Classic Reuben Sandwich

I just love a Reuben sandwich.

Deli sandwiches always hit the spot, but there is something special about a classic Reuben sandwich.

The mixture of ingredients in a Reuben work really well together and bring out the best of each ingredient. So what’s in a Reuben?

What Is A Reuben Sandwich?

A corned beef Reuben is a classic deli sandwich.

Although some may argue, a true Reuben is always made with corned beef, not pastrami.

It is a grilled sandwich stacked with thinly sliced corned beef (or thick sliced corned beef if that’s how you prefer it).

I recommend using the best corned beef you can find and afford. Ideally not the corned beef sliced and placed in those individual size plastic bags.

If you have a deli close by, you probably have access to amazing freshly made corned beef. If not, get the best corned beef you can find in your grocery deli counter.

This sandwich centers around the meat, so you’ll appreciate the effort you make to get a good quality corned beef.

In the recipe below I have suggested you use about 6 ounces of corned beef for each sandwich. You can make them smaller or go big like a real deli. So anywhere from 4 ounces to 8 ounces of great corned beef will work.

You can use either cold corned beef for this sandwich or heat it and serve it warm like your favorite deli. I love it warmed a bit.

To warm the meat, take it out of the fridge well ahead to give it time to come to room temperature. I would wrap the meat in some aluminum foil and place it in a warm oven (about 300ºF) for about 5 minutes to warm it. It doesn’t have to be hot.

Now the next layer.

On top of the corned beef is sauerkraut. If you are a true connoisseur you can certainly make your own sauerkraut. I don’t. I use jarred sauerkraut, as it tastes great and eliminates all the time and work it takes to make it yourself. Also, if you decide you want a Reuben sandwich you can have one on the table in minutes, not hours.

Make sure you drain the sauerkraut well because you don’t want your sandwich watered down with sauerkraut juice.

Put a good amount of sauerkraut on top of the corned beef. I think a good portion is a bit less in volume than you have of the corned beef. If you use too much it seems more like a sauerkraut sandwich than a corned beef sandwich.

Next comes the cheese. A slice or two of Swiss cheese is traditional on a Reuben sandwich, but you can also use slices of Jarlsburg or Gruyere. This sandwich probably isn’t the place for cheddar cheese, but if you really love it, go for it.

The Reuben sandwich sauce is the final topping in this delicious sandwich.

Reuben Sandwich Sauce – Russian Dressing

The Reuben sandwich sauce is one of the keys to a fantastic classic Reuben sandwich.

Russian dressing is the classic sauce used to top a Reuben sandwich.

Again the sauce can be as easy or as complicated as you want to make it.

As I said, the classic sauce to top a Reuben sandwich is Russian salad dressing. A great alternative to Russian dressing for your Reubens is Thousand Island salad dressing, that sweet tart dressing we probably all loved as a child.

Either one works.

Let’s look at the Russian dressing, because it is the classic dressing for a Reuben.

How To Make Russian Dressing

Russian dressing is very easy to make with items you probably have on hand.

It is simply a mix of mayonnaise, ketchup, relish or chopped pickles and some horseradish. The full recipe is below.

If you don’t like the horseradish or don’t have it on hand, feel free to replace it with a dash or two of hot sauce.

OR use Thousand Island salad dressing, homemade or bottled.

The only difference between them really is that the Russian dressing has the addition of horseradish. Thousand Island dressing doesn’t, so it a bit sweeter.

Choose whichever dressing suits you. Your sandwich will be delicious with either of your Reuben sandwich sauce choices.

Layer the meat, cheese, sauerkraut and sauce between two slices of grilled rye bread and get ready for a real taste treat – a classic deli Reuben sandwich.

We think of a Reuben as a classic deli item and it is, but it is not kosher, as it combines meat and cheese, a kosher no no.

Of course we can always be as detailed or relaxed using this recipe as we can with a lot of cooking. Either make every ingredient you can from scratch or use the convenience of some store bought items to make life easier.

Take the corned beef for example. I will usually use a good quality store bought corned beef, but every once in a while I like to make my own. When I’m in the mood to take my time and make corned beef from scratch I use the recipe below on the site. It makes a really tasty corned beef:

Look here to make your own corned beef. (The full recipe is for corned beef and cabbage but you don’t need to add the cabbage if you don’t want to.)

If you like this Reuben sandwich, try another deli classic, a great tuna sandwich.

Browse all of our sandwich recipes here.

Don’t forget to Sign up here for site updates and never miss a great recipe. (It’s free.)

If you like this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you share it on social media and add a comment below. Thanks.