The Reuben is a grilled sandwich made of layered meat, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and dressing. Some use thousand island, while others prefer Russian dressing. There are many variations of this dish. An example would be its sister sandwich called Rachel, which uses pastrami instead of corned beef and coleslaw in place of sauerkraut. Some even use turkey meat and different types of cheese.
When buying corned beef, make sure you get good quality meat. You can buy cooked unflavored shredded beef or prepare it yourself by boiling it in water and spices; although, the latter may take some time. Â Try to avoid using canned corned beef because it has a strong flavor.
Sandwich Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
8 slices rye bread
8 slices Swiss cheese
3/4 lb cooked corned beef brisket, thinly sliced
1/2 lb sauerkraut
1/4 cup Russian Dressing
Russian Dressing:
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
3/4 cups mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons chopped curly parsley leaves
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced Spanish onion
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced dill pickle
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated horseradish
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
To make the dressing, combine the ketchup, mayonnaise, sour cream, parsley, onions, pickles, lemon juice, horseradish and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
Dry the sauerkraut with a paper towel. If it is moist or drippy, it will make the bread soggy.
To assemble the sandwich, spread a generous amount of Russian dressing on two slices of bread. Top one slice with cheese and place a layer of sauerkraut on top of it. Next, place the corned beef slices, then put another slice of cheese. Top the layers with the other slice of bread, the side with the dressing facing down.
Preheat a skillet or frying pan. Butter the outside of the sandwich and grill until the bread is golden brown on both sides and the cheese has melted. Use a spatula to flip the sandwich and to flatten it a bit. Transfer it to a plate.
Cut the sandwich diagonally and serve with fries or chips.
Photo Courtesy Of: Ron Dollete