Hot & Cold Reubens

Reubens are one of my most favorite sandwiches EVER.  If you’re in the mood for something salty, toasty, crispy and slightly sweet, ya just can’t beat ’em.  I like to toast my reubens open-faced so I can see the cheese melt.  I also heat the meat directly in the pan, then assemble the sandwich when everything is all done- the kraut going on very last so it’s still cold when you sink your teeth into the sandwich.  I won’t eat my beloved reubens any other way!

I absolutely love to score a good bread on discount on the bakery rack.  I got a lovely, thin pumpernickel for $1.49 this week.  YEHAW!  My meat & cheese were also on sale so I was super happy about that. Being an adult is so boring.

 

 

Hot & Cold Reubens

Ingredients:

• Pumpernickel or rye bread (whatever you prefer)
• butter
• pastrami deli meat
• swiss cheese (I like to slice it off the block myself)
• COLD sauerkraut (always get your kraut from a jar or bag in the cold section. Warm kraut is yucky!)
• thousand island dressing (I make my own with equal parts mayo, ketchup + sweet relish)

Butter one side of 2 pieces of pumpernickel.  Put butter side down in pan and grill on medium-low heat.  Place slices of swiss on one piece of bread.  Places pastrami slices directly in pan; flip meat over several times.  While sandwich is heating up, take a nice handful of kraut and set on paper towels to drain (I also use this time to whip up a small batch of thousand island dressing).  When cheese is melted, bread toasted and meat heated thoroughly, set sandwich pieces on plate.  Spread dressing on plain piece of bread, then set meat on top.  Take small amount of kraut, squeeze last of juice from it and lay over swiss.  Put your sammie together and CHOW!

 

I wish my photography could do this sandwich justice.   These badboys were DIVINE.