Classic Reuben Sandwich Recipe
This 25-minute classic Reuben sandwich recipe is loaded with sliced corned beef, Thousand Island dressing, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese on dark rye bread. I love this sandwich because you can easily customize it to your liking, and with my step-by-step directions, you'll have no trouble making it at home for a delicious lunch.
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/3 pound thinly sliced corned beef, or the desired amount of your liking
- 8 thick slices of rye bread
- 8 slices of swiss cheese
- 2 cups of sauerkraut
- 1 cup of thousand island dressing or Russian dressing
Instructions
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter to a cast iron pan, flat top, or griddle over medium to medium-high heat, and heat up a 1/3 pound of corned beef. This will take about 4-6 minutes in total, so be sure to move the meat around every minute or so. See chef notes.
- Next, melt 1 tablespoon of butter until melted and place on 2 slices of bread to toast, which takes about 2 minutes.
- Remove the bread, add 1 more tablespoon of butter and heat until melted before flipping the bread over toasted side up.
- Immediately spread a ¼ cup of the dressing between both slices of bread.
- Next, layer on as followed, corned beef, 2 slices of swiss cheese, about a ½ cup of sauerkraut.
- Place the other toasted piece of bread with dressing on it to the top of the sandwich dressing side down and press down with a spatula.
- Cook the sandwich for 1 to 2 minutes per side once it is assembled, and then slice and serve.
- Repeat the process 3 more times for a total of 4 sandwiches. You can cook this all together at once as well.
Notes
At this point I consider myself a pro cooking this Reuben sandwich, so I have to advise you not to skimp on any of the four pieces that make it work. Slice the corned beef thin enough that every mouthful catches three or four layers of meat instead of one thick slab. Use a good sauerkraut with a real crunch. Toast both sides of the bread in butter, inside and outside, before the sandwich ever gets pressed. It IS the way! And make sure the swiss cheese is fully melted from top to bottom.
Drain the sauerkraut hard before it goes on the sandwich: Grab a handful, squeeze the kraut over the sink until the liquid stops coming out, then pile it on. Wet kraut is what makes the bread go soggy in the second mouthful.
Cover the pan for the last minute if the cheese is not fully melted: The lid traps the steam over the top of the sandwich and takes the swiss the rest of the way. A sandwich that comes off the pan with unmelted cheese in the middle is the most common way this dish goes flat. Cover it. Do it.
Russian dressing takes this from good to great: The hint of horseradish in a good Russian is the seasoning that ties the whole sandwich together. Try it once. I'm 99.9% sure you will like it more than the Thousand Island version.
Make-Ahead: A Reuben sandwich is meant to be eaten as soon as it is done being made. However, you can keep warm for up to 15 minutes in an oven at a low temperature (200°) before serving.
How to Store: It is best if you can keep all ingredients i.e., corned beef, bread, dressing, cheese, and sauerkraut, covered and separated in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to Freeze: I skip the freezer for the assembled sandwich. The bread and the kraut both come out sad on the other side. Cooked corned beef freezes well on its own, sliced or in a whole piece, wrapped tightly for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before it goes back on the griddle.
How to Reheat: When the ingredients are kept separate, simply assemble the sandwich according to the recipe instructions. If the sandwich is already made place on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven at 350° for 5-7 minutes or until hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 980kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 33gFat: 88gSaturated Fat: 38gPolyunsaturated Fat: 14gMonounsaturated Fat: 27gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 219mgSodium: 2931mgPotassium: 676mgFiber: 3gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 1477IUVitamin C: 51mgCalcium: 323mgIron: 4mg