I just saw a segment about reubens ... originally
invented at the Reuben's deli. By Arnold Reuben
himself. Big slab of rye toast, topped with
a bunch of corned beef, then with a bunch of
sauerkraut, then a bunch of swiss cheese, all of
which went under the broiler to melt.

What's missing? No top piece of rye bread.
Open faced.

(evil laugh) nancy

Nancy Young wrote:
> I just saw a segment about reubens ... originally
> invented at the Reuben's deli. By Arnold Reuben
> himself. Big slab of rye toast, topped with
> a bunch of corned beef, then with a bunch of
> sauerkraut, then a bunch of swiss cheese, all of
> which went under the broiler to melt.
>
> What's missing? No top piece of rye bread.
> Open faced.
>
> (evil laugh) nancy

Mustard is missing.

Sheldon

Nancy Young wrote:

> I just saw a segment about reubens ... originally
> invented at the Reuben's deli. By Arnold Reuben
> himself. Big slab of rye toast, topped with
> a bunch of corned beef, then with a bunch of
> sauerkraut, then a bunch of swiss cheese, all of
> which went under the broiler to melt.
>
> What's missing? No top piece of rye bread.
> Open faced.
>
> (evil laugh) nancy

I will join you in that evil laugh, mainly because I haven't done that
in a while and it feels good now and again.

The birth of the Reuben is disputed, like almost everything else in
culinaria. Several stories, each with no more, no less evidence than the
others, attribute it to different original locations and formulations.

Variables include open-faced vs. closed. Russian dressing or Thousand
Island dressing or mustard (but only rarely). Grilled bread rather than
toasted. The order of assembly of ingredients (contrasting with the
above) - from the bottom up, if closed: buttered bread, dressing,
cheese, meat (after "frizzling" it on the griddle), sauerkraut (after
squeezing out the juice and heating on the griddle), meat, cheese,
dressing, bread.

I've had them open and closed and I like the closed better. But there's
no good culinary reason for one to be considered better than any other.
All a matter of taste, IMO.

Pastorio

I lived in the south for half my life, and most restaurants down there
put mustard on your Reuben; I prefer the spicy brown if I have it this
way. Most places in the north seem to prefer Thousand Island, which is
my favorite condiment and I like it on the side for dipping the
sandwich into. I never cared for Catalina or Red Russian dressing.
But I don't eat Reubens out very often, I much prefer to make them at
home. My main problem with a Reuben in most restaurants is that I
prefer the kraut to be cooked completely before it is put on the
sandwich instead of the kraut being removed from a can or bag and being
heated on a skillet or in the microwave and then thrown on the
sandwich. Most places other than German Restaurants don't let the
kraut simmer for a couple hours and break down somewhat before using it
for a Reuben.

When I make a Reuben at home, I go Rye - swiss, cook two of them open
faced at a low temp in some butter until golden brown and cheese is
melted on top, then warm up the corned beef on the skillet, and once
hot topping each sandwich with some corned beef, then put the hot
well-drained kraut on top of one half, then flip the half without the
Kraut onto the half with the kraut. I never warm the kraut on the
skillet but make sure it goes on the sandwich dry. I don't add the
condiment to the sandwich, but use it for dipping.

I was in Indianapolis in June, and on the advice of locals had a Reuben
at Shapiro's Deli. It was the best Reuben I've had since the Zotis
Restaurant in Pittsburgh in the late 1970's, but at 9.45 I felt the
Shapiro Reuben was a little pricey.

On 6 Aug 2005 20:59:18 -0700, wrote:

> It was the best Reuben I've had since the Zotis
> Restaurant in Pittsburgh in the late 1970's, but at 9.45 I felt the
> Shapiro Reuben was a little pricey.

Considering the size of a typical Ruben, it's probably a fair price
for this day and age.

In article >,
sf > wrote:

> On 6 Aug 2005 20:59:18 -0700, wrote:
>
> > It was the best Reuben I've had since the Zotis
> > Restaurant in Pittsburgh in the late 1970's, but at 9.45 I felt the
> > Shapiro Reuben was a little pricey.
>
> Considering the size of a typical Ruben, it's probably a fair price
> for this day and age.

But that was in the late 70s, he said. That was a lot for a sandwich
even just 10 years ago, let alone 30.

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

My $.02: I prefer pumpernickel. Mustard verboten - 1000 Island only.

