Like most versions of the Reuben sandwich, my Stacked Reuben Sandwich is made with corned beef, Swiss cheese, rye bread, sauerkraut and a Russian-type dressing. And, since corned beef and cabbage is a “traditional” Irish meal, it makes sense that a Reuben sandwich, stacked or otherwise, is of Irish origin, right? But, actually, both assumptions are wrong.
The origins of the Reuben Sandwich are unclear. Even though it is made with corned beef, it is definitely not Irish! Some accounts claim that a grocer in Nebraska in the early 1900’s invented it and other accounts say that the owner of a delicatessen in New York City, also in the early 1900’s, invented it.
But, no matter who invented it, just by the combination of ingredients, I like to think that the Reuben Sandwich is a multi-cultural creation indicative of the dynamic, multi-cultural population that makes up the United States! After all, just look at the ingredients:
- Corned beef (credited to the English)
- Swiss cheese (the Swiss, of course!)
- Rye bread (Eastern Europe)
- Sauerkraut (origin credited to Genghis Khan)
- Russian dressing (Russia).
You can’t get more “multi-cultural” than this sandwich! {grin} Except that there is no Irish in it!
And, corned beef and cabbage is not a traditional Irish meal. It’s an American meal created in the mid 19th century, most probably by Irish-American immigrants. Corned beef was substituted for bacon, which is part of a traditional Irish meal – bacon and cabbage – popular in Ireland to this day.
Anyway, I’m calling my sandwich a Stacked Reuben Sandwich because I piled it high with corned beef. Plus, I’ve placed it on shamrock plates for a wee bit of fun and leprechaun mischief.
Here’s the recipe:
Stacked and Loaded Irish-American Reuben Sandwich
Decidedly American, this Reuben Sandwich is stacked high with corned beef!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Sandwich
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the sandwich:
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 slices of marbled rye bread
- 2 slices of Swiss cheese
- 1/2 pound corned beef brisket, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup sauerkraut, drained and patted dry
- 4 tablespoons Russian dressing (recipe included)
Russian Dressing:
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
Russian Dressing (makes 1 cup):
- Combine all ingredients, except salt and pepper.
- Taste and adjust seasoning by adding salt and pepper, if desired.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
For the sandwich:
- Butter one side of each slice of bread.
- Lay two slices on buttered bread, butter-side down, in a pre-heated non-stick skillet.
- Top each piece of bread with a slice of Swiss cheese.
- Cover each slice of cheese with 1/4 pound of corned beef.
- Add 1/2 cup sauerkraut to each and drizzle 2 tablespoons Russian Dressing over sauerkraut.
- Top with second slice of bread, buttered-side up.
- Heat over medium-low heat until nicely browned.
- Using spatula, carefully turn sandwich over and brown the other side.
- Transfer to plate and slice in half.
- Serve remaining Russian Dressing on the side for dunking.
Whether you eat it around St. Patrick’s Day or any time of year, I hope you’ll enjoy my Stacked Reuben Sandwich!
Tootles,
Related Posts:
(other sandwich recipes)
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