Big Fat Snarf Recipe

Sandwich

1. 1

   Prepare bread

   Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of room-temperature butter on one side of each slice of rye bread. Place buttered sides down and toast in a skillet over medium heat, 1–2 minutes per side, until edges are golden and surface is lightly crisp. Remove and keep warm.

2. 2

   Spread condiments

   Turn toasted bread slices butter-side down. On four slices, spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise evenly. On the remaining four slices, spread 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard each (if using yellow mustard for extra tang, spread 1/2 teaspoon in addition to the Dijon).

3. 3

   Assemble meat

   Decide meat configuration: double corned beef (use 16 oz corned beef), double pastrami (use 16 oz pastrami), or half-and-half (8 oz corned beef + 8 oz pastrami). For this recipe we are assembling double portions of both: pile 8 oz corned beef and 8 oz pastrami on two of the mayo-spread slices (or split the meats between sandwiches as desired). Arrange meat in an even layer, slightly overlapping slices so the pile is uniform. If you prefer warmed meat, proceed to the optional warming step below before adding cheese.

4. 4

   Optional — Warm/steam the meat

   To gently warm and make the meat more tender, heat a skillet over medium-low. Pour 120 ml beef broth or au jus into the skillet and place the piled meat on a heatproof plate or small pan that fits in the skillet; cover tightly with a lid so steam warms the meat for 2–3 minutes. Alternatively, place the meat directly in the skillet for 1 minute per side just until warmed but not crisped. Drain any excess liquid before adding to sandwich.

5. 5

   Add cheese and finish assembly

   Place two slices of Swiss cheese over the warm meat so the residual heat starts to soften the cheese. Top the cheese with 1–2 leaves of lettuce and 4 dill pickle slices per sandwich, distributing evenly. Sprinkle about 1/4 teaspoon coarse black pepper over the vegetables. Place the mustard-coated bread slices on top, mustard side down, to form each sandwich.

6. 6

   Press and melt (optional)

   If you prefer the cheese fully melted and the sandwich compacted, preheat a skillet or panini press over medium heat. Lightly butter the outside of the sandwich bread if desired. Place the sandwich in the skillet or press and weight it with a heavy pan or close the press. Cook 2–3 minutes per side (or 3–5 minutes in a press) until cheese melts and exterior is golden and crisp. If using a skillet without a press, cover the sandwich with a lid for 1–2 minutes to help cheese melt, then flip and cook until both sides are golden.

7. 7

   Slice and serve

   Remove sandwiches from heat and transfer to a cutting board. Let rest 1 minute, then cut each sandwich in half at a slight diagonal. Serve immediately with extra pickles on the side.