Corned Beef Reuben Sandwich
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Corned beef is made from brisket that is cured over multiple days in a salt and sugar mixture seasoned with pickling spices like peppercorns, cloves, coriander etc. I provide instructions to cure your own corned beef but you can easily buy pre-cured corned beef at the grocery stores. Pre-cured corned beef is more frequently available around St. Patrick’s Day.
In a classic Reuben sandwich the slices of tender corned beef are traditionally served on slices of rye bread, with sliced Swiss cheese, Russian dressing and sauerkraut. Keep the meat stored refrigerated in the cooking liquid until ready to use, for up to 3 days. This will help to keep any leftover meat moist until ready to serve.
Corned Beef Reuben Sandwich
Table of contents
History of the Reuben Sandwich
I’ve always been interested in the history of foods. I often wonder what made someone decide to mix a certain few ingredients together to the point that it caught on with others and became so widespread that it was recognized culturally.
While the Reuben sandwich itself doesn’t have Irish roots (it was thought to be created in Omaha, Nebraska mid-poker game) the meat inside it – corned beef, does. Well, it kind of does. The Irish-corned beef relationship is considered to be much more Irish-American than it is purely Irish.
Corned beef and cabbage has become synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day and all things green, shamrocks and leprechauns, but the deli favorite grew in popularity after people immigrated to New York City. According to the Smithsonian, in Ireland beef was not frequently used and was considered a symbol of wealth (and sacred in Gaelic religion). Thus it was not widely available to many (the historian in me feels the need to include the fact that the British introduced beef and potatoes into the Irish diet).
Irish immigrants to America began making corned beef to celebrate their heritage by splurging on the luxury of beef on St. Patrick’s Day, with a helping hand from Jewish kosher butchers that settled in neighborhoods close to the Irish.
Corned Beef vs. Pastrami
If you were ever contemplating the difference between corned beef and pastrami – pastrami is smoked and corned beef is not. Pastrami is also usually coated with a mix of spices and dry brined. Corned beef is cured in a brine. The unmistakable pink color of the corned beef comes from the sodium nitrite added during the curing process. It’s perfectly safe (nitrite naturally occurs in many foods). It helps to extend the shelf life of the meat and to keep it fresh. It’s rinsed off the meat before it’s cooked.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Brisket – Brisket comes from the lower chest of the cow. Since it is a weight bearing area of the cow the connective tissue is tough which makes it a great cut for slow cooking or smoking. In this recipe it is cured over multiple days for added flavor and to keep it moist as it cooks. You can use my instructions to cure and cook your own corned beef or you can buy it pre-cured at the grocery store.
- Spices – The corned beef is cured in a brine with salt and spices. I use a combination of bay leaves, cloves, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns and allspice. I recommend using whole spices for this recipe.
- Sauerkraut – Sauerkraut is made from finely chopped cabbage that is fermented with lactic acid bacteria. It is full of probiotics and has a distinct sour flavor that balances the salt from the meat. Many prefer to warm the sauerkraut before assembling the sandwich.
- Swiss cheese – I prefer deli-sliced cheese to hand sliced cheese in this recipe so the cheese evenly melts in the sandwich.
- Rye bread – Rye is a denser bread, with a longer fermentation period before baking. It’s great for serving sandwiches. It comes in three types: lighter color, darker or a marble rye – any of them work great for this sandwich! Toasting the bread helps to keep it from getting soggy from the dressing and the juices from the corned beef.
Step-by-Step Instructions for a Perfect Reuben
- Make the brine. To brine the brisket bring a large pot of water over medium heat and stir in both salts, sugar, garlic, bay leaves, cloves, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, and allspice, stirring until the mixture is warm and the salt and sugar is dissolved.
- Add the meat to the brine. Let the brine come to room temperature then add to a container large enough to fit the brine and the brisket. Add the brisket and weight the meat down with something heavy like a plate. Cover and refrigerate for 5 days, turning once a day.
- Rinse the brisket. When ready to cook the brisket, remove it from the brine and rinse it completely.
- Cook the brisket. Heat oven to 325ºF (160ºC). Place brisket in a baking dish large enough to hold the brisket. Arrange onion around the side and pour the beer over the top. Add just enough water until the brisket is covered. Tightly cover with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Let cook until the tender enough that a fork can easily be inserted into the meat, about 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
- Slice the brisket. Let cool then remove to a cutting board and thinly slice.
- Make the Russian dressing. Add all ingredients to a small mixing bowl and stir until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Can be made up to a week in advance.
- Build the sandwiches. Heat oven to broil. Add the slices of bread to a baking sheet. Broil until the slices of bread are toasted on both sides, flipping halfway through, about 1 minute. Remove the bottom slices to the side and add 1 to 2 slices of Swiss cheese to the other two slices of bread. Broil until melted, about an additional minute.
