Zingerman's Reuben Sandwich Recipe

Zingerman's Reuben Sandwich

Recipe courtesy of Zingerman's

• Difficulty: Easy
• Servings: 6 sandwiches
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Preparation: 20 minutes
• Resting Time: 5 minutes
• Cooking Time: 30 minutes
• Nutritional Information (per serving): Calories 296, Total Fat 21 g, Saturated Fat 8 g, Carbohydrates 12 g, Dietary Fiber 2 g, Sugar 2 g, Protein 13 g, Cholesterol 50 mg, Sodium 924 mg

Ingredients

• 1 loaf unseeded and unsliced Jewish Rye bread
• 2 pounds corned beef, sliced (see Cook's Note)
• 12 ounces Russian dressing (see recipe below)
• 12 ounces sauerkraut
• 12 slices Swiss cheese
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Russian Dressing

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup plus 2 to 3 tablespoons chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped curly parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced Spanish onion
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced dill pickle
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon grated horseradish
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Yield: About 2 cups

Instructions

1. Set your oven to 350F (175C).
2. Lightly sprinkle water over the corned beef, wrap it tightly in aluminum foil, then steam it inside the oven.
3. At the same time, place the whole loaf of rye bread (unwrapped) into the oven and bake until its crust becomes very crispy, roughly 15 minutes. Remove and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes.
4. When the bread is cool enough to handle, place it on a cutting board. Using a bread knife angled at 45 degrees, cut 12 slices.
5. Prepare the Russian dressing by combining mayonnaise, chili sauce, sour cream, parsley, onion, pickle, lemon juice, horseradish, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl.
6. Take the corned beef from the oven and unwrap it. Spread Russian dressing on each slice of bread. On half of the slices, layer corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese slices, then top with the remaining slices of bread, dressing-side down.
7. Warm two large heavy skillets over medium heat. Brush the outer sides of the bread with melted butter. Place the sandwiches in the pans and press them down using a lid or a heatproof bowl weighted with something heavy. Cook until the bottom sides are golden and crispy, about 7 minutes, then flip them. Continue cooking until the other sides are also nicely toasted and the cheese is melted through.
8. Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board, slice each diagonally, and serve.

Tip: Choose high-quality corned beef for this recipe; avoid varieties that are extremely lean.

Note: This recipe was contributed by professional chefs and restaurant experts and may not have been tested extensively for home cooking.