Every once in a while I just crave a reuben sandwich…a good reuben sandwich. They are hard to come by you know. I’ve been reluctant to make them because Zach absolutely hates sauerkraut. I know, I know, the list of foods he doesn’t like just keeps growing. I do kind of understand his hate for sauerkraut. It’s kind of an acquired taste, and it took me quite a few years to develop a love for it. I think it was all of those years of my mom and dad insisting I eat it on New Years for good luck and prosperity. Is this a tradition in anyone else’s household? Well, it was in mine. Anyway, this is not the point. What I’m TRYING to get at, is that I had yet to come up with a reuben-style recipe that Zach would enjoy just as much as I would…until now that is. I decided to skip the sauerkraut all together in this reuben sandwich. I’m sorry if this offends anyone. I truly understand if it does. Instead of the traditional cabbage, I decided to go with a slaw…an apple slaw with a honey and poppyseed dressing. It was perfection. This sandwich was perfection. The beer we paired it with was perfection. I almost forgot the absence of sauerkraut! Almost.
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Besides the actual curing of the meat and the making of the cheese, this recipe is a great homemade lunch/dinner idea. In the recipe below, I provided a recipe for a homemade version of Russian (or Thousand Island) dressing. This, like most other salad dressings, is so incredibly easy to make. It will store in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. If you’ve never given homemade dressings a try, I suggest you do. You will save a ton of money and it will taste a lot better too =).
Oh and try this homemade sandwich bread on for size. It is the absolute perfect bread for this recipe. Country White Bread with Oats and Honey
It has the perfect amount of sweetness to tone down the acidity in the sandwich.
I really thought that a sour was the only way to go with for this beer pairing, and The Bruery makes a great one. Actually they make several great ones, but for today’s pairing we are going with Sour in the Rye..well…because it’s fantastic that’s why. Sour in the Rye is just one of those beers that you wait for. It’s distributed annually and it’s availability is usually pretty limited, but when you can get your hands on one, please do so. It’s oaky, sour goodness is perfect with this sandwich because the sandwich is just a tad sour as well. You would think it would be a little too much, but it’s not at all. They really compliment each other and make for the perfect beer pairing.
Well it’s Friday. You did it. Congratulations. You should be proud. I hope everyone is staying out of the heat this weekend. If you live in the West/Southwest, you are in for a crazy couple of days. Have a great weekend everyone!
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Reuben club sandwiches with apple slaw may not be exactly what you are used to, but they are delicious and packed full of flavor and texture!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup chile sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 2 dashes worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon yellow onion, finely minced
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 head red cabbage, julienned
- 1/2 head green cabbage, julienned
- 4 carrots, julienned
- 3 gala apples, peeled and julienned
- 24 slices of sandwich bread
- 2 pounds pastrami, deli-style and sliced (or corned beef)
- 1 1/2 pounds baby swiss cheese
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- In another small bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, mayonnaise, sour cream, dijon mustard, poppy seeds, honey, salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss together the cabbages, carrots and apple. Drizzle the dressing onto the veggies and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use.
- Now you will assemble your sandwiches. Starting with one slice of bread, lay a slice of swiss cheese and top with the pastrami. On a second slice of bread, spread the dressing onto both sides and lay on top of the pastrami. Top the second slice of bread with another slice of swiss cheese and then top with the apple slaw. Spread the dressing onto one side of the third slice of bread and lay on top of the slaw (dressing side down). Cut in half and serve.
- *This can also be served toasted. Just toast the bread ahead of time and follow the same instructions for assembly.
Notes
Hardware: * Cutting Board * Sharp Knife * Small Bowls * Whisk * Large Bowl * Airtight Containers * Rubber Spatula * Measuring Cups * Measuring Spoons *
