Firehouse Subs’ New Hot Ones Sandwich Is So Spicy It Humbled Me

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last few years you're probably familiar with megahit YouTube series Hot Ones, where host Sean Evans chats with celebrities as they make their way through a variety of increasingly spicy hot wings. The Hot Ones sauces are widely available in grocery stores nationwide in a variety of flavors, and now Hot Ones is teaming up with firefighter-founded hot sub chain Firehouse Subs to release two bold new subs.

When they reached out to ask if I wanted to try the subs ahead of time, it really was a no-brainer—I love Hot Ones, and truly believe I could live on subs if necessary, so the answer was a resounding "yes please". I also have a pretty good heat tolerance, and was curious to see what a Hot Ones sandwich collaboration would look like. Would it actually be spicy? Would I cry? Should I have milk on hand? One trip to the Universal City location later and I sat down at home with the two subs, ready for action. My husband insisted on taking part in this taste test to provide input from someone who, along with our friend Chris B, once completed the Jitlada Dynamite Spicy Challenge (not for the faint of heart).

Anyway, to the taste test!

THE SUBS:

Spicy Dill Hook & Ladder – smoked turkey, honey ham, melted pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, deli mustard, Firehouse Hero Sauce, and featuring the first-ever Last Dab Pickle, marinated in Hot Ones' Last Dab Reaper Edition Hot Sauce, marking the first time this iconic hot sauce has been used in a menu collaboration.
Zesty Garlic Hook & Ladder – smoked turkey, honey ham, melted pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, garlic chips, and mayo, with a garlicky punch from Hot Ones' Fresno sauce.

I started with the Zesty Garlic, which is the less-spicy option. The meat, cheese, and sauce were perfectly proportioned, the bread was soft and chewy, and there was just enough Fresno sauce to give the sandwich a delightful kick without overpowering the sub (I consider a Wendy's Spicy Chicken sandwich to have a gentle kick, if that helps). An adventurous kid could eat this without freaking out. Your best friend who went to Thailand five years ago and still talks about the authentic street food could eat this and feel smug about how they can barely taste the heat. The garlic chips make this sandwich totally addictive, and the slight heat does build up, but nowhere near anything reaching discomfort.

The Spicy Dill Hook & Ladder comes with a pickle you can put in the sandwich, which I will get to in a little bit, because it's important. This is the spicy sub, and definitely had more of a punch than the Zesty Garlic—you can immediately taste the spiciness, which builds very quickly. There's no mistaking the kick from the pepper in this sandwich, it comes through with every bite, in the best possible way. Like the Zesty Garlic, the Spicy Dill had perfect layers of meat and cheese, and the same soft, chewy bread. I am not one of those purists who want the roof of their mouth cut open with a baguette. Give me the soft subs! It was spicy, but not overpoweringly so, and I will admit to feeling pretty smug myself until I recklessly took a bite of the Last Dab-marinated pickle. Reader, I was humbled. It was spicy. Like, REALLY spicy. The very kind Firehouse Subs employee did warn us the heat level was not to be taken lightly, and he was absolutely right. It's the spiciest pickle I've ever tasted, and putting it in the sandwich will turn the already-hot Hook & Ladder sub into an endurance test for heat-enthusiasts.

My verdict? Absolutely Hot Ones-worthy, and a surefire hit whatever your heat tolerance level. If you're lucky enough to live near a Firehouse Subs, try them for yourself, preferably while watching the Conan O'Brien Hot Ones episode. You can thank me later.