The Best Cheeses To Pair With Rubens

A Reuben sandwich is a grilled sandwich that features corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut on rye bread. The bread is slathered with Russian or Thousand Island dressing. The sandwich is grilled until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted. The corned beef is typically thinly sliced, and the sandwich is served with a pickle, potato chips, French fries, or classic deli sides such as pasta salad, coleslaw, or tomato soup.

Swiss cheese is the classic choice for a Ruben sandwich

Swiss cheese is the classic choice for a Reuben sandwich. This grilled sandwich is a menu staple in Jewish-style delicatessens, although it's technically not kosher because it combines meat and cheese.

A traditional Reuben sandwich consists of thinly sliced corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut on rye bread slathered with Russian or Thousand Island dressing. The bread is grilled until both sides are golden brown, and the cheese is melted.

Swiss cheese is the ideal cheese for a Reuben sandwich because it melts well and has a mild, slightly nutty flavour that complements the other ingredients. It also has a low melting point, which means it will melt quickly and evenly in the time it takes to grill the sandwich. This ensures the cheese is gooey and fully incorporated into the sandwich without the risk of burning.

While Swiss cheese is the classic choice, other cheese options can be used in a Reuben sandwich. These include havarti, fontina, white cheddar, or muenster cheese.

You can use other cheeses like Gruyere, Havarti, or Fontina

A classic Reuben sandwich is made with Swiss cheese. However, you can use other cheeses like Gruyere, Havarti, or Fontina. These cheeses can be great alternatives if you want to experiment with different flavours and textures.

Gruyere, a Swiss cheese with a slightly earthy and nutty flavour, can add a creamy and rich dimension to your sandwich. It has a slightly softer texture than Swiss cheese, which can make your Reuben sandwich even more indulgent and gooey.

Havarti, a semi-soft Danish cheese, can also be a tasty option. It has a mild, buttery flavour with a hint of sweetness, which can complement the saltiness of the corned beef and the tanginess of the sauerkraut. Its creamy texture can also enhance the melt factor of your sandwich.

Fontina, an Italian cheese, is another delicious choice for your Reuben. It has a creamy texture and a slightly nutty, sweet, and mild flavour. Its higher melting point can give your sandwich a nice, crispy texture without sacrificing the creaminess that a good Reuben deserves.

While Swiss cheese is the traditional choice, these alternative cheeses can offer a unique twist to the classic Reuben sandwich, allowing you to customise and elevate your sandwich experience.

Toasting the bread on one side gives a crisp texture while keeping the interior tender

Toasting the Bread on One Side: The Secret to a Perfect Reuben

The Reuben sandwich is a deli classic, featuring corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian or Thousand Island dressing on rye bread. While there are many ways to make this sandwich, one technique stands out for achieving the perfect balance of textures: toasting the bread on one side only.

The Benefits of One-Sided Toasting

Toasting the bread on a single side might seem like an unusual approach, but it offers several advantages for a Reuben sandwich. Firstly, it creates a crisp outer texture, providing a satisfying contrast to the tender, juicy fillings. Secondly, the untoasted inner surface remains soft and slightly steamed, allowing it to fuse with the melted cheese for a cohesive bite. This combination of crispness and tenderness in the bread elevates the overall sensory experience of the sandwich.

Step-by-Step Guide to One-Sided Toasting

Here's a simple guide to achieving the perfect one-sided toast for your Reuben sandwich:

• Butter the Bread: Start by spreading butter on the outer side of each slice of rye bread. This step adds flavour and helps achieve an even, golden toast.
• Toast One Side Only: Place the buttered bread slices in a skillet or pan, buttered-side down. Toast over medium heat until the bread is golden brown and crisp. Keep a close eye on the bread to ensure it doesn't burn.
• Assemble the Sandwich: Once the bread is toasted on one side, it's time to build your sandwich. Spread Russian or Thousand Island dressing on both the toasted and untoasted sides of the bread. Layer on the corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese. Close the sandwich.
• Grill the Sandwich: Melt some butter in the skillet over medium heat. Place the sandwich, untoasted side down, into the skillet. Grill the sandwich until both sides are golden brown and the cheese is melted. You can cover the skillet with a lid to trap steam and ensure even melting.
• Slice and Serve: Once both sides of the sandwich are toasted and the cheese is gooey, transfer the Reuben to a cutting board. Slice the sandwich diagonally and serve it hot.

