Reuben Recipe
Corned beef, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut, on rye bread.
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Ingredients
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Sandwich
Thousand Island-style Dressing
Butter for Grilling
Optional (for serving)
Method
Thousand Island-style Dressing
Make dressing
In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp ketchup, 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp hot sauce (optional), 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning; set aside in refrigerator while you assemble sandwiches.
Prepare sauerkraut and meat
Place sauerkraut in a fine mesh strainer and press to remove excess liquid. If very wet, squeeze gently with paper towels until mostly drained (about 1–2 minutes). This prevents soggy bread.
If corned beef slices are thick or cold, warm them briefly: heat a skillet over medium and warm the corned beef 1–2 minutes per side until just heated through. Alternatively, place slices in a covered microwave-safe dish and heat 30–45 seconds. Keep warm.
Assemble sandwiches
Lay out 8 slices of rye bread (for 4 sandwiches). Spread about 1 tbsp of the prepared dressing evenly on one side of each bread slice that will contact the filling (use roughly 1 tbsp per slice; you will use 8 tbsp total).
On 4 of the dressed slices, place 2 slices of Swiss cheese on top of the dressing (this creates a barrier to keep bread from getting soggy).
Divide the warmed corned beef evenly among the 4 sandwiches (about 4 oz per sandwich). Pile it over the cheese.
Top the corned beef with about 1/4 cup drained sauerkraut per sandwich, distributing evenly. If desired, press sauerkraut lightly to compact.
Top the sauerkraut with another slice of Swiss cheese (one slice each), then place the remaining 4 slices of dressing-spread rye bread on top, dressing side down to make 4 sandwiches.
Grill sandwiches
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low to medium heat. Place sandwiches in the skillet (work in batches if necessary) and cook 3–4 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula or a heavy pan until the bread is golden brown and the cheese has melted. If the bread browns too quickly before the cheese melts, reduce heat, cover the pan with a lid for 1–2 minutes, then continue cooking until done.
Once both sides are golden and cheese melted, transfer sandwiches to a cutting board. Let rest 1 minute, then cut each sandwich in half on the diagonal.
Serve
Serve hot with optional pickle spears and potato chips on the side. Leftover dressing can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.