How to Make a Reuben Sandwich
Serves: 8
Preparation time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 3 hours 15 mins
Ingredients needed to make a Reuben Sandwich:
For the pickling spice:
- 2 small cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
- 2 tbsp whole cloves
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 2 tbsp black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp allspice berries
- 2 tbsp mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp ground mace
- 2-4 bay leaves, crumbled
- 2 tbsp hot red pepper flakes
For the brine:
- One 5 lb beef brisket
- 4 tbsp pickling spice (recipe above)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 ½ cups kosher salt
- 4 tsp pink salt
For the beef:
- 1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
- 1 onion, peeled and halved
- 1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
For the Russian dressing:
- 1 ½ cups non-fat Greek yogurt
- ½ tsp horseradish
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 4 drops Tabasco sauce
- ½ tsp ground dry mustard
- 1 tbsp heavy cream
- 2 tbsp grated onion
For the sandwich:
- 16 Light rye bread slices
- Corned beef
- 16 Swiss cheese slices
- Sauerkraut
Cooking instructions for a Reuben Sandwich:
- To make the spice mixture, toast the peppercorns, coriander and mustard seeds in a small saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until they start popping slightly and become fragrant.
- Transfer the contents in a mortar and pound them with a pestle to crush them.
- Throw in rest of the spices and toss well until thoroughly blended; set aside in an airtight container.
- For the brine, fill a large pot with a gallon of water and stir in the kosher and pink salt, sugar, 2 tbsp prepared pickling spice and garlic until well combined.
- Heat the mixture until it begins to simmer and cook, while stirring often, until the salt and sugar dissolves.
- Turn off the heat and set aside until cooled completely; chill it in the fridge.
- Dip the brisket into the brine and push it to that it is submerged within the liquid; leave it in the fridge for 5 days.
- Take it out of the brine and wash properly.
- Transfer it to a large pot and fill it up with water.
- Stir in rest of the pickling spice and throw in the veggies.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over high flame and then reduce it to a simmer over low heat.
- Simmer gently, covered, for about 3 hours or until the brisket softens considerably; keep warm.
- To make the dressing, whisk the yogurt and cream together, along with rest of the ingredients and leave it in the fridge for a couple of hours to chill and let the ingredients infuse their flavors into the dressing.
- To make the sandwich, carve out, semi-thick slices from the brisket and set aside.
- Spread the Russian dressing across one rye bread slice and place one Swiss cheese slice on top, followed by the brisket slice.
- Spread a spoonful of sauerkraut across the meat and top it up with another slice of Swiss cheese.
- Place the 2nd rye bread slice on top and make rest of the sandwich in a similar fashion.
- Grill them briefly until the cheese melts and serve right away.
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
