How to make the best reuben sandwich using leftover corned beef

Leftover corned beef is what Reuben sandwich dreams are made of and this classic recipe won’t disappoint. Leftover corned beef brisket (we brined a Felton Angus Beef brisketusing Hey Grill Hey: Home Cured Corned Beef Recipe...it was amazing), Swiss cheese, rye bread, sauerkraut and homemade Russian dressing come together in a quick, easy and delicious hot sandwich. It is so good you’ll want to make Reuben sandwiches year round with corned beef or sliced pastrami! No joke, this is the best Reuben sandwich you’ll ever eat.

This Reuben Sandwich is one of our all-time ranch kitchen favorites — and it’s earned its place as a Personal Rancher classic. Made with leftover ranch-raised corned beef, melted Swiss, and buttery rye, it’s the kind of comfort food that started it all. This recipe was originally featured alongside HeyGrillHey’s homemade corned beef, creating the perfect full-circle meal: cure it, slice it, and grill it up ranch-style.

Level: Easy    Serves: 2 to 4     Total: 15 minutes    Prep: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

The Sandwich

• 8 slices of Rye Bread
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• ¼ cup Russian dressing
• 8 slices Swiss cheese
• 2 lbs. corned beef
• 1 cup sauerkraut

Homemade Russian Dressing

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 3 Tablespoons ketchup
• 2 Tablespoons prepared horseradish
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• 1-2 teaspoons Franks RedHot Sauce
• Salt & Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Russian dressing can be prepared in advance. In a medium bowl, stir to combine mayo, ketchup, horseradish, Worcestershire, sugar and paprika. Add hot sauce to taste. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Lay out slices of bread on a large baking sheet. Butter one side of each slice.
3. Flip all slices over. Spread Russian dressing on each slice.
4. On half of the bread slices, build your sandwich: Cheese + Corned Beef + Sauerkraut
5. Top each sandwich with remaining bread slices dressing side down.
6. Heat a cast iron pan or griddle to medium heat.
7. Cook each sandwich until golden and cheese is melted, 3-4 minutes per side.
8. Slice and Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD AND PRINT RECIPE (PDF)

TIPS:

• Make the Russian dressing in advance for easy meal prep.
• Spice it up to your taste with Frank’s RedHot Sauce. It will change your opinion of Russian dressing forever.
• No corned beef? Substitute with sliced deli corned beef or pastrami.
• Rye bread can pack a punch. The country rye is milder in flavor for kid-friendly sandwiches.
• Finicky eaters? Build them a Reuben with their favorite bread, cheese, and corned beef, but no sauerkraut.
• Dairy Free: Sub mayo for butter on bread slices and no cheese.
• Make sandwiches one at a time on the stove top or all at once with a griddle or flat top grill.