Rachel Sandwich - Video Recipe

Coleslaw between 2 slices of rye bread? But when you add melty Swiss Cheese, tender Corned Beef, and Russian Dressing, now that's a great sandwich. My Rachel Deli Sandwich is stacked with deliciousness.

I was unaware of such a wild sandwich until I first ordered a Rachel at Los Angeles's premier Jewish Deli, Canter's Restaurant. They are expensive, in the $20 range now, and I would get them just every once in a while. 

The Rachel is a riff on a Ruben Sandwich, which is made with Sauerkraut instead of Coleslaw. And the Ruben is an American creation from the early 1900s (click here to read all about it.)

What makes a Rachel Sandwich so tasty is the combination of cool Coleslaw with thick slices of Corned Beef and Swiss Cheese on toasty Rye Bread. It's a heady, hardy sandwich.

Now you would think it too difficult to make in your kitchen but I have a simple Corned Beef Recipe that uses a package of uncooked Corned Beef. 

And all you have to do is boil the Corned Beef until tender. Check out my  Easy Corned Beef recipe below.

I always have a few packages of uncooked Corned Beef in the freezer that I get for half price during St. Patrick's Day week sales. 

For my Coleslaw, I use a 14-ounce bag of sliced cabbage and carrot and a few dollops of mayonnaise that I get from my local 99c only Store and Dollar Tree.

Coleslaw made with a pre-shredded bag of cabbage is the way to go and I have an Easy Coleslaw recipe below to prove it!

A Russian Dressing is ketchup plus mayo. Mix it together for a sweet sandwich filling.

You're supposed to use Swiss Cheese, but I've made mine with any favorite cheese I have on hand - it's all good.

A Rachel Sandwich can go other meaty ways, one is using sliced cooked turkey and the other way is made with Pastrami. I've not tried turkey, but I know Pastrami makes a great Rachel. Of course, I have an Easy Homemade Pastrami recipe video for your viewing pleasure.

As for Rye Bread, I get mine from the "clearance shelves" at my local Ralph's Grocers for one to two bucks a loaf. 

Once you toast week-old slices of rye, they taste as good as new. I've also made a Rachael with regular bread. (I guess you can't really call it a Rachel, but it's delicious regardless.)

Do try out my version of a Rachel Sandwich -- so go for it, and make your own Corned Beef or Pastrami  -- that's the 99 Cent Chef cheap$kate way.

                                            Rachel Sandwich - Video                Play it here. The video runs for 2 minutes and 26 seconds. 

To view or embed from YouTube, click here.

Ingredients

• Sliced Corned Beef or Pastrami - My recipe for Easy Corned Beef is here. My Easy Pastrami recipe is here.
• Coleslaw - add as much as you like, usually a couple tablespoons per sandwich. My Easy Coleslaw recipe is here.
• Swiss Cheese - One slice is enough, but add as much as you like. 
• Russian Dressing - Mix one teaspoon of ketchup plus one tablespoon of mayonnaise.
• 2 Slices Rye Bread - I've made the sandwich with regular white and wheat bread.
• Butter - a thick slice for toasting the sandwich. 

Directions

For a simple Corned Beef Recipe just simmer a raw Corned Beef covered in water for about 3 to 4 hours until it is tender. 

Check the water level every hour or so and add more if needed. A package of Corned Beef will have directions as well.

Slice the cooked Corned Beef. You can make your sandwich with as much as you like.

What makes this sandwich is toasting the bread and melting the Swiss Cheese. Here's how I stack it.

Add a slice of butter to melt and spread it out enough to cover a slice of bread.

I add a slice of bread and then the Swiss Cheese, so the cheese is closest to the heat and will melt nicely. 

From here out you can stack it anyway. Pile on the Coleslaw and sliced Corned Beef.

Finally, smear on the Russian Dressing and top with a slice of Rye Bread.

When the cheese starts to melt it's ready to turn and brown the other side of the sandwich. Again it's good to peek under the sandwich to make sure you don't burn the bread.

You can add more butter when you flip the sandwich if you like a more buttery flavor. I find it's buttery enough even if one side has most of the butter flavor and browning.

It usually takes 2 or 3 minutes per side to brown the Rye Bread and melt the Swiss Cheese, depending on how hot the pan or grill surface is.

Hindsight

Stack the sandwich any way you like. Start with Swiss Cheese, Corned Beef, Russian Dressing, and top with Coleslaw. Mix it up the way you like it.

I've made the Rachel with Pastrami, too. I've never tried a California Rachel (made with sliced cooked Turkey) but it sounds delicious.

Easy Corned Beef - Video Recipe

There's nothing to this recipe when you use a packaged Corned Beef. Since it's raw, the only work is boiling the Corned Beef until tender, about 3 to 4 hours, depending on the beef's weight and size. 

Packaged Corned Beef usually comes with a spice pack, too. Just open it and drizzle it on when it's time to cook.

For Corned Beef and Cabbage, I cook the beef until tender then drain away half the liquid, as it's super-salty, and replace it with tap water. And finally add chopped cabbage, potato, and carrot. It's up to you how long to cook the veggies, 10 minutes for crunchy or 20 minutes longer, for tender. I like to chop potatoes to bite-sizes so they cook quickly, too. 

Packaged Corned Beef comes in a couple types called Point or Center Cut. I always get mine during St. Patrick's Day sales week. The type on sale is usually Point Cut. I guess Center Cut is best, but I've never had anyone complain about the Corned Beef Sandwiches I make from a Point Cut. 

Click on any photo to see larger.

These cuts of beef remind me of whole or sliced Smoked Brisket you get in Texas. There is often a bit of fat on the outside you can trim off or just leave it on for extra flavor. The meat is a lean cut, but there is still a small bit of marbling. 

I always get 3 or 4 packages of Corned Beef during the St. Patrick's Day week of sales. Along with heads of cabbage, carrots, and potatoes, the main ingredient, Corned Beef goes for around $2 a pound and that's a great deal. And it freezes great. I get mine in March and during summertime, I have Corned Beef Sandwich parties. 

Depending on the Corned Beef size I can get at least 4 or more sandwiches. My favorite Corned Beef sandwiches are grilled Reuben and Rachel Sandwiches. 

A Reuben Sandwich is grilled with Swiss Cheese, Sauerkraut, and Russian Dressing between slices of Rye Bread.

A Rachel Sandwich uses Coleslaw instead of Sauerkraut. I have a tasty Coleslaw Recipe, just click here. And Russian Dressing is just a mix of mayo and ketchup.

However you cut it, my Easy Corned Beef Recipe will be one of your favorite beefy indulgences.

                                           Easy Corned Beef- Video                             Play it here, video runs 1 minute, 25 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients

• 1 whole packaged Corned Beef - The ones I get are in the 3-pound range.
• Water - enough to cover the brisket.
• Packet of Spices that come with corned beef - sometimes they are not included. Of course, open the spice packet and pour it on the water with corned beef.

Directions

Add enough fresh water to cover the brisket by an inch. Add contents of spice package if included with Corned Beef package.

 Bring up the water to a boil, then lower the heat to a low simmer, cover the pot and cook for about 3 to 4 hours until the meat is tender.

Check every hour or so to make sure the water does not cook out. Add a 1/4 cup of water at a time, if needed. That's it -- just remove the Corned Beef and let it cool down enough to slice and serve.

You can cook Corned Beef ahead of time and reheat by microwave,  simmering in water or heating in the oven (not too long in the oven as you don't want a dried-out hunk of beef.)

When slicing Corned Beef, go against the grain. The brisket is a bit stringy so it's easy to see the beef grain.