Righteous Reuben™ Recipe

Prep pastrami and onion

Chop the pastrami into roughly 1/4–1/2-inch pieces so it heats evenly and creates a good texture in the sandwich. Thinly slice the onion.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. Once melted and foaming, add the sliced onion and sauté until translucent and starting to brown, about 4–5 minutes.

Add the chopped pastrami to the skillet with the onions. Pour in 1/2 cup Italian dressing and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pastrami is heated through, the dressing has reduced slightly and glazed the meat, and edges are lightly browned, about 6–8 minutes. Season with 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.

Drain the sauerkraut well by pressing it in a fine-mesh sieve or squeezing in a towel. If you prefer a milder flavor, rinse briefly and drain again; then squeeze dry.

Warm the drained sauerkraut in a small saucepan over low heat for 2–3 minutes to take the chill off (optional). Remove from heat and set aside.

If making a homemade thousand island: mix 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp sweet pickle relish, 1 tsp lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Otherwise, have 3/4 cup store-bought thousand island ready.

Preheat the oven broiler or set oven to 425°F (220°C) for toasting the bread.

If your loaf is not already garlic-cheese flavored, combine 2 tablespoons softened butter with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan (optional) and spread on both sides of each thick slice of loaf. For extra garlic flavor, stir in 1/2 tsp garlic powder to the butter. If using a pre-made garlic cheese loaf, simply slice it into 8 sandwich-style pieces and spread a thin layer of softened butter on the cut faces.

Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler or in the oven until edges are golden and the cheese-butter mixture is bubbling, about 2–4 minutes—watch closely to avoid burning.

Remove toasted bread and place 1 slice of Swiss cheese on four of the toasted bread slices (these will be the bottom halves).

Spread about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons thousand island dressing on each of the bottom bread slices over the Swiss cheese (divide 3/4 cup among four sandwiches). Spread 1/2 teaspoon mustard on the top bread slices for a touch of acidity (divide 2 tsp among four tops).

Divide the warm pastrami-onion mixture evenly among the four sandwiches, piling it onto the cheese-topped bottom slices (approximately 6 ounces pastrami mixture per sandwich).

Top the pastrami with about 1/4 cup drained sauerkraut per sandwich, pressing lightly so it melds with the hot meat and cheese.

Place an additional slice of Swiss cheese on top of the sauerkraut if you prefer extra cheese (optional). Close the sandwiches with the top toasted bread slices.

If you want melty cheese throughout, return assembled sandwiches to the oven (on baking sheet) at 350°F (175°C) for 4–6 minutes, or place them in a skillet over medium-low heat and press gently with a spatula until cheese melts, about 3–4 minutes per side, flipping once.

Slice each sandwich in half. Garnish with 2 pickle slices per sandwich and a sprinkle of chopped parsley if using. Serve immediately.