After watching a History Channel episode on the History of Favorite Foods, my husband and I started craving some of the old favorites. The episode went was dedicated to such foods as hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, as well as talked about the history of McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's. Pizza from New York and Chicago and all the little hot dog venues around the world including Nathan's Hot Dogs.
The one that caught our eye, though, was the Reuben sandwich. There are so many variation on the history of the Reuben sandwich. Some say hit haled from Germany others say it was the sole inspiration of a New York deli in the early 1900s called Reubens.
There are also as many variations of recipes as there are stories of its history. I remember Reuben sandwiches from when I lived in New York as a kid. I haven't been able to find the like in California since I've lived here.
Generally a Reuben is made with corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing. I actually rather have mine made with pastrami instead of corn beef, which is how I remember it from when I was a kid.
As I remember it the important thing about the sandwich was that it needed to be heaped high with meat, whether corn beef or pastrami, then piled high with sauerkraut then layered thick with Swiss cheese. I don't much remember the Russian dressing. My memory was a spicy mustard. The bread used was toasted or grilled rye bread.
Here was what we finally came up with for our recipe:
Roni's Reubens
Ingredients:
1 lb. deli pastrami
Classic Claussen Sauerkraut
1 pound thickly sliced Swiss Cheese
Rye bread (toasted)
Horseradish mustard (optional)
Directions:
Place four toasted rye bread slices on a cookie sheet. Pile high with pastrami, drain sauerkraut well and place desired amount on top of pastrami (some like a lot, some like a little). Add 1 to 2 slices of Swiss cheese on top. Place in oven at 425˙ until cheese is melted about five to eight minutes. Serves 4.
Here are a few recipes I was able to find on the web with different variations of the Reuben Sandwich.
All Recipes:
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
8 slices rye bread
8 slices deli sliced corned beef
8 slices Swiss cheese
1 cup sauerkraut, drained
1/2 cup Thousand Island dressing
Directions:
Preheat a large skillet or griddle on medium heat.
Lightly butter one side of bread slices. Spread non-buttered sides with Thousand Island dressing. On 4 bread slices, layer 1 slice Swiss cheese, 2 slices corned beef, 1/4 cup sauerkraut and second slice of Swiss cheese. Top with remaining bread slices, buttered sides out.
Grill sandwiches until both sides are golden brown, about 15 minutes per side. Serve hot.
Real Restaurant Recipes:
Traditional Reuben Sandwich
Preparation time: 10 minutes if ingredients are ready and at hand. Makes one sandwich.
Ingredients:
2 slices of Rye bread
2 tablespoons Thousand Island dressing (or to taste)
Corned beef (5-6 ounces, thin sliced)
1/3 cup Sauerkraut
Swiss cheese (2 slices of quality cheese)
Butter at room temperature
Instructions:
Spread 2 slices of rye bread lightly with Thousand Island dressing
Top one slice with a slice of Swiss cheese
Put a layer of sauerkraut over the cheese, then top with sliced corned beef and then a slice of Swiss cheese
Top with the second slice of rye bread, dressing side down
Butter the rye bread on the outside with soft butter and grill the sandwich in a skillet until both sides are golden brown and the cheese is melted
Remove from skillet, cut sandwich in half and serve
Sister Sandwich to the Reuben
Preparation: 10 minutes. Serves 1.
Ingredients:
2 slices Rye bread
2 tablespoons (or to taste) Thousand Island salad dressing (or substitute Russian salad dressing)
1/4 pound thinly sliced pastrami
Swiss cheese (2 slices of quality Swiss)
1/3 cup cole slaw
Butter at room temperature
Instructions:
Spread 2 slices of rye bread lightly with Thousand Island dressing
Top one slice with a slice of Swiss cheese
Put a layer of cole slaw over the cheese, then top with sliced Pastrami and then a slice of Swiss cheese
Top with the second slice of rye bread, dressing side down
Butter the rye bread on the outside with soft butter and grill the sandwich in a skillet until both sides are golden brown and the cheese is melted
Remove from skillet, cut sandwich in half and serve
Betty Crocker Recipes:
Ingredients:
1 package (2 pounds) refrigerated sauerkraut
1 package (2 to 3 pounds) corned beef brisket
1 cup Thousand Island dressing
16 slices pumpernickel rye bread, toasted
8 slices (1 ounce each) Swiss cheese
Directions:
1. Place sauerkraut in 3- to 4-quart slow cooker. Place beef brisket on sauerkraut. (If brisket includes packet of spices, sprinkle spices over brisket.)
2. Cover and cook on Low heat setting 9 to 11 hours.
3. Remove beef from cooker; place on cutting board. Cut beef into slices. To serve, spread 1 tablespoon dressing on each toast slice. Using slotted spoon to remove sauerkraut from cooker, top 8 slices toast with 1/2 cup sauerkraut each. Top sauerkraut with beef slices and cheese slice. Top with remaining toast.
Note: This recipe was tested in slow cookers with heating elements in the side and bottom of the cooker, not in cookers that stand only on a heated base. For slow cookers with just a heated base, follow the manufacturer’s directions for layering ingredients and choosing a temperature.
If you have a favorite reuben sandwich recipe send it over, we'd love to try it.
