Reuben Sandwiches

[bigbear]

In my mind, a Reuben is the best sandwich there is, and Jaymes and Holly both nailed it.

[Rachel Perlow]

as far as a steamed rueben goes, I saw David Rosengarten make one on taste once, I never could watch that show again, what is a rueben without the crunch?

Variations:

a Rachel - no beef or kraut, sub turkey and slaw

the barberueben -sub bbq brisket for corned brisket

they are also tasty with pastrami.

I thought Rosengarten was crazy with that one, too.

I love your Barbereuben.

I've never heard of a Rachel as a sandwich before - sounds like what I was calling a Sloppy Joe on another thread (ala the late Short Hills Deli).

[22tango]

I've never heard of a Rachel as a sandwich before - sounds like what I was calling a Sloppy Joe on another thread (ala the late Short Hills Deli).

Yes...I tried to point that out on the Sloppy Joe thread (the irony of Rachel not knowing what a "Rachel" is...) but, alas, I guess the thread had disintegrated by then!

[Holly Moore]

Holly's description of the rueben is a great one.

Holly's and mine are, I believe, identical.

Except she butters the outside of her sandwich before making it and I, after.

And you're right. They're great.

HE (Holly) is also too lazy to boil the corned beef himself except on those rare occasions when he craves a New England Boiled Dinner. But then there is never enough corned beef left to attempt a Reuben.

[John]

Thanks for the input! I can't wait to make one.

[Jaymes]

Holly's description of the rueben is a great one.

Holly's and mine are, I believe, identical.

Except she butters the outside of her sandwich before making it and I, after.

And you're right. They're great.

HE (Holly) is also too lazy to boil the corned beef himself except on those rare occasions when he craves a New England Boiled Dinner. But then there is never enough corned beef left to attempt a Reuben.

"HE," huh? Well, Jaymes and Holly. Girl and Boy. Who'd a thought? Clearly not I.

Happens to me all the time. How 'bout you?

EDIT: Oh, and I often don't boil my own corned beef. Sometimes I stop by Katz's and get one of their inferior Reubens, take half of the corned beef off it, and take that home to make a proper Reuben the next night.

[Rachel Perlow]

I've never heard of a Rachel as a sandwich before - sounds like what I was calling a Sloppy Joe on another thread (ala the late Short Hills Deli).

Yes...I tried to point that out on the Sloppy Joe thread (the irony of Rachel not knowing what a "Rachel" is...) but, alas, I guess the thread had disintegrated by then!

I'll have to go re-read that thread...

[Rachel Perlow]

OK, I reread it. From your own link there, it appears that calling the cold turkey/ham/swiss/coleslaw sandwich a Rachel may be a midwest thing, I've certainly never seen it on a menu in the tri-state area. I've added a post to the Sloppy Joe thread (see page 3) validating my calling a club version of a Rachel a Sloppy Joe.

[stefanyb]

I have no idea how they make the Reubens at the place you mentioned, but this is the traditional, original way the sandwich was made.  I don't care for the non-grilled, non-crunchy monstrosities at Katz's.

Does this mean that you've been to NYC on the QT? And that we in NYC could have met the great Jaymes? Shame on you.

[22tango]

...may be a midwest thing, I've certainly never seen it on a menu in the tri-state area.

Possibly. I grew up near Princeton, NJ. But I first saw the "Rachel" in Pittsburgh when I was in college in the late 80's. You still see it on menus here in the 'burg.

[Jaymes]

...the Great Jaymes...

Sounds like a breed of dog.

Pretty close to the truth, probably.

[Rachel Perlow]

I moved this thread from NJ to Cooking, because it really was about making a reuben and thought that others might benefit who don't necessarily read the NJ thread.

[DaveFaris]

By no means a strict reuben, I used to get a sandwich at Gold's Deli, on the Post Road in Westport, Connecticut ... smoked turkey on pumpernickle with horseradish coleslaw and russian dressing. duhrool, duhrool!

[winodj]

Would it be heresy to not use Rye Bread on a Reuben? or would it just be a different sandwich?

[Wilfrid]

Would it be heresy to not use Rye Bread on a Reuben? or would it just be a different sandwich?

Not heresy, but a venial sin, I would say.

[Celine]

Here's the way my mother made our reubens and how I make mine:

Butter the outsides of two rye slices, put homemade corned beef, drained saurkraut, and thinly sliced swiss cheese in between. Crisp both sides on a medium heated griddle or iron skillet. No Russian or Thousand Islands though, thank you...dijon mustard instead.

Celine

[Jaymes]

Would it be heresy to not use Rye Bread on a Reuben? or would it just be a different sandwich?

Not heresy, but a venial sin, I would say.

Wouldn't be a heresy.

But wouldn't be a Reuben, either.

On second thought, I guess you could call it a "Heresy" if you wished.

[201]

A friend of mine always orders something I like to call a "Reuben, hold the Reuben".

It goes something like this....

Him: "Can I get a Reuben?"

Waitress: "Sure."

Him: "But with pastrami... not corned beef."

Waitress: "OK."

Him: "And without the Sauerkraut?"

Waitress: "Alriiiiiiight."

Him: "Can I get that on white bread without the mustard?"

Waitress: (puzzled look on her face as she nods, writes it down, and walks off)

Me (to him): "Another 'Reuben, hold the Reuben'? Why don't you just order 'pastrami and swiss on white' and save everyone some time?"

Him: "Because I love Reubens!!"