Reuben Sandwich
Other than maybe the cheeseburger, this has got to be the world’s greatest sandwich invention. Here I will show you how to make a delicious but simple version of this sandwich.
Rueben’s are almost always made of corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut. Usually mustard and/or mayonnaise are used, and the bread is usually rye. Then, to be authentic, the sandwiches are grilled to give the bread a golden tasty crust.
You can make them simply just as I described, or you can make a more special version by enhancing the sauerkraut and making a sauce. In the photo above, that’s what I did, except I didn’t have any rye bread and used our regular Oatnut bread. The results were outstanding, and now I get frequent requests for these either as a nice lunch or as an easy light dinner.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound thinly sliced Corned beef
4 slices Swiss cheese
8 slices bread, preferably rye
4 tablespoons soft butter
1 cup drained sauerkraut
4 slices bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup diced onion
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup catsup
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
2 tablespoons chopped dill pickle
1 teaspoon tarragon
salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
In one bowl, mix the sauerkraut, bacon bits, onion, and vinegar. In another bowl, mix the mayonnaise, catsup, pickles, and tarragon. Add a little salt and pepper until you’re satisfied with the taste.
Lay out four slices of bread, and spread half of the dressing over them. Add the corned beef, cheese, and sauerkraut. Spread the rest of the dressing on the other four slices of bread and cover the sandwiches, pressing down gently on the tops.
Spread the top of the bread with butter.
Heat a dry griddle or large frying pan. When hot, add sandwiches to the griddle butter side down (in batches, if necessary), and butter what is now the top slice. After a few minutes, check the bottoms to see if they are brown — you want a nice golden brown, but not black! When one side is done, turn them over, and again press down gently.
After removing them from the griddle, slice them in half and serve. Typically, they would be served with a pickle slice and potato chips or potato salad.
Get ready for the raves!