Customisation and Variations

While the classic Reuben sandwich is a beloved combination, you can customise it to suit your taste preferences. Here are some variations to consider:

• Cheese: While Swiss cheese is traditional, feel free to experiment with other cheeses like Havarti, Fontina, White Cheddar, or Muenster.
• Meat: Corned beef is the classic choice, but you can substitute it with pastrami or leftover Guinness corned beef for a twist.
• Sauerkraut: If you're not a fan of sauerkraut, you can replace it with coleslaw or sliced banana peppers.
• Dressing: Make your own Russian dressing or use store-bought Thousand Island dressing. You can also add a spicy kick to your dressing with chilli garlic sauce or hot sauce.

The Reuben is a staple in Jewish-style delis but isn't kosher due to mixing meat and cheese

The Reuben is a classic sandwich that has become a staple in Jewish-style delicatessens. However, despite its popularity in these delis, the Reuben is not kosher due to its combination of meat and cheese.

A traditional Reuben sandwich consists of thinly sliced corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut on rye bread, slathered with Russian or Thousand Island dressing. The bread is grilled or toasted until crispy, and the cheese is melted. This combination of ingredients creates a delicious and hearty sandwich that has become a favourite for many.

The origin of the Reuben sandwich is believed to trace back to Omaha, Nebraska, in the early 1900s. It is named after Reuben Kulakofsky, a Jewish Lithuanian-born grocer who lived in the city. According to the story, Kulakofsky asked the chef of the Blackstone Hotel to make him a sandwich with corned beef and sauerkraut. The chef, Bernard Schimmel, put the ingredients together, and the Reuben sandwich was born.

While corned beef is the traditional meat choice for a Reuben, some variations use pastrami instead. Additionally, although Swiss cheese is the classic cheese used, other options such as havarti, fontina, white cheddar, or muenster can also be delicious alternatives.

Despite its Jewish origins and association with Jewish delis, the Reuben sandwich is not kosher due to the mixing of meat and cheese. In Jewish dietary law, observant Jews do not mix meat with dairy. Therefore, the Reuben, with its combination of corned beef and cheese, is considered sacrilegious from a kosher perspective.

However, this doesn't stop people from enjoying the delicious combination of flavours and textures that the Reuben sandwich offers. It has become a beloved staple in Jewish-style delis, even if it doesn't adhere to the strict rules of kosher cuisine.

You can substitute Russian dressing with Thousand Island dressing

A Reuben sandwich is a grilled sandwich that typically consists of corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing between slices of rye bread. However, Russian dressing can easily be substituted with Thousand Island dressing, which has a very similar flavour profile. Both dressings share a ketchup and mayonnaise base, but Russian dressing also includes a teaspoon of horseradish, hot sauce, a tablespoon of chopped onion or green onion, a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, and a dash of sweet paprika.

Russian dressing is typically used on Reuben sandwiches, but Thousand Island dressing is a common substitute. The two dressings are similar, but Thousand Island is generally sweeter and less spicy than Russian dressing. It is also often creamier and thicker in texture.

When making a Reuben sandwich with Thousand Island dressing, it is important to drain the sauerkraut well to prevent the sandwich from becoming soggy. The bread should be buttered before grilling, and some recipes suggest adding garlic powder to the butter for extra flavour. The corned beef can be store-bought or homemade, and it is best to slice it thinly. If desired, pastrami can be used instead of corned beef.

When assembling the sandwich, the dressing is spread on the bread, followed by a slice of Swiss cheese, corned beef or pastrami, sauerkraut, and a second slice of cheese. The sandwich is then grilled until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Frequently asked questions