The Diaspora Pub Reuben
The Emigrant's Table: Diaspora Feasts and Gatherings
Toss a heap of deli corned beef into a hot cast-iron skillet, let the meat crisp while the butter foams on the griddle, and wring your sauerkraut dry without mercy. This sandwich is a beautiful bastardization—a triumph of the Irish-American diaspora, born when immigrant families traded expensive boiling bacon for their Jewish neighbors' kosher corned beef. Press the top crust down with a heavy spatula, let the cheddar bleed, and eat it immediately.
Before you start
Soften the butter.
Leave the butter out on the counter well in advance so it spreads smoothly without tearing the dense bread.
Ingredients
- brown Irish soda bread4 slices
- deli corned beef1/2 lb
- aged Irish white cheddar4 slices
- sauerkraut1/2 cup
- salted Irish butter3 tbsp
- mayonnaise1/4 cup
- ketchup2 tbsp
- sweet pickle relish1 tbsp
- prepared horseradish1 tsp
- Worcestershire sauce1 dash
Method
- 01
Mix the pub sauce.
Whisk the mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, horseradish, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl until fully combined.
- 02
Wring the sauerkraut bone dry.
Place the kraut in a fine mesh sieve or wrap it in paper towels, and squeeze mercilessly over the sink. A wet kraut will instantly turn your bread to mush.
- 03
Wake up the beef.
Place the sliced corned beef in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for one to two minutes, just enough to take the refrigerator chill off and wake up the fats.
- 04
Butter the exterior of the bread.
Lay the four slices of soda bread on a board and generously butter one side of each slice, then flip all four slices so the buttered sides are facing down.
- 05
Build the architecture.
Construct the sandwich on the un-buttered sides by layering a slice of cheddar, a generous smear of pub sauce, the warm beef, the dry kraut, and another slice of cheddar, before topping with the second slice of bread, buttered-side up. The cheese acts as a waterproof barrier to protect the crumb from the sauce.
- 06
Griddle under cover.
Place the assembled sandwiches in a large skillet over medium heat and cover with a lid for three minutes to trap ambient heat, ensuring the dense cheese melts before the bread burns.
- 07
Flip and finish.
Remove the lid, check for a deep golden crust, and gently press down with a spatula to glue the sandwich together. Confidently flip and cook uncovered for three to four more minutes until perfectly toasted.
Notes
Sourcing the bread.
If you don't have time to bake a quick, yeast-free loaf of traditional soda bread, buy a dense, high-quality bakery marble rye. Avoid flimsy pre-packaged sandwich bread at all costs.
From Cook Irish-American Food.