, another soup or a side salad.

In keeping with the fire theme, over 25 bottles of hot sauce are available on the counter for dressing your sandwich, with numbers from 1-10 to designate heat level.

We highly suggest the Captain Sorensen’s Datil Pepper Hot Sauce, made with Florida specialty Datil chiles, which are raised almost exclusively near Jacksonville in the St. Augustine area. These little yellow gems are similar to a habanero but even sweeter and fruitier. The sauce is medium-hot and can be purchased by the jar.

If you go

Firehouse Subs is located at 1031 N. Green River Road

Phone: 812-909-4445

Hours: Every day, 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m.

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