Description
Classic Barefoot Contessa Reuben sandwich combines corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing on toasted rye bread. Ina Garten’s signature recipe promises a delicious twist on the traditional deli favorite you will savor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 slices rye bread
- 8 slices Swiss cheese
- 8 slices deli sliced corned beef
- 1 cup / 240 ml sauerkraut (drained)
- ½ cup / 120 ml thousand island dressing
- 2 tbsps / 30 ml butter (softened)
Instructions
- Dressing Preparation: Generously coat one rye bread slice with thousand island dressing, ensuring complete edge-to-edge coverage.
- Meat and Cheese Layer: Arrange corned beef in overlapping folds, then distribute shredded Swiss cheese evenly, allowing cheese to melt and blend with meat during grilling.
- Sauerkraut Integration: Spread tangy sauerkraut uniformly across the cheese layer, creating a robust flavor foundation.
- Butter Application: Softly spread room temperature butter on both exterior bread surfaces using a silicone spatula.
- Grilling Process: Position sandwich butter-side down in a preheated cast-iron skillet or non-stick griddle at medium heat (350°F/175°C), gently pressing with a spatula to ensure consistent contact and promote even browning.
- First Side Cooking: Grill for 3-4 minutes until bread turns golden-brown and crispy, with cheese beginning to melt, then carefully flip the sandwich.
- Final Grilling: Continue cooking for an additional 3-4 minutes until the second side achieves similar golden-brown coloration and internal ingredients are thoroughly heated.
Notes
- Butter Temperature Matters: Use room temperature butter for smooth, even spreading that ensures a perfectly crispy, golden-brown exterior without tearing the bread.
- Cheese Melting Technique: Sprinkle Swiss cheese evenly to guarantee complete melting and maximum flavor integration with the corned beef.
- Heat Control is Critical: Maintain medium heat (350°F/175°C) to achieve ideal browning without burning the bread or overcooking the sandwich ingredients.
- Press for Perfection: Gently press the sandwich during grilling to create uniform contact, promoting even heating and a crisp, golden crust.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 635
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 1500 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg