Nothing goes with green beer like corned beef. And while corned beef is fine on its own, the Reuben is really our salt-cured beef vessel of choice. Even if you go with pastrami and coleslaw instead of corned beef and sauerkraut (technically a “Rachel,” but we’ll let that slide), you’ll be downing something at the pinnacle of sandwich mastery. And if you want the best of the best, consider following one of these recipes that get our tasted stamp of approval.
The Ultimate Spicy Reuben Sandwich
There’s nothing we’d change about the traditional Reuben. That said, if there was one thing we’ve always thought might work well, it’s some added heat. Anna from Crunch Creamy Sweet seems to agree. Her Ultimate Spicy Reuben Sandwich gets a kick from a homemade sauce of mayo, jalapenos, and chili pepper spread. Top it all off with an olive for extra taste bud intrigue. Recipe
Reuben Pull Bread
Here you have most of the classic Reuben ingredients in a more snack-friendly option. Say you’re having guests in green over for a few pints, we’d recommend making one or two of these bad boys. Recipe
Chow’s Reuben Sandwich
Before we delve into anything crazy and innovative, let’s begin with the classic. This one just happens to be the best we’ve ever made. There’s nothing difficult about it, you don’t have to whip up your own Thousand Island dressing or bake the perfect loaf of rye, you just need to buy quality ingredients and assemble it. For all the innovative techniques and unique additions in the world, nothing touches this original. Recipe
Reuben Arancini
Think of these as bite-size, portable Reubens. Arancini is an Italian fried rice ball dish, and here the idea takes on a bit of Americana. Included in the poppers are corned beef, sauerkraut, cornichons, and more. Serve them up with the homemade Russian dressing on the side and try not to eat a billion. Recipe
Reuben Breakfast Sandwich on Pumpernickel English Muffins
The Reuben is one of a few sandwiches perfectly suited for early morning feasts. Simply toss an egg or two on one and you have the perfect breakfast sandwich. This recipe calls for pastrami but keeps the sauerkraut and other fixings. And if you’re daring enough, you can try your hand at the muffins to take the recipe to another level. Hey, drinking starts early on St. Patrick’s Day, your stomach is gonna need something else in it. Recipe
Reuben Pretzel Pockets
Consider these Hot Pockets for grown men. Work with some pretzel dough and fold in pastrami, sauerkraut, cheese, and Thousand Island dressing, and have yourself a portable Reuben that doesn’t need to cook in a little sleeve. Dust it with some salt and enjoy. Recipe
Sous Vide Corned Beef Reuben
The precise low and slow cooking of sous vide can turn any chunk of meet into something mind-blowingly tender. Why not introduce the method to your next Reuben? Assuming you have the water bath and other equipment needed, you can take that brisket and transform it into the juiciest corned beef you’ve ever tasted. If you consider the perfect Reuben a work of art worthy of some time, this is something we’d recommend trying. Recipe
Reuben Potato Skins
Our favorite TGI Fridays appetizer has been Reuben-ified. Let’s say you have some green-clad guests coming over to partake in a few pints of Guinness and a shot or two of Jameson, you’ll need food for everyone, right? Passing out Reuben sandwiches is messy and odd so go with a platter or 10 of these instead. Recipe
Smashed Reuben Burger
Yes, the corned beef is usually the star of the Reuben, and yes, substituting it for anything but pastrami seems blasphemous, but we’re making an exception here. These “Reuben” burgers are killer. Hell, top them with a slice of corned beef if you want, it’s not like it will make them worse. Recipe
Ragin’ Reuben Sandwich
This is a version of a West Coast Reuben where the Thousand Island dressing has been swapped out for mustard. While we normally demand that dressing, after testing this out we can safely say we’re fans. Recipe
