Campfire Reuben Sandwich
I love camping. Getting away from the noise and enjoying nature is wonderful. I'm not a hardcore camper, and I doubt I ever will be. Unless I'm on a competitive show...then maybe. As long as I have a nice bathroom and shower, the rest can be as rustic as possible. This June, a few friends and I went to Starved Rock, Illinois for a weekend. While our two friends were seasoned campers, my girlfriend and I needed to ease into it. Instead of a traditional tent, we chose Getaway. Getaway offers tiny cabins on campsites across the US. They are always a reasonable distance from the main city and close to nature's main attractions. Each cabin includes a private bathroom, our own campfire, indoor burner stove, chairs, picnic tables, and queen-size bunk beds. Kroger was less than three minutes away, so if we forgot something, we could make a quick trip to the grocery store. Everyone was responsible for bringing their own dish, and with extra sauerkraut needing to be used up, I decided to make a Campfire Reuben Sandwich.
What is a Reuben Sandwich?
A Reuben sandwich is a North American grilled sandwich traditionally composed of corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing or Thousand Island dressing, grilled between slices of rye bread. It's associated with kosher-style delicatessens but is not actually kosher due to its combination of meat and cheese
Ingredients and Origin
The sandwich typically includes thinly sliced corned beef, sauerkraut, and thousand island dressing, giving it a unique blend of tart tastes and spices. I like Russian Dressing as it's has horseradish, providing a slight kick.
- Corned Beef - I used Vienna Corned Beef. I wouldn't recommend any other brand. If you want to explore making your own, try "How To Make Corned Beef" from www.keviniscooking.com.
- Sauerkraut - Use fresh from a bag or Jarred but not canned. Canned sauerkraut is good for soup or used in small amounts, but will not deliver the best on a Reuben.
- Dressing - you can also buy dressing or sub with Thousand Island dressing.
- Bread - Any bread you love you can use. We used Sourdough, but a true Reuben calls for Rye.
- Cheese - You can also replace the cheese with any of your liking.
The origins of the Reuben sandwich are subject to debate, with various claims attributing its creation to different individuals and locations, including Omaha, Nebraska, and New York City.
Historical Significance
While its true origin remains a point of contention, the Reuben sandwich is believed to have emerged around 1914, with its creation often associated with a New York delicatessen owner.
The sandwich holds significance as a classic Midwestern American creation with a rich history, contributing to its enduring popularity and cultural associations.
For a more detailed account of the Reuben sandwich's history and the various claims surrounding its invention, you can refer to the provided [2] and [3] sources.
Campfire Reuben Sandwich
There are multiple ways to make a reuben. Panini press and warmed in the oven being the most commonly used methods in my quick research on google. Campfire Reuben uses the heat directly from the campfire to each component of the sandwich. This method provides a little more steps but produce just as good or even better results.
A delicious twist on the classic Reuben sandwich, made with corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing, and grilled to perfection.
- 1 tablespoon (8 grams) Onion, finely minced
- 1 cup (203 grams) Mayonnaise
- 1.5 tablespoon (21 grams) Ketchup
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) Horseradish, prepared
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) Worcesterire sauce
- 1 teaspoons Hot Sauce (Franks or Sriracha style)
- 1/2 teaspoons Paprika, ground, hungarian (can use smoked paprika)
- 1/2 teaspoons Salt, kosher, fine grind (to taste)
- 3 tablespoon (42 grams) Butter, Salted
- 4 Slices (172 grams) Rye Bread, large slices (I used sourdough instead)
- 1 cup (236 grams) Sauerkraut, drained
- 1 pound (454 grams) Corned Beef, medium sliced (1/8th-3/16th inches)
- 4 slices (72 grams) Swiss Cheese, slices
- Mix Ingredients
- In a small bowl, combine the onion, mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, paprika, and salt.
- Refrigerate
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Build and Light the Fire
- Build a wood campfire and let it burn until you have a bed of hot coals. Arrange the coals to provide even heat under the grill grate.
Keep a bucket of water or fire extinguisher nearby. Use fireproof gloves for handling hot equipment. Never leave the grill unattended - Toast Bread
- Butter one side of each slice of rye bread.
- Toast the bread by laying each slice, butter side down, on a grill grate or cast iron pan.
- Once the bread is golden brown, set aside.
make sure to use a large enough cast iron grill or pan to fit the entire bread without slicing bread. - Saute Sauerkraut
- In a cast iron grill, melt 1 tablespoon (14g) of butter over medium heat until it starts to foam.
- Add the sauerkraut and cook, occasionally stirring, for about 5 minutes until any excess liquid evaporates and the sauerkraut is heated through and glossy.
- Keep warm and set aside.
- Warm Corned Beef
- In a cast iron grill, melt 1 tablespoon (14g) of butter over medium heat until it starts to foam.
- Add the corned beef and cook, occasionally stirring, for about 5 minutes, until warm throughout.
Heat meat to 165F. Be sure not to overcook. - Melt Cheese
- Once the corned beef is warmed, divide it into four equal portions.
- Place a slice of cheese on top of each portion.
- Cover with aluminum foil and let it sit until the cheese is mostly melted.
- Assemble Sandwich
- On the untoasted side of one slice, spread a generous layer of Russian dressing.
- On the other untoasted side of one slice, add the corned beef with melted cheese.
- Spoon the drained sauerkraut evenly over the corned beef.
- Place the second slice of rye bread on top, buttered side out.
- Slice and Enjoy
- Subsitutions - If you never tried a Reuben before I recommend staying true to its traditional form as possible. Then you can change as much as you want to meet your liking. Stray too much, be sure not to advertise it as a Rueben sandwich. This will leave a lot of people very disappointed.
- Panini Method - Assemble the sandwich as instructed in step 13. Toast the sandwich in a Panini press until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- Oven Method - Assemble the sandwich as instructed in step 13, but leave the top bread off of the assembly. Place the assembled opened sandwich and top bread on the baking sheet. Toast the sandwich in the oven at 400F until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
I’m a Food Writer and Food Scientist based out of Chicago, IL. I focus on Recipe Writing, Food Journalism, and the science of cooking. I aspire to be a renowned author one day!