Ranee Mueller wrote:
> In article >,
> sf > wrote:
>
> > On 6 Aug 2005 20:59:18 -0700, wrote:
> >
> > > It was the best Reuben I've had since the Zotis
> > > Restaurant in Pittsburgh in the late 1970's, but at 9.45 I felt the
> > > Shapiro Reuben was a little pricey.
> >
> > Considering the size of a typical Ruben, it's probably a fair price
> > for this day and age.
>
> But that was in the late 70s, he said. That was a lot for a sandwich
> even just 10 years ago, let alone 30.

It was at Shapiro's Deli in Indianapolis back in June where I paid 9.45
for a Reuben. The last time I ate at Zotis Restaurant, I think it was
about five bucks for a Reuben.

" > wrote in
ups.com:

>
> Ranee Mueller wrote:
>> In article >,
>> sf > wrote:
>>
>> > On 6 Aug 2005 20:59:18 -0700, wrote:
>> >
>> > > It was the best Reuben I've had since the Zotis
>> > > Restaurant in Pittsburgh in the late 1970's, but at 9.45 I felt
the
>> > > Shapiro Reuben was a little pricey.
>> >
>> > Considering the size of a typical Ruben, it's probably a fair price
>> > for this day and age.
>>
>> But that was in the late 70s, he said. That was a lot for a
sandwich
>> even just 10 years ago, let alone 30.
>
> It was at Shapiro's Deli in Indianapolis back in June where I paid
9.45
> for a Reuben. The last time I ate at Zotis Restaurant, I think it was
> about five bucks for a Reuben.


Thanks for waking up a memory!

Since I don't have a source of corned beef, can anybody comment on a
supply? I looked at omahasteaks.com and they have a cooked corned beef
brisket. I just don't have a meat slicer to make micro-thin slices.

I'll make the Reubens using:

http://brunch.allrecipes.com/az/ThRlRbn.asp but with Russian dressing.

Thanks,

Andy

> >> > > It was the best Reuben I've had since the Zotis
> >> > > Restaurant in Pittsburgh in the late 1970's, but at 9.45 I felt
> the
> >> > > Shapiro Reuben was a little pricey.
> >> >
> >> > Considering the size of a typical Ruben, it's probably a fair price
> >> > for this day and age.
> >>
> >> But that was in the late 70s, he said. That was a lot for a
> sandwich
> >> even just 10 years ago, let alone 30.
> >
> > It was at Shapiro's Deli in Indianapolis back in June where I paid
> 9.45
> > for a Reuben. The last time I ate at Zotis Restaurant, I think it was
> > about five bucks for a Reuben.
>
>
> Thanks for waking up a memory!

Have you eaten at Zotis?
>
> Since I don't have a source of corned beef, can anybody comment on a
> supply? I looked at omahasteaks.com and they have a cooked corned beef
> brisket. I just don't have a meat slicer to make micro-thin slices.

And I have a meat slicer but no corned beef brisket. Life can be
unfair.

>
> I'll make the Reubens using:
>
> http://brunch.allrecipes.com/az/ThRlRbn.asp but with Russian dressing.

I wouldn't broil it; I think Reubens are much better cooked in a little
butter until the bread gets golden brown.

All this talk of Reubens is making me hungry for them; this weekend
I'll be making them. I make them about once a year (for 3 or 4 nights
in a row; I have to use the entire loaf of rye.) This time I may
experiment a little. Two of my favorite sandwiches are the Reuben and
Monte Cristo, and I've always wondered how it would taste if you dipped
a Reuben into egg batter and cook it like a Monte Cristo. I'll pass on
the powdered sugar and raspberry jelly for some 1000 Island or Heinz
Spicy Brown Mustard on the side.

" > wrote in
ups.com:

