Best Cheeses To Melt On A Corned Beef Reuben

A Reuben sandwich is a grilled sandwich that is a menu staple in Jewish-style delicatessens. It is made with corned beef, a type of salty cured meat, on rye bread. The traditional cheese used in a Reuben sandwich is Swiss cheese. Its firm yet creamy texture and mild nutty flavour blends perfectly with the spices in the cured meat. The large holes in the cheese allow it to melt nicely, adding richness without being overpowering. However, other cheeses such as havarti, fontina, white cheddar, or muenster cheese are also used.

Swiss cheese is the traditional choice

Swiss cheese is a tried-and-true match for corned beef's seasoning. Its firm yet creamy texture and mild nutty flavour blend perfectly with the spices in the cured meat. The large holes in Swiss cheese allow it to melt nicely, adding richness without overpowering the other ingredients.

While Swiss cheese is the classic choice, there are several other cheeses that work well with corned beef. These include provolone, cheddar, gruyère, gouda, Monterey Jack, and muenster.

When making a corned beef Reuben, it's important to toast the bread on one side only, to ensure a crisp outer texture while leaving the interior tender for maximum fusion with the cheese. Preheating the corned beef and sauerkraut is also key, as it ensures the cheese melts quickly upon assembly.

But cheddar, provolone, and havarti are also good

While Swiss cheese is the traditional choice for a corned beef Reuben sandwich, cheddar, provolone, and havarti are also great options.

Cheddar, a classic corned beef cheese, comes in a range of sharpness and saltiness. Sharp cheddar provides a salty bite to balance the meat, while mild cheddar gives you a creamier texture. White cheddar is also a good choice.

Provolone, with its smooth melting properties, is a top choice for hot sandwiches. It has a tangy, smoky flavor that works well with corned beef, and its saltiness matches the seasoned meat.

Havarti, with its creamy texture and touch of sharpness, is another excellent option for a corned beef Reuben.

When choosing a cheese for your corned beef Reuben, consider a cheese with ideal qualities such as creaminess, smooth melting texture, saltiness, piquant flavors, and a firm texture. You want a cheese that can complement the corned beef without overpowering it.

Experiment with different cheeses and find your favorite combination to elevate your corned beef Reuben sandwich!

How to make a Reuben sandwich

A traditional Reuben sandwich consists of thinly sliced corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut on rye bread slathered with Russian or Thousand Island dressing. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make this delicious sandwich:

Ingredients:

• Russian or Thousand Island dressing
• Swiss cheese
• Corned beef
• Sauerkraut
• Rye bread
• Salted butter (optional)

Method:

• If you want to make your own Russian dressing, mix mayonnaise, sour cream, ketchup, relish, lemon juice, and horseradish in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Spread the dressing on one side of each slice of bread.
• Assemble the sandwiches by layering one slice of Swiss cheese, 2 slices of corned beef, some sauerkraut, and a second slice of Swiss cheese on four slices of bread.
• Top with the remaining bread slices, dressing-side down.
• Butter the top of each sandwich and place butter-side down on a hot skillet or griddle.
• Butter the other side of the sandwich and grill until both sides are golden brown, flipping the sandwich when the bottom slice is golden.
• Serve with a pickle, potato chips, French fries, pasta salad, coleslaw, or tomato soup.

Tips:

• To keep the sandwich from getting soggy, drain the sauerkraut well and place it on a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
• For an extra crispy sandwich, spread the outside of the bread with mayonnaise instead of butter.
• For a "moisture barrier", try adding a slice of cheese between the bread and the other ingredients.
• If you prefer your corned beef chopped rather than sliced, ask for it to be "chip-chopped" when you buy it.

What to serve with a Reuben sandwich

A traditional Reuben sandwich is made with corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian or Thousand Island dressing on rye bread. It is grilled and served hot, with the cheese melted.

A classic deli side to serve with a Reuben sandwich is a pickle, or some potato chips or French fries. You could also serve it with a bowl of steaming vegetable soup, or one of the following:

• Pasta salad
• Coleslaw
• Tomato soup
• Potato salad
• Vinegar coleslaw
• Air fryer French fries

If you're making a larger meal, you could serve a Reuben sandwich with red cabbage soup or Irish beer cheese mac and cheese.

The history of the Reuben sandwich

The Reuben sandwich is a North American grilled sandwich made with corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian or Thousand Island dressing, grilled between slices of rye bread. Although it is a staple in Jewish-style delicatessens, it is not technically kosher because it combines meat and cheese.

There are several origin stories for the sandwich. One story claims that the sandwich was invented in Omaha, Nebraska, in the early 1900s. According to this version, the sandwich was created for Reuben Kulakofsky, a Jewish grocer who lived in Omaha and was born in Lithuania. Kulakofsky asked the chef of the Blackstone Hotel, Bernard Schimmel, to make him a sandwich with corned beef and sauerkraut. Schimmel added Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing and put the sandwich on rye bread. The sandwich was then added to the hotel's lunch menu and gained local fame. In Omaha, March 14 was proclaimed Reuben Sandwich Day.

Another account claims that the Reuben sandwich was created by Arnold Reuben, the owner of a New York City delicatessen called Reuben's Delicatessen, which operated from 1908 to 2001. According to an interview, Arnold Reuben created the "Reuben Special" around 1914. One story claims that he made the sandwich for Broadway actress Marjorie Rambeau when the deli was low on ingredients. Another story claims that he made it for actress Annette Seelos after a night out at the theatre. This sandwich, initially called the "Annette Seelos Special", included ham, cheese, turkey, coleslaw, and dressing.

Yet another version credits Alfred Scheuing, a chef at Reuben's Delicatessen, with creating the sandwich for Reuben's son, Arnold Jr., in the 1930s.

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