Stuffed and Stacked Reuben Sandwich

The flavor combination of a Reuben Sandwich facinates me – and my pressed and grilled sandwich recipe is a way to get MORE of all of that in an easy to eat package – a double decker Reuben!

Marvelous Pumpernickel bread (dark rye) is sold presliced here –  in slices that are too thin for a hearty, hefty sandwich. Solution?  Use three slices…..and that also means more of the sauerkraut/swiss cheese/corned beef mixture and Russian dressing can be added.  What a delicious mouthful!

 

 

The trick to keeping everything together is an easy one – saute the thinly sliced corned beef (this is a terrific way to use leftover corned beef, or use deli corned beef)  together with the drained sauerkraut and caraway seeds, adding the Swiss cheese at the very end.

Reuben Sandwich Filling Recipe: (enough for two big sandwiches)

• 8 ounces sauerkraut, drained
• 1/4 pound very thinly sliced corned beef, cut into shreds
• 1  teaspoon caraway seed
• 1 cup grated Swiss cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper

On medium-low heat, saute the sauerkraut, several grinds of black pepper and caraway seeds until very dry and just slightly browning on the tips. Add the corned beef, and mix together with two spatulas – pushing away from you with one while pressing down on the other to break up the corned beef further. Add the Swiss cheese and stir together.

 

 

Additional Ingredients:

• 3 slices pumpernickel (dark rye) bread – one slice toasted
• 1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese
• Russian dressing
• One tablespoon unsalted butter

Butter one side of a slice of rye bread and place in an ungreased non-stick pan heated to medium-low. Add some more grated swiss cheese on the slice, then the warm filling on top of that.

 

 

Add a spoonful of the creamy Russian dressing on top of the first layer, then the toasted piece of pumpernickel . Add a good slather of dressing on top of the toasted slice.

 

 

Russian dressing is a nice substantial dressing for the sandwich. Creamy store bought is fine – but a fresh semi-homemade one is easy and delicious.

Russian Dressing Recipe:

• 1/4 cup mayonaise
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 small dill pickle. finely diced                            

Mix everything together!

 

Add another layer of the warm filling on top of the Russian dressing, along with a little pile of grated swiss cheese. Place the remaining slice of pumpernickel on top - outer layer buttered.

 

Now for the fun part – place a heavy weight on the sandwich – I use my “kitchen brick” (an actual brick covered by tin-foil) on the sandwich, with a small piece of parchment paper between. 

 

After only a couple of minutes, remove the weight, carefully turn the sandwich and weight down again. Leave in the pan for a few minutes, or until the bread is toasted.  Cut the sandwich and serve with more of the Russian dressing on the side for dipping. Enjoy!