>
>> >> > > It was the best Reuben I've had since the Zotis
>> >> > > Restaurant in Pittsburgh in the late 1970's, but at 9.45 I
felt
>> the
>> >> > > Shapiro Reuben was a little pricey.
>> >> >
>> >> > Considering the size of a typical Ruben, it's probably a fair
price
>> >> > for this day and age.
>> >>
>> >> But that was in the late 70s, he said. That was a lot for a
>> sandwich
>> >> even just 10 years ago, let alone 30.
>> >
>> > It was at Shapiro's Deli in Indianapolis back in June where I paid
>> 9.45
>> > for a Reuben. The last time I ate at Zotis Restaurant, I think it
was
>> > about five bucks for a Reuben.
>>
>>
>> Thanks for waking up a memory!
>
> Have you eaten at Zotis?
>>
>> Since I don't have a source of corned beef, can anybody comment on a
>> supply? I looked at omahasteaks.com and they have a cooked corned
beef
>> brisket. I just don't have a meat slicer to make micro-thin slices.
>
> And I have a meat slicer but no corned beef brisket. Life can be
> unfair.
>
>>
>> I'll make the Reubens using:
>>
>> http://brunch.allrecipes.com/az/ThRlRbn.asp but with Russian
dressing.
>
> I wouldn't broil it; I think Reubens are much better cooked in a
little
> butter until the bread gets golden brown.
>
> All this talk of Reubens is making me hungry for them; this weekend
> I'll be making them. I make them about once a year (for 3 or 4 nights
> in a row; I have to use the entire loaf of rye.) This time I may
> experiment a little. Two of my favorite sandwiches are the Reuben and
> Monte Cristo, and I've always wondered how it would taste if you
dipped
> a Reuben into egg batter and cook it like a Monte Cristo. I'll pass
on
> the powdered sugar and raspberry jelly for some 1000 Island or Heinz
> Spicy Brown Mustard on the side.


Good post. Food for thought! Let us know if a Monte Reuben works.

The last time I had a reuben was maybe 1985 at the Golden Nugget in
downtown Las Vegas, of all places! It was AWESOME!

Good luck with YOUR reubens!

All the best,

Andy

wrote:
>
> I was in Indianapolis in June, and on the advice of locals had a Reuben
> at Shapiro's Deli. It was the best Reuben I've had since the Zotis
> Restaurant in Pittsburgh in the late 1970's, but at 9.45 I felt the
> Shapiro Reuben was a little pricey.

You can't get a bad sandwich at Shapiro's. And their fresh Carrot Cake
and Harvest Cake are to-die-for.

-L.

wrote:
>
> I was in Indianapolis in June, and on the advice of locals had a Reuben
> at Shapiro's Deli. It was the best Reuben I've had since the Zotis
> Restaurant in Pittsburgh in the late 1970's, but at 9.45 I felt the
> Shapiro Reuben was a little pricey.

You can't get a bad sandwich at Shapiro's. And their fresh Carrot Cake
and Harvest Cake are to-die-for.

-L.

> > All this talk of Reubens is making me hungry for them; this weekend
> > I'll be making them. I make them about once a year (for 3 or 4 nights
> > in a row; I have to use the entire loaf of rye.) This time I may
> > experiment a little. Two of my favorite sandwiches are the Reuben and
> > Monte Cristo, and I've always wondered how it would taste if you
> dipped
> > a Reuben into egg batter and cook it like a Monte Cristo. I'll pass
> on
> > the powdered sugar and raspberry jelly for some 1000 Island or Heinz
> > Spicy Brown Mustard on the side.
>
>
> Good post. Food for thought! Let us know if a Monte Reuben works.
>
> The last time I had a reuben was maybe 1985 at the Golden Nugget in
> downtown Las Vegas, of all places! It was AWESOME!
>
> Good luck with YOUR reubens!

I tried Monte Reubens the last two nights, and found the egg battering
didn't add much to the Reuben and wasn't worth the effort. Last night
I just did the egg dip on the side of bread which would come into
contact with the heat as one would make the Monte Cristo, and while the
sandwich was good it wasn't anything special. This evening, I dipped
both sides of the bread in the batter a la French toast, and when the
one side was cooked I flipped it and added the swiss and warm corned
beef to the freshly cooked sides. I liked it better with both sides of
the bread battered and cooked, but it really didn't change the
sandwich; I think it made the sandwich seem too rich. I have enough
corned beef for a Reuben sandwich each of the next two nights, and
those I will make them the traditional way without the egg batter. A
Monte Reuben sounded like a good idea at the time.

wrote:
> It was at Shapiro's Deli in Indianapolis back in June where I paid 9.45
> for a Reuben. The last time I ate at Zotis Restaurant, I think it was
> about five bucks for a Reuben.

Yeah, the price at Shapiros is high...but I can get 2 full meals out of
one of theirs!

LOL - the first year I was back in Indy, my father and his wife took me
out to dinner for Christmas. We went to Shapiros, and my father - who
had just given me a $200 Kroger gift card for a present, saying he was
worried that I wasn't eating enough - was adamant that I only get a
half-sandwich because they're so big. I guess he was afraid I'd
"waste" the other half by eating it for lunch the next day!

Then again, my father's always been a little weird...

Lisa Ann