Reuben sandwich with corned beef leftovers? Why didn’t I think of that? It’s the day after St. Patrick’s Day and you have a plate of leftover corned beef. Sure, you could just have that tonight with leftover potatoes and cabbage or…..you could up your game by making the classic Reuben sandwich.
If you’re an info nerd like me and need to know the little things, then you may wonder why it’s called a Reuben. Well, depending upon your source, the tangy, cheesy delicacy was invented in the early 20th century in either New York City at Reuben’s Delicatessen or, strangely enough, at an Omaha, Nebraska hotel during a card game for a customer named Reuben Kulakofsky. Good enough for me!
In my opinion, this is the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich. I know, it takes a little more effort than the traditional treat. Trust me, the effort to get it right is so worth it.
Try the ultimate Reuben with corned beef leftovers
For best results (and least complaints from your kitchen peanut gallery), heat the corned beef and the sauerkraut before assembling the sandwich. This aids in speeding cooking time and flavor blending.
To cook this, the frying pan is really the only way to fly here. The magic happens in the pan as the cheese melts and blends with the creamy thousand island dressing and the tart sauerkraut. The result is a thick and hearty, tangy and melty pile of yummy goodness. (okay, is anyone else’s mouth watering?)
Pro tip: Use mayonnaise instead of butter
Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise instead of butter across the outside of the sandwich. The bread toasts to a golden brown and has a super crunch. (For those who may not like mayo, I promise it does not taste of mayo, so give it a try.)
Pair this with a pickle and coleslaw and maybe even a pint of Guinness or your favorite stout for a hearty dinner. Be warned: this is not health food, people! It’s a gut bomb plain and simple – you may not be hungry again for days after you eat this and will certainly be in a Reuben coma afterward. Also, you’re almost certain to make a mess when eating it. But it’s a mess of the best kind, really.
Have a great meal!
Tracy from Real Not Perfect
Reuben Sandwich
Equipment
- 1 non-stick pan with cover
- 1 spatula
Ingredients
- 1/4 lb corned beef
- 3 tbsp sauerkraut drained well
- 2 slices swiss cheese
- 4 tbsp thousand island dressing
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise to lightly coat the outside of the bread
- 2 slices rye bread
Thousand Island Dressing
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp creamy horseradish
- 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients for the Thousand Island dressing well. Set aside.
- In a skillet, over medium heat, add the corned beef and heat up the meat until warmed through. Set aside. Heat up the sauerkraut until warm and set aside. Wipe out the pan so you can use it to cook your reuben.
- Lay down both pieces of bread and layer the ingredients as follows: swiss cheese on both slices of bread. I like to trim the cheese so there's not much sticking out of the bread so it doesn't melt all over the pan.
- Spread a generous amount of thousand island dressing on both slices of bread on top of the swiss cheese.
- On one side, add the corned beef then top with sauerkraut.
- Top the corned beef and sauerkraut side with the other slice of bread with cheese and dressing.
- Over medium heat, warm up your pan and spray with cooking spray.
- Thinly coat the outside of the sandwich bread that is facing up with mayonnaise…not thick, just lightly coat.
- Place the sandwich with the mayonnaise side down in the pan and cook until golden brown 2-3 mins. As it's cooking, carefully, thinly coat the bread that is side up in the pan with mayonnaise.
- Flip the sandwich and cover the pan, lowering the heat to medium-low. Cook until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown, about 2 minutes.
- Serve hot.
