Reuben Special Recipe

Name: European Street Cafes Reuben Special Recipe
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 slices rye sandwich bread (sliced); 16 oz smoked pastrami (thinly sliced); 8 oz corned beef (thinly sliced); 8 slices Swiss cheese (sliced); 1 cup sauerkraut (well drained); 4 tbsp unsalted butter (softened); 1 cup mayonnaise; 3 tbsp ketchup; 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish; 1 tsp white vinegar; 1 tsp hot sauce (optional); 1 tsp onion (finely minced); 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 4 to taste pickles (dill spear or sliced)

Inspired by European Street Cafe

Time30m

Serves4

Smoked pastrami and corned beef, melted Swiss cheese with sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing. Served hot.

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Ingredients

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Sandwich

8 slices rye sandwich bread (sliced)

16 oz smoked pastrami (thinly sliced)

8 oz corned beef (thinly sliced)

8 slices Swiss cheese (sliced)

1 cup sauerkraut (well drained)

4 tbsp unsalted butter (softened)

Thousand Island Dressing

1 cup Mayonnaise

3 tbsp Ketchup

2 tbsp sweet pickle relish

1 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp hot sauce (optional)

1 tsp onion (finely minced)

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Optional (for serving)

4 to taste pickles (dill spear or sliced)

Method

Thousand Island Dressing

Make dressing

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, white vinegar, minced onion, and hot sauce (if using). Stir until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper, tasting and adjusting balance. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to let flavors meld.

Sandwich Assembly and Cooking

Prepare sauerkraut

Place sauerkraut in a fine-mesh sieve and press or squeeze to remove excess liquid. If very wet, gently pat dry with paper towels so the bread doesn't get soggy.

Butter bread

Spread softened butter evenly on one side of each slice of rye bread. The buttered sides will be the outside surfaces that contact the griddle or skillet.

Assemble sandwiches

Place four slices of bread butter-side down on a clean work surface. Evenly divide and layer the smoked pastrami and corned beef across the four slices (about 6 oz meat per sandwich total). Top the meat with about 2 tablespoons of drained sauerkraut per sandwich, then place two slices of Swiss cheese over the sauerkraut. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the prepared Thousand Island dressing on the unbuttered side of the remaining four bread slices, then place them dressing-side down on each sandwich to close.

Grill sandwiches

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat until hot. Place sandwiches in the skillet, butter-side down. Cook 3–5 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula or use a heavy pan to press, until bread is golden brown and cheese has melted. If bread browns before cheese melts, reduce heat to low, cover the skillet with a lid for 1–2 minutes to trap heat and finish melting.

Rest and slice

Remove sandwiches from skillet and let rest 1 minute. Cut each sandwich in half on the diagonal and serve immediately with optional pickles.