The Reuben

The Reuben was created in New York City in 1914 by Arnold Reuben and was recently named the hottest food item in Sydney for 2011.  Made with prime Wagyu salt beef, served on hand sliced freshly baked rye, Swiss cheese, homemade dill pickles, sauerkraut & mild mustard mayo. According to Craig Claiborne in The New York Times Food Encyclopedia: Late one evening a leading lady of actor Charlie Chaplin came into the restaurant and said, ‘Reuben, make me a sandwich, make it a combination, I’m so hungry I could eat a brick.’ He took a loaf of rye bread, cut two slices on the bias and stacked one piece with sliced Virginia ham, roast turkey, and imported Swiss cheese, topped off with coleslaw and lots of Reuben’s special Russian dressing and the second slice of bread. He served it to the lady who said, ‘Gee, Reuben, this is the best sandwich I ever ate, you ought to call it an Annette Seelos Special.’ To which he replied, ‘Like hell I will, I’ll call it a Reuben’s Special.’

Inroduction

About this Recipe

By: Sheridan Rogers

The Reuben was created in New York City in 1914 by Arnold Reuben and was recently named the hottest food item in Sydney for 2011.  Made with prime Wagyu salt beef, served on hand sliced freshly baked rye, Swiss cheese, homemade dill pickles, sauerkraut & mild mustard mayo. According to Craig Claiborne in The New York Times Food Encyclopedia: Late one evening a leading lady of actor Charlie Chaplin came into the restaurant and said, ‘Reuben, make me a sandwich, make it a combination, I’m so hungry I could eat a brick.’ He took a loaf of rye bread, cut two slices on the bias and stacked one piece with sliced Virginia ham, roast turkey, and imported Swiss cheese, topped off with coleslaw and lots of Reuben’s special Russian dressing and the second slice of bread. He served it to the lady who said, ‘Gee, Reuben, this is the best sandwich I ever ate, you ought to call it an Annette Seelos Special.’ To which he replied, ‘Like hell I will, I’ll call it a Reuben’s Special.’

Ingredients

  • wagyu silverside salt beef cooked for 5 hours until tender and kept hot
  • light rye bread freshly sliced
  • Swiss cheese sliced
  • homemade sauerkraut (pickled cabbage)
  • freshly made dill pickles
  • mustard mild or hot

This is how Sydney chef Michael Moore makes his Reuben sandwich which you’ll find at Reuben & Moore on Level 5 of the Westfield Food Court in the Sydney CBD: Take a slice of the bread, place a slice of Swiss cheese on top (I  do not toast the bread). Place the hot sliced salt beef on top. Add homemade sauerkraut pickled cabbage Add sliced freshly made dill pickles. Drizzle with a blend of mild and hot mustard mixed with my 80 year old spiced vinegar recipe. Place the second slice on and serve. Reuben & Moore also serve the cold Rachel Reuben which is made with Russian dressing (coleslaw) pickles cheese and homemade brined, rubbed, smoked and slow roasted wagyu pastrami (this is unreal) – and the  Georgia Reuben which is made with shaved turkey.