Reuben Sandwich - Video Recipe

I love Reuben Sandwiches for the yin and yang pull of flavors. On the one hand, you have salty Corned Beef and sour Sauerkraut. Then you have creamy Russian Dressing pushing against pungent Swiss Cheese, all between pungent Rye bread. A Reuben is a heady sandwich, it's almost too much of a good thing.

Click on any photo to see larger.

And a Reuben Sandwich is an American original from the early 20th Century. Named after Reuben Kulakofsky, a grocer from Omaha, Nebraska who got the munchies during a poker game and asked for corned beef and sauerkraut on his sandwich. Or was it first put together at Reuben's Delicatessen in New York City? There are conflicting accounts that you can read about by clicking here.

And I first tried a Reuben Sandwich at Los Angeles' premier Jewish Delicatessan, Canter's Restaurant.

A Ruben Sandwich is stacked with Corned Beef, Swiss Cheese, Sauerkraut, and Russian Dressing. Sour to the nth degree, Sauerkraut ignites rich Corned Beef and pungent Swiss Cheese on Rye Bread into an explosive flavor bomb.

I've based summer parties on the Corned Beef Sandwich that featured a Rueben Sandwich. What takes these sammies over the top is that they are grilled in butter...sooo gooood.

The main meaty ingredient is slices of Corned Beef. I make my own and it couldn't be easier. 

All you have to do is low-boil the Corned Beef until tender. It takes about 3 to 4 hours. Of course, you could do it in an Instant Pot in an hour. See my Easy Corned Beef Recipe video below. 

I get my Corned Beef during St. Patrick's Day holiday week. It's half-priced and you can freeze the packages for Summer Sandwiches. It's okay to use sliced cooked Corned Beef from your favorite delicatessen. 

The other main ingredient, Sauerkraut, is cheap any time of the year. Cans and jars of Sauerkraut show up at my local 99c only Store all the time. I usually store a few cans for Baseball Season as I like Sauerkraut on my Hot Dogs. 

Swiss Cheese is not so cheap but I only buy it when I make Corned Beef Sandwiches. You could substitute any favorite cheese, like the mix below.

I get Rye Bread from the discount bin at my local Ralphs supermarket. The Rye loaf may be a few days old, but when you toast it you would never know it. I get cheap bargain bin bread all the time for Toast in the morning, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, and Garlic Bread. 

I've found plain sliced Rye Bread, Marble Rye, and a delicious Wheat/Rye for half-price in the bargain bin.

You don't find Russian Dressing easily, but you can make your own by mixing mayo and ketchup together, simple enough. 

However you slice it, my Ruben Sandwich is one you will make throughout the year.

Reuben Sandwich - Video              Play it here. The video runs for 2 minutes and 24 seconds. 

To view or embed from YouTube, click here.

Ingredients

• Corned Beef - a few slices.
• Swiss Cheese - one or two slices.
• Sauerkraut - drained. I get mine from a can or jar. Add as much as you like, usually a couple tablespoons.
• Rye Bread - 2 slices for a sandwich. I've made this sandwich with sourdough, so any favorite bread is good.
• Butter - 1 teaspoon per sandwich.
• Russian Dressing - a mix of 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise and 1 teaspoon of ketchup.

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 uncooked Corned Beef should have directions as well. My Easy Corned Beef recipe with text and photo illustrations is here.

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

Use drained Sauerkraut. Shake out Sauerkraut as you remove it from the can or jar before adding it to a sandwich, (or the bread will get soggy.) 

You will probably have leftovers, so store extra Sauerkraut with liquid in the refrigerator.

Heat a frying pan or stovetop grill. Add 1 teaspoon of butter to brown the sandwich. Okay to add more butter to suit your taste. Spread melting butter to about the size of sliced bread.

Assemble the sandwich on the frying pan or grill. I like to have the Swiss Cheese against the bread, either on the top or bottom bread slice, so the cheese melts.

Now stack the sandwich any way you like. Add Sauerkraut, Corned Beef, a smear of Russian Dressing, and finally the second slice of bread.

It usually takes a couple minutes for each side of the sandwich to brown, depending on how hot the pan is. Peek under the bread as it browns to check on the desired doneness.

