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    Home » Recipes » Recipe

    How to Make a Reuben Sandwich

    Published: Feb 5, 2018 · Modified: Jan 28, 2020 by Fox Valley Foodie · This post may contain affiliate links

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    How to Make a Reuben Sandwich - recipe- Like a Restaurant

    Learn how to make a Reuben Sandwich as good as your favorite restaurant's. This classic sandwich can easily be perfected in your own kitchen!

    This dangerously tangy sandwich has earned a cult following for good reason, there just aren't many sandwiches out there that can match its aggressive ingredient pairings. Really, it is a work of art. The Reuben Sandwich is a classic at any deli or diner, but few people tackle it in their own kitchen, which is a shame. With the right ingredients, that classic taste can easily be replicated and perfected at home. So let's dive into how to make a Reuben Sandwich!

    How to Make a Reuben Sandwich

    Reuben Sandwich Ingredients

    Using quality ingredients is the key to making a great Reuben at home. First and foremost, unless you are trying to reminisce about mom packing your lunch box, use real corned beef rather than deli meat.

    You will find there are two choices of corned beef: Point cut and flat cut. Point cut will be the cheapest and also the fattiest, however, flat cut corned beef is ideal for making Reubens as it has a more uniformed thickness and less fat. If you want to go another route, it is acceptable to make a Reuben sandwich with pastrami as well, however, corned beef is more traditional. 

    To replicate the classic Reuben flavor, you need the right Reuben Sandwich sauce. Simply whip up a batch of my Russian Dressing, or pick up a bottle Thousand Island dressing from the store. Slather either of these on hearty rye bread - light, dark, pumpernickel rye and marble rye all make great Reubens! 

    Homemade fermented sauerkraut

    Finally, use a high-quality sauerkraut from the refrigerated food section as it will add a nice sweet tang to each bite. Or better yet, do what I did, and make your own delectably tangy and vibrant homemade fermented sauerkraut!  It is one of my favorite recipes! You will never want to eat store-bought sauerkraut again!

    How to Make a Reuben Sandwich

    The secret to making a great Reuben Sandwich is heating all of the ingredients properly and grilling the buttered bread. I recommend using two skillets to make this sandwich. I like using a cast iron skillet to brown my buttered bread, then I use a separate skillet to heat the meat and kraut. Everything is then piled together and served. The reason I don't first assemble the sandwich and then grill it like a panini is because the bread will typically burn long before the interior of the sandwich sufficiently warms up.

    Reuben Sandwich Recipe

    Reuben Sandwich Origin

    The origins of the Reuben Sandwich are quite contested, as is often the case with popular dishes. Two of the more prominent stories involve gentlemen named Reuben, shockingly enough. One version is Reuben Kulakofsky made it for poker night at the Blackstone Hotel, eventually earning a spot on the regular menu.

    Another tale says it was invented at Reuben's Delicatessen in New York City, however, even within this claim, the stories can't agree.  Some claim the owner, Arnold Reuben, created the sandwich, while others credit the chef, Alfred Scheuing. The motivations for the sandwich's creation are equally as murky. As for me personally, I suspect it was invented by a man named Reuben James, and that was true reason Kenny Rogers loved him so much. (Yay for lame jokes no one will get!)

    How to Make a Reuben Sandwich

    How to Make a Reuben Sandwich

    Learn how to make a Reuben Sandwich as good as your favorite restaurant's. This classic sandwich can easily be perfected in your own kitchen!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 1 sandwich
    Calories: 939kcal
    Author: Fox Valley Foodie

    Ingredients

    • 2 slices Rye Bread
    • 8 oz Corned Beef (flat cut is best) thinly cut slices
    • ~½ cup Sauerkraut (drained)
    • 1 slice Swiss Cheese
    • 1 tablespoon Russian dressing (or substitute Thousand Island)
    • 1 tablespoon Butter (adjust to cover bread)
    • Sea Salt

    Instructions

    • Prepare corned beef in advance: Boil corned beef according to packaging ensuring it is tender enough to separate with a fork but not falling apart. Refrigerate to cool (overnight). This will allow you to slice it easier. Once cool trim off excess fat and cut out 8oz for sandwich.
    • Slice enough Swiss cheese to cover the bread and place the slices on one side of the bread.
    • Butter cast iron skillet on medium heat and place bread slices topped with cheese in the buttered pan when it is hot to touch. Toast exterior of the bread in butter until golden brown.
    • In another pan spread corned beef on the bottom of the pan and cook on both sides till heated through. Push beef off to the side and place sauerkraut in a lump in the pan and quickly heat through, flipping the lump once.
    • While sauerkraut is heating pile the meat on the non-cheese bread slice. After flipping the sauerkraut add it on top of the meat, cover with the cheesed bread, and add a generous helping of Thousand Island dressing to the sandwich. Lightly sprinkle the bread with sea salt.
    • Slice sandwich in half and serve.

    Notes

    Note: Adjust the ingredients to fit the size bread you have. Also, if you want a smaller sandwich you can use less meat and kraut.
    IF YOU LIKED THIS RECIPE you will love my Hot Reuben Dip!

    Nutritional Information

    Calories: 939kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 66g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 186mg | Sodium: 3575mg | Potassium: 779mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 650IU | Vitamin C: 61.2mg | Calcium: 284mg | Iron: 6mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it Today!Mention @FoxValleyFoodie or tag #foxvalleyfoodie!

    This Reuben Sandwich recipe was originally published on FoxValleyFoodie.com March 15, 2013.

    If you enjoyed reading How to Make a Reuben Sandwich recipe then you should probably like me on Facebook and follow me on Pinterest too. That’s what I would do at least, because if you don’t get to know me but you still use my recipe it is kind of like taking candy from a stranger, and your mom taught you not to do that. Don’t disobey your mom, subscribe to Fox Valley Foodie today.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Heidi

      February 28, 2022 at 8:04 am

      5 stars
      Made exactly and added a little monterey jack cheese soooo good!

      Reply
    2. Barbara

      November 09, 2020 at 10:47 pm

      in my family we NEVER used Thousand Island dressing. We always used Mayonnaise on both insiders of the bread. We never tried them in a pan either. Each sandwich was wrapped in aluminum foil and them was heated in the oven until heated through. I've never had any complaints. I've been told the is of the Mayonnaise is an Irish thing...I don't know. However, my mother was 100% Irish.

      Reply
    3. Rose m

      March 28, 2019 at 11:21 am

      Wow good to know thanks

      Reply
    4. Cindy

      March 12, 2018 at 12:31 pm

      5 stars
      This turned out amazing!

      Reply
    5. Kelly

      February 05, 2018 at 7:13 pm

      Have you tried Corning your own beef? My brother has and it is fabulous but I haven’t yet. I bought the pink salt. Just gotta find a brisket!

      I can’t wait to try the kraut! What a sandwich that would be with Home-corned beef and Home-fermented kraut!

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        February 06, 2018 at 7:41 am

        I was actually debating dabbling in that this week. I thought that might be a fun post!

        Reply
    6. Hank

      March 15, 2013 at 1:22 pm

      If you want to make Reubens all year round, wait until right after St. Patrick's Day and head to the grocery store. All of that corned beef will be on sale, and it freezes well.

      Reply
      • Jabria Tasby

        July 17, 2019 at 2:06 am

        Dose the Reuben have to be Pink

        Reply
        • Fox Valley Foodie

          July 17, 2019 at 8:08 am

          That is just the color of corned beef because it is cured.

          Reply
    5 from 2 votes

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