Ernie’s Reuben

Ingredients

• 2 slices rye bread
• 2 slices Swiss cheese (about ¾ ounce each, 1½ ounces total)
• 4 ounces sliced corned beef, trimmed of fat, sliced as thin as possible against the grain
• 3 ounces sauerkraut (drained well, squeezed dry)
• 1 tablespoon Thousand Island Dressing

To grill

• Butter, for the flat-top or griddle

Instructions

1. Trim and slice the corned beef. Trim off all visible fat. Slice as thin as possible AGAINST the grain. (Look for the muscle-fiber direction; cut perpendicular to it.)
2. Lay out rye bread. 2 slices per sandwich.
3. Cheese on each slice. Place 1 slice of Swiss cheese on each piece of bread. (This locks the cheese against the bread for even melting.)
4. Layer the corned beef. Spread 4 ounces of corned beef evenly on top of the Swiss on the bottom slice.
5. Sauerkraut. Spread 3 ounces of (well-drained) sauerkraut evenly on top of the corned beef.
6. Dressing. Spread 1 tablespoon of Thousand Island dressing on top of the sauerkraut.
7. Top. Place the second slice of bread (cheese-side down) on top of the dressing.
8. Wrap. Wrap the entire sandwich tightly in plastic film.
9. Day-dot. Date and label.
10. Refrigerate. Use within 2 days.
11. To serve, grill on a buttered flat-top until both sides are golden and the cheese has melted (about 3 minutes per side).

Chef’s Tips

• Slice the corned beef AGAINST the grain. This is the difference between tender and chewy. Look at the muscle fibers; cut perpendicular.
• Cheese on BOTH bread slices. This is the trick — Swiss locks against the bread on both sides, sealing the bread from the wet sauerkraut.
• Drain the sauerkraut HARD. Wet sauerkraut = soggy bread. Squeeze in a kitchen towel before adding.
• Thousand Island, not Russian. My choice. Russian dressing is a substitute but the sweet-tang of Thousand Island works better here.
• 2 days max. Pre-built sandwiches, especially ones with wet ingredients (sauerkraut, dressing), don’t last long. Build a fresh batch every other morning.
• Variations: sub corned beef for pastrami (Rachel Reuben); sub coleslaw for sauerkraut (Rachel-style); sub grilled chicken for corned beef; sub Swiss for Gruyere; add 2 tablespoons caramelized onions on top of the corned beef.
• Scaling note: scales by sandwich. Build 8 to 12 in a session for a lunch run.

Storage & Make-Ahead

• Pre-built keeps 2 days in the fridge in tight plastic wrap.
• Don’t freeze — bread goes off.

From Ernie’s Kitchen

Thousand Island Dressing

The classic — beige, with visible flecks of sweet pickle relish and chopped hard-boiled egg. Built on mayonnaise and chili sauce, with horseradish and Worcestershire for backbone. Make it ahead; it keeps 5 days.

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons horseradish (drained)
• ⅓ cup sweet pickle relish (drained)
• 3 tablespoons chili sauce (Heinz or similar)
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons hard-boiled egg, chopped ½-inch (about ½ a large egg)
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. Combine mayonnaise, horseradish, sweet pickle relish, chili sauce, ketchup, and Worcestershire in a medium bowl. Whisk until uniform — you want a beige-pink color.
2. Fold in the egg. Add the chopped hard-boiled egg and salt. Stir gently with a spatula — don’t blend; you want visible egg pieces.
3. Chill 30 minutes before using. The flavors come together as it sits.

Chef’s Tips

• Drain the relish. Wet relish makes a watery dressing. Press it in a strainer or pat dry with paper towels.
• The hard-boiled egg is what makes it look like the real thing. Chop it small but visible.
• Variations: add 1 tablespoon minced onion; add 1 teaspoon paprika for a smokier color; finish with a dash of Tabasco for heat.
• Scaling note: halves cleanly for ¾ cup; doubles cleanly.

Storage & Make-Ahead

• Keeps 5 days in the fridge in a covered jar.
• Doesn’t freeze.