The Reuben

pa044790May I start by saying… How good is corned beef?! It’s a bit daggy, but I’ve always loved it. I remember eating it as a child, and daily when Paul and I holidayed in Fiji many years ago. It’s funny how food memories stick with you.

Corned beef has become quite popular lately, thanks to the mighty Reuben sandwich which has been popping up on menus all over Sydney this past year (or has it been longer? I can’t remember, don’t quote me!). There are many variations of Reuben, but the one I’m into is from Reuben & Moore in Westfield Sydney.

Reuben & Moore’s Reuben is made with ‘prime Wagyu salt beef, served on hand sliced freshly baked rye, Swiss cheese, homemade dill pickles, sauerkraut & mild mustard mayo’. Amazing.

I had purchased a glorious piece of grass-fed corned wagyu beef from Tim at Urban Food Market and there was really only one destiny for it. I had to make my own Reuben at home.

pa044787In the past we had cooked our regular corned beef on the stovetop for a couple of hours, with various additions such as cloves, sugar, vinegar, bay leaves, and of course vegetables. The corned beef was nice, but it was never super tender.

There was only one way to cook my wagyu corned beef, and it wasn’t on the stovetop. I slow cooked it for 8 hours with minimal additions (as per instructions by Chef’s Armoury) so that we could get the true flavour of the beef. The result was top quality corned beef that was deliciously tender. Sliced and added to a sandwich of Brasserie Bread Rye, sauerkraut, polski ogorki (dill pickled cucumbers), Swiss cheese, and homemade Dijonnaise, it was definitely worth the slow cooking time.

Are you a corned beef fan? If no, why not?! 😉

Wagyu Corned Beef and The Reuben Sandwich

For the corned beef:

  • Corned beef (wagyu or otherwise)
  • 1 brown onion, peeled and studded with 8 cloves
  • 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
  • 1 carrot, peeled and sliced thickly
  • 2 celery sticks, sliced
  1. Remove corned beef from packaging and rinse.
  2. Add beef to slow cooker, add the onion, garlic, celery and carrot, then top with cold water 2 inches above the beef (note: the corned beef tends to float, so I weighed mine down with a flat dish so it stayed completely submerged).
  3. Cook on low for 8 hours, or until the beef is very tender (note: I had the slow cooker on low for 7 hours and on high for the final hour, but next time I might try 4 hours on high).
  4. Discard vegetables, remove the beef from the pot and let sit for 20 minutes, slice and serve, but if serving cold, let it cool in the cooking liquid.

T0 assemble Reuben:

  • Rye bread
  • Swiss cheese
  • Polski ogorki (dill cucumbers), sliced
  • Sauerkraut
  • Mayonnaise, mustard, or Dijonnaise (purchased or make your own – it’s so much easier using a food processor by the way)
  1. Choose a good quality rye bread (I used Brasserie Bread). Add a slice or two or Swiss cheese on a piece of bread and place under grill to melt.
  2. Top with slow cooked corned beef (re-heated), sauerkraut, dill cucumbers, and the condiment of your choice.
  3. Marvel at the best sandwich ever, that you’ve just created.