There are certain foods that I would walk barefoot across the Sahara for. Barbecue almost anything (except lima beans … don’t like lima beans) and I’m drooling. Anything with bacon gets my interest. And a good Reuben sandwich is up there in the top five.
Notice anything in common? Yep, they are all firmly on the healthy foods no-no list as well, so when I have them it better be good because I consider it a special treat.
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| Extreme example of Bigger is Better |
My recipe for how I make them at home follows. But first, here’s an article I wrote a couple of years ago comparing Reuben’s from three different places and what I liked (and didn’t like) about each of them.
THE BATTLE OF THE REUBENS:
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| Chompie's Deli's version of a Reuben (they don't include the sides) |
This was at a local place that touts itself as an authentic deli. They have several locations around town, are a big noisy place with a bakery and deli and are very popular. The day I was there it was lunchtime but after peak chow time. The waitress was frazzled and looked like she wanted nothing more than to go home. The table was bare … no traditional pickle jug, no mustard or horseradish or any other condiments other than salt and pepper. When she brought my lunch it was the sandwich, absolutely nothing else. I asked about sides and she said they’re all extra and I didn’t get any because I didn’t ask for any. The sandwich all by itself was $13.99. It was served on thin ordinary supermarket rye bread, barely toasted. The meat was very dry with very little sauerkraut and barely any Russian dressing. An embarrassment to Reuben’s. The photo is from their website so the sides you see didn’t actually come with my meal. I wonder if they supply the magnifying glass to find the tiny container of coleslaw?
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| D.Z. Akins Reuben |
Price: $9.95 (daily lunch special) - usually $13.95 with sides & relish tray. This is another “authentic” deli, however it is a single location that is regarded as THE deli in the San Diego area. The restaurant has grown over the years to take over all of the other adjacent shops in the mall so now it is one huge room that rarely has an empty seat in it. My sandwich had the most meat of any of the 3 places I reviewed and at $9.95 for the lunch price the price was hard to beat. But again the bread was thin ordinary rye bread, barely toasted. The meat was very fatty and stringy (had to cut some of it off it was so fatty. The meat was served cold, something I’ve never seen on a Reuben before and instead of sauerkraut they used coleslaw. I know many families have their own variations on recipes but frankly to me this wasn’t a Reuben if it was served cold with coleslaw.
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| Matt's Big Breakfast Reuben. This is half a sandwich cut in two. |
I have a favorite breakfast place, or I should say “had” that was in a building the size of a two-car garage. There was always a line to get in but the food was fantastic. Then the Food Network came along and featured it on Triple D and the chances of getting in the door in less than 2 hours became almost zero. The restaurant was an unlikely candidate to find a great Reuben but one day when we didn’t get in the door until after noon that’s what I ordered. This place rewrote the book on how to make a Reuben! They used homemade rye, thick and grilled in butter. There was less meat but a great balance of strong flavors. Served with a side of tangy mustard and an excellent fresh-made macaroni salad that could be meal in itself.
What I didn’t like: Sauerkraut was too wet when placed on bottom slice so it was soggy by the time it was served to me. Price: $8.95 everyday (+ $1.50 for homemade macaroni salad)
HOW TO MAKE A REUBEN:
As you can see there are unlimited variations on making a Reuben sandwich. The ingredients are basic:
- Rye bread
- Corned beef
- Sauerkraut
- Swiss cheese
- Thousand Island dressing
Put them all together and you have a Reuben.
But it can get better if you try a few little hints. For example, buy a good loaf of rye bread from a deli that bakes their own, get it unsliced and slice it yourself, thicker than a slice of Wonder® bread, like ½”. Rather than toast it, coat both sides of each piece of bread and grill it on a frying pan or griddle. Add the Swiss cheese on what will be the bottom slice while it is still grilling until it is soft and gooey. Placing the cheese on the BOTTOM keeps the sauerkraut from soaking through. Then spread a thin layer of horseradish mustard over the cheese (for a little tang).
Try to get your corned beef from a good deli.
Remember fat is not always your enemy, especially the way I prepare it. Use enough to build a sandwich with about ¾” of meat. Take that meat and put it into a buttered heavy frying pan or grill and heat it until the fat is melting off and lubing all of the meat slightly. A sterile dry sandwich is boring. Now put your Thousand Island dressing on top of the meat and finally a layer of washed in warm water and drained sauerkraut. If the dressing isn’t touching the bread it won’t squirt through when you bite into it. When you prepare it this way there isn’t a need for further warming but if you do, place it in a hot oven for 2-3 minutes, not in your microwave.
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| NYC's Carnegie Deli says this is the way a Reuben should look and charges $24.95 to try it |
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
"You can live to be a hundred if you give up all the things that make you want to live to be a hundred"
- Woody Allen
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