Pan-seared slices of corned beef piled with sautéed sauerkraut, melty Swiss cheese, and tangy homemade Russian dressing, all slow-grilled between two slices of hearty rye to sandwich perfection.
Place all of the dressing ingredients in a blender cup (or in a mixing bowl, using an immersion blender) and pulse until smooth.You can also use store-bought Russian or Thousand Island dressing. (More about How to make Russian Dressing)
Squeeze the sauerkraut out as much as possible. You can do this by pressing it into a sieve or colander, or you can just squeeze it out with your hands.Melt a tablespoon of butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter begins to sizzle, add the red onion and sauté it for about 2 minutes, until it just begins to soften.Add the squeezed-out sauerkraut and mix well, then stir until most of the moisture in the sauerkraut has evaporated. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
In the same skillet over medium-high heat, quickly sear the corned beef. Do not leave it in the pan too long, or it will dry out.
For each sandwich:• Slather one side of each piece of rye bread with Russian (or Thousand Island) dressing.• Blanket each slathered bread side with Swiss cheese.• Add the warm, prepared sauerkraut on one side, and the seared corned beef to the other.• Put the two sides together.
Preheat an electric griddle to 300°F | 150°C, or heat a heavy skillet over medium-low. Evenly coat each outside sandwich face with a thin layer of butter.Place the assembled sandwich on the preheated griddle or skillet and cook for about 5 minutes per side.
Remove from heat and serve immediately, with a service cup of Russian dressing on the side.
Notes
We recommend using an electric griddle or skillet if you have one. Ruebens require a longer cooking time than many grilled sandwiches, so it is important to keep a close eye on the temperature. You can certainly make Ruebens in a regular skillet (and we have, many times) but an electric skillet definitely makes things easier.Nutritional facts were calculated using 3 tablespoons of prepared Russian dressing per sandwich.