Arnold Reuben made her a late night sandwich. She claimed it was so good, she wanted him to name it after her, but… the rest is history. The one fact that is undisputed is that the "Reuben" is an American tradition, and what a tradition.
If you haven't had a bit of a Reuben sandwich, make it today. It starts with the bread.
At one time, sandwich bread in America consisted primarily of soft, white bread, served plain or toasted, according to the "The Fannie Farmer Cookbook." Today's sandwich makers have many choices. Breads might be made with flour from barley, buckwheat, corn, gluten, millet, oat, rice, rye, whole-wheat, soy or triticale. Source
Rye Bread, a classic sandwich bread, specific sandwich recipes call for rye bread, such as the traditional Patty Melt, which is a cheeseburger served with grilled onions or the Rueben, a hot pastrami sandwich with melted cheese and sauerkraut.
Corned beef is a salt-cured beef product. The term comes from the treatment of the meat with large grained rock salt, also called "corns" of salt.
Pastrami is a popular Jewish delicatessen meat usually made from beef. The meat is brined, partially dried, seasoned with various herbs and spices, then smoked and steamed. Like corned beef, pastrami was originally created as a way to preserve meat before modern refrigeration.
This is an original Reuben made with corned beef, but many sandwich lovers today also make this sensational sandwich with pastrami. It's essential to get the Russian dressing just right. Here is the recipe from Zingerman’s Delicatesse.
Zingerman's Reuben Sandwich
Serves 6
1 loaf unseeded and unsliced Jewish Rye bread
2 pounds corned beef, sliced
12 ounces Russian dressing
12 ounces sauerkraut
12 slices Swiss cheese
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Russian Dressing:
3/4 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup plus 2 to 3 tablespoons chili sauce
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons chopped curly parsley leaves
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced Spanish onion
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced dill pickle
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated horseradish
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Sprinkle the corned beef with a little water, wrap it tightly in aluminum foil and steam it in the oven.
Meanwhile, put the whole loaf of rye bread (unwrapped) into the oven. Bake the bread until the crust is very crunchy, about 15 minutes. Set the bread on the counter and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
When the rye bread is cool enough to handle place it on a cutting board. Hold the bread knife at a 45-degree angle and cut 12 slices.
Take the corned beef out of the oven and unwrap it. Spread each slice of bread with Russian dressing. Layer half of the slices with corned beef, sauerkraut and slices of Swiss cheese, then top the sandwiches with the remaining slices of bread (dressing-side down).
Heat 2 large heavy skillets over medium heat. Brush the bread with butter. Put the sandwiches in the pans and weight them with a lid or heat proof bowl topped with something heavy. Cook until the first sides are crisp and golden about 7 minutes then flip the sandwiches. Cook until the second sides are also well toasted and the cheese is melted. Lift the sandwiches onto a cutting board. Cut each in half diagonally and serve.
Cook's Note: Buy high quality corned beef for this recipe. Avoid corned beef that is very lean.
Russian Dressing:
Combine the mayonnaise, chili sauce, sour cream, parsley, onion, pickle, lemon juice, horseradish and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl and mix well. Yield: 2 cups
Nutritional Facts
1 serving (1 each) equals 547 calories, 31 g fat (13 g saturated fat), 106 mg cholesterol, 2,346 mg sodium, 39 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 28 g protein.
* Source: Food Network, Zingerman's Deli
Zingerman's opened in March of 1982 by Paul Saginaw and Ari Weinzweig in an historic building near the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market. The Deli got its start with a small selection of great-tasting specialty foods, a host of traditional Jewish dishes and a relatively short sandwich menu.
Today, Zingerman’s Delicatessen is an Ann Arbor institution, the source of great food and great experiences for thousands of visitors every year. The Deli serves up thousands of made-to-order sandwiches with ingredients like premium Black Angus corned beef and pastrami, free-range chicken and turkey, housemade chopped liver and chicken salad. The Deli also stocks an exceptional array of farmhouse cheeses, estate-bottled olive oils, varietal vinegars, smoked fish, salami, coffee, tea and much, much more.