Chili & Kraut Dog - Video Recipe

A Chili &Kraut Dog and it may be my favorite. I don't always have canned chili in the cupboard, but when I do I open a jar of sauerkraut and build this overloaded dog. The combo of pungent meaty chili and puckering sauerkraut can be too much for some, but not for me.

*If you just want to cut to the chase and watch my video of a Chili & Kraut Dog, just scroll down to the end of this post to play it.

The good thing about sauerkraut is that it lasts forever when bought in a can or jar. And once opened and stored in the refrigerator, it has a long shelf-life. I've kept sauerkraut for more than 2 months in the fridge! It's hard to tell when it goes bad, as it's so sour.

And to add sour to sour, I like mustard too! With a soft neutral bun and a beefy hot dog, it's a delicious combo of flavors I never get bored with.

Sauerkraut doesn't show up at my local 99c only Store every day, so when it does, I usually get a few cans or jars to keep in the cupboard. I can't tell the difference between sauerkraut that is jarred or canned. I guess the salty brine overpowers any difference between cabbage and sauerkraut recipes.

My girlfriend spent time in Germany, so she likes her sauerkraut heated up - I don't mind it right out of the can and at room temperature. I think we can both agree to drain and shake out the kraut before piling it on the wiener.

I've made Hot Dogs with all kinds of canned chili, from name-brand Hormel to brands I've never heard of like Hartford House...and they are all just fine by me. In the South, my Mom tops her Chili-Cheese Enchiladas with Wolf Brand Chili.

Canned chilis should mainly be flavored with chili powder. These days, it's usually a mix of meats like pork and chicken, but mainly beef. I've grown used to canned chili and actually like the flavor.

The main problem is the texture that is often crumbly from ground meat, not stringy like a saucy pulled pork, which I prefer - hey, you get what you pay for!

In the last couple of years, I started making my own Homemade Beef Chili, and you can click on the recipe name to see recipe directions and photo illustrations, or just watch my recipe video below.

I use the cheapest cut of beef, called the shank. It's one tough steak, but after 2 or 3 hours of simmering in spices and tomato sauce, it becomes fall-apart tender and extra flavorful. Try slow-cooking with beef shank sometimes, as it's even cheaper than hamburger these days.

Can you top your Hot Dog with a can of Chili with Beans? Sure, I have in desperate times.

These days, it is easy to make vegan versions using tofu dogs and vegan chili, so everyone can join in the summertime patio Hot Dog partying.

 And the main ingredients of a Hot Dog are cheap, of course, but that's not the only reason to like them. They are just a satisfying combination of flavors that you can build any way you like.

A package of Hot Dog Buns for about a buck? Check. I prefer regular white flour buns, but I often find whole wheat buns on sale too -- it's all good. And any grocery store carries them for barely a buck per 8-count package.

Meaty tube steak for a buck? If you know where to look and don't mind if they are a mix of beef, chicken, and pork. I always find them on sale at my local 99c only Store and Dollar Tree.

There is a texture taste difference - I find the typically mixed meat wieners a bit softer when you bite into them and with a milder meaty taste, while an all-beef wiener has more snap and a thicker texture and an intense beef flavor. Depending on how my pocketbook is feeling, I can work with any type of tube steak.

Do you like your weenies steamed, sauteed, or grilled? I find it easiest to just steam mine in a pot with a basket and covered until they are hot and plump. This way, you can walk away and get all the fixing ready while they cook - when you steam them, you don't have to worry about burnt weenies.

How about the Hot Dog Buns? Well, at the last minute, I will throw in a couple of buns on top of my steaming wieners, cover, and give them a minute to soften. This works especially well if the buns are old and hard.

You do have to watch steaming buns as they can become soggy, although you can always let a soggy bun dry out for a couple of minutes if necessary.

 If I am barbequing, then I will grill the wieners and add the buns at the finish line - same with sauteing in a frying pan on a stovetop.

I always find jars and squeeze bottles of mustard for a buck, even Grey Poupon!

