About the Recipe
Like many classic dishes, the Reuben sandwich has multiple origin stories: Some accounts trace its origins to the since-shuttered Reuben’s delicatessen in New York City. Another origin story points to a customer, Reuben Kulakofsky, who was said to have ordered a corned beef and sauerkraut sandwich at Blackstone Hotel, in Omaha, where Chef Bernard Schimmel obliged and added Thousand Island dressing, Swiss cheese, rye bread and a hot grill. Today’s Reuben sandwiches feature corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and a healthy smear of dressing between toasted, buttered rye. Homemade dressing has a brighter, fresher flavor than the bottled variety, and comes together in just a few turns of a whisk. You can also add mustard if using and the dressing directly to the sauerkraut!
Ingredients
For the Dressing
½ cup mayonnaise
5 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons dill pickle relish (not sweet)
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
For the Sandwich
8 slices rye sandwich bread
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 pound thinly sliced corned beef
1 cup drained sauerkraut (about 6 ounces)
8 slices Swiss cheese (about 6 ounces)