This Reuben Sandwich Is a Diner Classic You Can Make At Home (2024)

FAQs

What is a classic Reuben sandwich made of? ›

The Reuben Sandwich is an American classic made with savory corned beef piled on our favorite marble rye bread and topped with plenty of baby swiss cheese, crunchy, tangy sauerkraut, and zippy Russian dressing, then griddled to perfection until the cheese melts and the bread is toasted.

The Redneck Reuben Sandwich is the best BBQ sandwich on the planet! Pork, cheese, collard greens and Texas toast, what more could you need ...

The Reuben sandwich is a North American grilled sandwich composed of corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing or Thousand Island dressing, grilled between slices of rye bread. It is associated with kosher-style delicatessens but is not kosher, as it combines meat and cheese.

A Reuben sandwich is typically made with corned beef. It would taste great with pastrami too, it just wouldn't be a classic Reuben! Bottom line: You can't go wrong with either of these flavor-packed deli meats.

About the Reuben

Unfortunately, this traditional sandwich is NOT one that I consider "heart healthy" as it provides approximately 800 calories, 50 grams fat, 20 grams of the artery-clogging saturated fat, 40 grams carbohydrates, 36 grams protein, and a whopping 3200 mg.

The Rachel sandwich is one of several variations on the famous sandwich. Instead of the classic corned beef and sauerkraut, the Rachel is usually made with turkey or pastrami and coleslaw. Both sandwiches are made with Swiss cheese and rye bread.

A staple in delicatessens throughout the country, a typical Reuben includes pastrami and vinegar-y sauerkraut on some rye bread. We knew that we could do better, and decided to experiment one weekend with our menu. This Texas Reuben features our own lean smoked brisket thrown over some buttered and griddled rye bread.

Each bite is a harmonious mouthful of tender corned beef, Swiss cheese, creamy Russian dressing, and tangy sauerkraut, the ingredients all wedged between slices of grilled dark rye.

Your choice of pastrami, corned beef or turkey breast with melted Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and homemade Russian dressing, all on grilled rye bread... Order Online.

Pile ham on one slice of bread, and cover with the sauerkraut. Top with the cheese. Broil open faced until the cheese melts. Top with the other slice of toasted bread.

What is a Reuben with pastrami called? ›

This is actually called a "Rachel". I worked at a deli for years and a Reuben is made with corn beef, a Rachel with pastrami.

You could also opt for pastrami in place of the corned beef, which isn't the traditional meat in a Reuben, but it still tastes damned good. Typically at delis, the meat will be steamed whole, then carved by hand while it's still hot.

Tempeh, seitan, vegetables and mushrooms have stood in for the corned beef, but they're not really needed, because outsize quantities of the other traditional elements make a punchy, gooey sandwich on their own. Both sides of the buttered rye get melted Swiss.

Though pastrami and corned beef have the same nutritional elements, like protein and fat content, they have different quantities of salt. The sodium content in corned beef is higher compared to pastrami. Because of this, many people consider pastrami healthier and more flavorful than corned beef.

The ingredient that differentiates Russian dressing from Thousand Island is—drumroll, please—horseradish. When you have Russian dressing accenting a hearty sandwich like a Reuben, the horseradish can be hard to detect, especially when you've got the sharp, funky flavors of sauerkraut to contend with.

A good Reuben isn't anything too complicated. All you need is corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and rye bread—but the one ingredient that really ties the room together is the Russian dressing.

Corned beef is made from the leaner flat brisket. Pastrami is made with point brisket, which contains more marbling and fat. Pastrami can also be made with other cuts of beef, such as deckle (a lean shoulder cut) or navel (aka beef belly, which comes from the plate, a juicy section just below the ribs).

Pastrami is smoked while corned beef is typically steamed or boiled. They have a similar flavor profile, but pastrami is richer with a smoke-forward flavor while corned beef is leaner and drier (not in a bad way).