So, how do you like to make yours? Leave a comment and let's compare wiener...recipes. Ha, ha, I couldn't resist. And check back for more simply delicious and cheap Hot Dogs. So load up the steamer basket or fire up the grill and get to cooking one of my yummy Hot Dog recipes.

Chili & Kraut Dog - VIDEO

Play it here. The video runs 2 minutes, 22 seconds.

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

The Hot Dogs of Summer - Kraut Dog

It's summertime the time is right for Hot Dogs. My Hot Dog Series covers all the greatest hits including Kraut Dog, Mustard & Relish Dog, Chili Dog, plus the killer combos of Kraut & Chili Dog, Slaw & Chili Dog, and Relish & Chili Dog. Now that's a mouthful and they are all cheap of course. So keep checking back here for all the yummy recipes served with tasty text and scrumptious photos!

Okay let's be frank, anyone can make these, and maybe this Series is just a celebration of  America's favorite frankfurter or a reminder of the joys of dining simply.

Click on any photo to see larger.

These days it easy to make vegan versions using tofu dogs and vegan chili, so everyone can join in summertime patio Hot Dog partying.

 And the main ingredients of a Hot Dog are cheap of course, but that's not the only reason to like them. They are just a satisfying combination of flavors that you can build any way you like.

A package of Hot Dog Buns for about a buck? Check. I prefer regular white flour buns, but I often find whole wheat bun on sale too -- it's all good.

Meaty tube steak for a buck? If you know where to look and don't mind if they are a mix of beef, chicken, and pork. I always find them on sale at my local 99c only Store and Dollar Tree.

I mean, there is a texture taste difference - I find the typically mixed meat wieners a bit softer when you bite into them and with a milder meaty taste, while an all-beef wiener has more snap and thicker texture and an intense beef flavor. Depending on how my pocketbook is feeling I can work with any type of Hot Dog wieners.

Do you like your weenies steamed, sauteed, or grilled? I find it easiest to just steam mine in a pot with a basket and covered until they are hot and plump. This way you can walk away and get all the fixing ready while they cook - when you steam them you don't have to worry about burnt weenies.

How about the Hot Dog Buns? Well, at the last minute I will throw in a couple of buns on top of my steaming wieners, cover and give them a minute to soften. This works especially well if the buns are old and hard.

You do have to watch steaming buns as they can become soggy, although you can always let a soggy bun dry out for a couple of minutes if necessary.

 If I am barbequing then I will grill the wieners and add the buns at the finish line - same with sauteing in a frying pan on a stovetop.

I like Hot Dogs dress simply with mustard and sweet or sour pickle relish. I always can find jars for a buck.

My first Hot Dog of Summer is a Kraut Dog and it may be my favorite. The good thing about sauerkraut is that it lasts forever when bought in a can or jar. And once opened and stored in the refrigerator it has a long shelf-life. I've kept sauerkraut for more than 2 weeks in the fridge. It's hard to tell when it goes bad as it is so sour.

And to add sour to sour, I like mustard too! With a soft neutral bun and a beefy hot dog, it's a delicious combo of flavors I never get bored with.

Sauerkraut doesn't show up at my local 99c only Store every day, so when it does I usually get a few cans or jars to keep in the cupboard. I can't tell a difference between sauerkraut that is jarred or canned, I guess the salty brine overpowers any difference between cabbage and sauerkraut recipes.

My girlfriend spent time in Germany so she likes her sauerkraut heated up - I don't mind it right out of the can and at room temperature. I think we can both agree to drain and shake out the kraut before piling it on the wiener.

There's nothing to making a Kraut Dog really, just heat the tube steak and bun then load it up with kraut and mustard. You can make it your own way and leave out the mustard. My neighbor Bob likes his with ketchup...hmmm. I would add pickle relish for sure.

Here is the whole shebang, from bun to weenie. Just watch my Kraut Dog video below and try not to drool.

Kraut Dog - Video

Play it here, video runs 1 minute, 53 seconds.

So, how do you like to make yours? Leave a comment and let's compare wiener...recipes. Ha, ha, I couldn't resist. And check back for more simply delicious and cheap Hot Dogs. So load up the steamer basket or fire up the grill and get to cooking one of my yummy Hot Dog recipes!