In this installment
Corned Beef Reuben Sandwich Recipe
Zingerman’s First Cut Lean Corned Beef
Jewish Rye Bread
Sandwich fixings
Brownie Bites
Corned Beef Reuben Sandwich Recipe
This is it. The sandwich that built a (small) speciality food empire in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It all started on March 15th, 1982 and ever since that first day the Reuben has been our most popular sandwich. It may be listed as the #2 on the menu board, but it’s #1 in the hearts of deli fans everywhere.
- Place the naked loaf in the middle of a 350℉ oven for 15 minutes.
- Take the meat out of its pouch and portion what you’re going to use. At Zingerman’s it’s 4 ounces per nosher-sized sandwich, so you can make four sandwiches with all your ingredients.
- Lay the meat in a pile on the aluminum foil. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water on top then fold the foil closed. Place in the oven alongside the bread to steam for 10 minutes.
- Take the loaf out of the oven. Careful—it’s hot! Grip the “twice baked” loaf with a towel in your hand. Roll the loaf up on its side. Cut one inch slices at a 30 degree angle. Protractor not required.
- Slather Russian dressing on each slice of bread. Don’t skimp, make it thick! Place one slice Emmentaler Swiss in the middle and close the sandwich.
- Warm empty skillet on medium heat. Brush the outsides of the sandwich with a tablespoon of olive oil or butter. Grill each side for 2-3 minutes until browned to your liking, the cheese just melting. Remove from skillet.
- Open sandwich. Place 2 overflowing tablespoons of sauerkraut on top of the Emmentaler Swiss. Heap the steaming meat in folds on the other half. Close sandwich.
- Cut sandwich in half. Like Cary Grant, we prefer to cut it with a bread knife at a North by Northwest angle, the blade running from 10 o’clock to 4 o’clock. Serve and enjoy!
Zingerman’s First Cut Lean Corned Beef
The foundation of Zingerman’s Deli. Every week we sell thousands of pounds of our corned beef, much of it piled high on Zingerman’s Jewish Rye bread and nearly as much sliced up for our customers to take home and have for dinner.
The recipe hasn’t changed since we first opened our doors back in 1982. It still tastes as rich and savory and clean and bright and complex as it was more than forty years ago.
Wondering how corned beef from the Midwest stacks up next to the deli centers of the east? Years ago we slipped a pound of our corned beef into a blind, all New York City corned beef tasting held by Slow Food. The result was happily surprising—we were voted the best and we’ve been riding on those accolades for more decades.
Jewish Rye Bread
Traditional Jewish Rye Bread is an endangered species these days. We’re one of the last folks baking the real deal in America. This is rye like my grandparents ate in Eastern Europe, made with plenty of freshly milled rye flour (believe it or not, most “rye bread” sold in America contains very little rye flour), a natural sour rye starter (not the usual canned shortcuts) and lots of time to let the dough develop.
Sandwich Fixings from our Kitchen
We make the Russian dressing in our kitchen using the same recipe that made us famous all those years ago. We hand slice and wrap the Emmentaler Swiss cheese and the sauerkraut is made by The Brinery here in Ann Arbor. It provides a crunchy, bright, sour character to the Reuben sandwich that melds the soft bread, melty Swiss, savory meat and rich Russian dressing together. It’s also great on its own and good for your gut. (That’s a big deal these days). Made from organically grown cabbage from farms around Ann Arbor.
No-Nut & Magic Brownie Bites
For more than three decades we sold them in one size only: huge. Now we’ve cut them down to a quarter of their original size and individually wrapped—a bite or two and you’re done.
Magic Brownie
The original. Soft, chocolatey, chewy interior dotted with toasted walnuts and covered with a thin chocolate crust. USA Today raved about them. So will you. Worth noting that Magic Brownies are more cake like than moist and fudgy.
Black Magic Brownie
Same great brownie as the original—without nuts.