Beer, beef and mustard….oh my!

I first had my first Reuben Sandwich in Times Square, New York and I would argue that if you haven’t yet experienced this then you haven’t fully experienced the Reuben. Since then I have had an unashamed love affair with this incredible piece of culinary amazement and as a result I have had my heart-broken on more than one occasion simply because I have not been able to replicate that initial experience anywhere back home……I think I need to go back to New York……..

So, earlier this year I made the monumental decision to set about making my own Reuben (so I could have it on tap) but as it was a few weeks after the Christmas period I thought that a slight alteration was needed, so instead of traditional salt or corned beef I plumped for Spiced and this is how ya do it……………

Get your hands on some good quality spiced beef – I get mine (and most of my meat) from my local craft Butchers – the legends at Fenelons won create this award winning spiced beef – lads you are in my dreams!

---

♠Spiced Beef Reuben♣

Prep time: 30 mins ♦  Cook Time: 30 mins ♦ Total time 1hr ♦ Serves 4

---

♣WHAT YOU NEED♥

4 thick slices of Sourdough (only use sourdough)

4 big tbs quality sauerkraut

4 thick slices off good French of Swiss cheese (Gruyère or Emmenthal)

Russian Dressing:

6 tbs mayo

3 tbs tomato ketchup

1 tbs hot horseradish sauce

1 tps brandy

♠HOW YOU DO IT♥

SO kick off by thinly slicing the spiced beef – go nuts here as you want a fat Reuben. Next get the Russian dressing together – combine the dressing ingredients and check it for you on tolerances. A good Russian dressing should be creamy, slightly tart and sweet and having a kick like mule, you NEED top quality horse radish for this!

Simply build your Reuben sandwich in the following layers:

Sourdough

Russian dressing

sauerkraut

Cheese

Spiced beef

sauerkraut

Cheese

Russian dressing

Sourdough

Assemble the sandwich and sling under a moderately hot grill – enough to toast but also to get the filling warmed and gooey…or if you have one slap it under a pannini press.

I suppose the point to this post is really more about the importance of terroir – whilst a Reuben made in your own kitchen is a gift from the Gods it’s a gift from Han Solo when you have it from the hand standing in the middle of Times Square……….