Reuben Casserole Recipe - A New Spin on a Classic Sandwich (2024)

FAQs

What was on the original Reuben sandwich? ›

One story is told by Arnold Ruben's daughter and is set in 1914. Annette Seelos was hungry enough to eat a brick and Arnold grabbed rye, ham, turkeys Swiss cheese, coleslaw and Russian dressing and made her a sandwich. She suggested naming it after herself, but Arnold had a better idea.

Be sure to drain off as much liquid as possible from the sauerkraut before piling it onto your Reuben sandwich to prevent any sogginess. It's also best to serve Reubens soon after griddling to keep the toasted bread nice and crisp.

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.

The sandwich first gained local fame when Schimmel put it on the Blackstone's lunch menu, and its fame spread when a former employee of the hotel won the national sandwich idea contest with the recipe. In Omaha, March 14 was proclaimed Reuben Sandwich Day.

Although there is some debate surrounding its origin, the reuben sandwich is believed to have sprung into historical existence in 1914 by the chef and owner of Reuben's Restaurant , a New York delicatessen.

Place the sandwich in a preheated skillet or griddle and cook until the cheese has melted and the bread is golden brown. Serve hot. You can certainly make a sandwich without sauerkraut, but it won't be a reuben sandwich since one of the ingredients that defines the sandwich as being a reuben is sauerkraut.

The Best Method for Making Reuben Sandwiches at Home

We have a grilled-cheese philosophy here at Serious Eats, which is that both sides of each slice of bread should be toasted to maximize the crunch against the soft melted cheese.

The main difference is that Russian dressing has a little horseradish in it and thousand island dressing doesn't. Nothing wrong with mustard instead of Russian dressing on a Reuben but if that's what you want you'd better order it that way because that's not the classic treatment.

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.

Pastrami is made from beef brisket that has been cured, coated in spices, cold smoked and then steamed. Pastrami's thick coat of spices typically includes crushed black pepper, coriander, mustard seeds, garlic and other spices that might be included in a pickling spice mixture.

Is pastrami a pig or cow? ›

Pastrami is a deli meat or cold cut made of beef. It can be from different cuts of beef: the navel end of the beef brisket, known as the plate cut, is the most common, but pastrami can also be made from the round and short rib of a cow.

If you're looking for the healthiest lunch meat option, choose the leanest cuts of deli meat possible, such as turkey, chicken breast, lean ham or roast beef. “These types of deli meat have the least amount of fat and provide a better nutrient value compared to others,” Zumpano says.

A traditional reuben sandwich consists of thinly sliced corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut on rye bread slathered with Russian or Thousand Island dressing.

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. of sodium!

According to Omaha lore, the Reuben Sandwich was dreamed up at Omaha's Blackstone Hotel in 1925 by Reuben Kulakofsky, a local grocer, to feed a group of late-night poker players. Charles Schimmel, one of the players and the hotel's owner, liked it so much he put it on the menu of The Plush Horse, the hotel restaurant.

The difference between a Rachel and a Reuben is the use of cole slaw rather than sourkraut. Traditionally, both sandwiches were made with corned beef, but that has been modified by using other meats, such as turkey. But the form of cabbage is the distinguishing factor.

Because corned beef is leaner than pastrami, its texture is firmer. It has a balanced, savory and meaty flavor. Pastrami is more fall-apart tender than corned beef. It tastes richer, saltier and smokier.