Lars’s Reuben

A Little Personal History:

Ever since I had my first Reuben at a NYC deli years ago, I’ve been hooked. As a matter of fact, when trying out a new restaurant for lunch, if they offer a Reuben, I’ll always order it as a barometer for other dishes on the menu. The secret of a great Reuben is the quality and leanness of the corned beef. If they can’t make a good Reuben, they’ve lost me as a future customer.

Description:

The Reuben or Reuben sandwich is a grilled or toasted sandwich made with corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Russian or Thousand Island dressing. It is typically made with rye or pumpernickel bread.

Wikipedia Article Summary: The origins of the Reuben are contested. One account holds that Reuben Kulakofsky (sometimes spelled Reubin), a grocer from Omaha, Nebraska, was the inventor, perhaps as part of a group effort by members of Kulakofsky’s weekly poker game held in the Blackstone Hotel from ca. 1920-1935. The participants, who nicknamed themselves “the committee,” included the hotel’s owner, Charles Schimmel. The sandwich first gained local fame when Schimmel put it on the Blackstone’s lunch menu.

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups sauerkraut, well drained
• ¼ cup red onion, diced fine
• chopped parsley
• ¼ cup Lars’s Thousand Island dressing

• 2 Tbs. butter, softened or Pam oil spray
• 8 slices rye or pumpernickel bread
• 8 slices Swiss cheese
• 2 cups (16 ounces) thinly sliced cooked corned beef or deli corned beef – buy the leanest, highest quality available.

Procedure:

1. Combine the sauerkraut, onion, parsley and dressing. Mix thoroughly. Set aside.
2. Lightly spread butter or oil spray on one side of each bread slice.
3. Build each Reuben, in the following order: 1 bread slice (butter side down) 1 slice cheese, ¼ of the sauerkraut/dressing mixture and ½ cup corned beef, 1 slice of cheese, 1 bread slice (butter side up). Place on plate or container and set aside.
4. Heat large skillet over medium heat until hot.
5. Place 2 sandwiches in skillet.
6. Cook sandwiches 2-3 minutes on each side (4-6 minutes total) or until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted.
7. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.
8. Serve with additional Thousand Island dressing, if desired.

Advanced Preparation:

• Steps 1-3 can be done in advance and refrigerated till ready to grill.

Tips, Notes, and Variations:

• The Reuben has a “sister” sandwich, the Rachel, which is made with pastrami or turkey in place of corned beef (and sometimes coleslaw in place of sauerkraut).
• A Georgia Reuben is a Rachel made with corned beef and coleslaw instead of sauerkraut. This variation is one of my personal favorites.