- Assemble the sandwiches and serve. Spread 2 tablespoons (30g) of the Russian dressing over each of the bottom slices of bread followed by slices of corned beef and ¼ cup (40g) of sauerkraut. Close the sandwiches and slice in half. Serve immediately with a side of pickles.
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
Alternate assembly
If you prefer your sauerkraut warmed then rather than simply melting the Swiss onto the toasted bread I recommend heating your oven to broil. Toast the bread then pile the corned beef onto the baking sheet in the shape of the bread. Top with the sauerkraut and Swiss cheese. Broil until the cheese has melted then spread the dressing on the top half of the bread then close the sandwich, cut and serve.
You can also toast the bread in a skillet with a bit of butter and assemble the sandwich similar to a grilled cheese, cooking over medium low heat until the Swiss melts onto the bread.
Swaps and substitutions
- The sauerkraut can be swapped for coleslaw for a variation on this sandwich. This is typically referred to as “the Rachel”.
- This sandwich preparation can also be made with store-bought deli-sliced pastrami or corned beef.
- While I provide instructions for brining the corned beef you can also use pre-brined corned beef sold around St. Patrick’s Day. Simply skip the brining process and cook according to the directions below. If it comes with a spice packet I recommend adding that as well.
What to Serve with a Reuben Sandwich
- Chips
- Coleslaw
- Pickles
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this classic Reuben sandwich recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:
Corned Beef Reuben Sandwich
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Ingredients:
For the corned beef brisket:
- 1½ cups kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon pink curing salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 whole cloves
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons mixed peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon whole allspice
- 1 (3½-pound) beef brisket, fat trimmed
- 1 large yellow onion, quartered
- 2 (12-ounce) bottles lager beer
For the Russian dressing:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons diced cornichons
- 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For assembly:
- 8 Slices rye, dark rye or marble rye bread
- 8 slices deli-sliced Swiss cheese
- 1 cup sauerkraut, drained
Instructions:
For the corned beef brisket:
- To brine the brisket bring a large pot of water over medium heat and stir in both salts, sugar, garlic, bay leaves, cloves, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, and allspice, stirring until the mixture is warm and the salt and sugar is completely dissolved.
- Let the brine come to room temperature then add to a container large enough to fit the brine and the brisket. Add the brisket and weight the meat down with something heavy like a plate. Cover and refrigerate for 5 days, turning once a day.
- When ready to cook the brisket, remove it from the brine and rinse it completely.
- Heat oven to 325ºF (16s0ºC). Place brisket in a baking dish large enough to hold the brisket. Arrange onion around the side and pour the beer over the top. Add just enough water until the brisket is covered.
- Tightly cover with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Let cook until the tender enough that a fork can easily be inserted into the meat, about 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
- Let cool then remove to a cutting board and thinly slice. Keep the meat in the cooking liquid until ready to use, for up to 3 days.
For the Russian dressing:
- Add all ingredients to a small mixing bowl and stir until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Can be made up to a week in advance.
For assembly:
- Heat oven to broil. Add the slices of bread to a baking sheet. Broil until the slices of bread are toasted on both sides, flipping halfway through, about 1 minute. Remove the bottom slices to the side and add 1 to 2 slices of Swiss cheese to the other two slices of bread. Broil until melted, about an additional minute.
- Spread 2 tablespoons (30g) of the Russian dressing over each of the bottom slices of bread followed by slices of corned beef and ¼ cup (40g) of sauerkraut. Close the sandwiches and slice in half. Serve immediately with a side of pickles.
Nutrition:
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Can the beer be subtitue?
Yes! I would recommend substituting the beer with about 4 cups of beef broth. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hey there, couldn’t help but notice you list your curing salt as ‘sodium nitrate’; it’s ‘sodium nitrite’. NaNO3 vs. NaNO2.
Chemistry aside, one’s an explosive toxic poison….one cures your meats:)
The meat curing Prague Powder No. 1 we use for pastrami is the Nitrite, and is actually still quite toxic if used in excess of very limited amounts; that’s why it’s commonly coloured pink, so you don’t mistake it for table salt.
This Reuben sandwich recipe looks amazing! I love how you described the perfect balance of flavors with the tangy sauerkraut and creamy dressing. Can’t wait to try it out and impress my friends at our next get-together!
This Reuben looks absolutely delicious! I love how you shared the step-by-step process; it makes it seem so approachable. Can’t wait to try making this at home—perfect for my next game day gathering!
This Corned Beef Reuben Sandwich looks absolutely mouthwatering! I love how you combined classic flavors with that zesty dressing. I can’t wait to try making this at home! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
This Corned Beef Reuben Sandwich looks incredible! I love how you detailed each step of the cooking process. The combination of flavors with the sauerkraut and dressing sounds perfect. I can’t wait to try this recipe at home!