Concerning the Reuben

Its hard to imagine something so prosaic as the Reuben sandwich ( an item that still appears on deli menus in every city) being a historic dish, but like many of our every-day foods, it does indeed have a story. Just a cursory search online reveals that there are several legends (all unconfirmed of course) concerning the Reuben's origins.

According to Linda Stradley of What's Cooking America , the first legend is that the sandwich was created in 1914 by Arnold Reuben, the founder of Reuben's Restaurant and Delicatessan, for a down and out actress.

Another version is that Reuben Kulakofsky, a grocer in Omaha Nebraska, made the first Reuben for his poker group in 1925. One of the players, Charles Shimmel, owner of the Blackstone hotel, then put the sandwich on the hotel's menu.

Several other claims to fame are dated from the 1950's. So which one is the true story? Maybe they all are! I dare anyone to track down the absolute "truth" on such bits of cherished Americana, their stories are just too complex.

Regardless, everyone seems to agree on the recipe: Corned Beef +Sauerkraut+ Swiss Cheese+Russian Dressing on grilled Rye Bread. And thus, I come to one of the main reasons that we decided to try our hand at making Corned Beef this week....if everything is better when it is homemade, then what would a Reuben be like with actual old fashioned cured beef instead of the thinly sliced, chemical laden cold cuts that one finds at the grocery store?

The answer is- undeniably delectable. Our corned beef was salty, without being overwhelming, and succulent, with just the right amount of fatty marbling. Combined with pungent swiss cheese, acidic fermented sauerkraut, and creamy Russian dressing (simply ketchup and mayo-sorry, no from scratch craziness there), the synergy of flavors was perfect. Im not claiming that I would go through this amount of trouble for all future Reubens, but it is definitely a project that I would find well worth repeating at some point.

Classic Reuben Sandwich (serves 2)

2Tbs Butter

2 slices of Rye or Marble Rye Bread

4 slices of Corned Beef

4 slices of Swiss Cheese

1/2 Cup Sauerkraut, drained

1/4 Cup Russian Dressing (quick and easy version: equal parts mayo and ketchup)

Arrange the filling items on two slices of bread and top with the remaining bread. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Grill sandwiches on both sides until golden brown-about 15min. Serve hot, preferably with a dill pickle on the side.

If you dont want to go through all the trouble but would like to taste a little of the real thing, I suggest a visit to Kenny & Zuke's Delicatessen in Portland, Oregon where they cure and smoke their own corned beef and pastrami in house.

Pastrami, bialy, latke, and over easy eggs at Kenny & Zuke's

Next up, another classic American dish to finish off our corned beef: Corned Beef Hash with Eggs