 Reuben fromKatz's Delicatessen | |
| Type | Sandwich |
|---|---|
| Course | Main |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Created by | Various claims |
| Serving temperature | Warm or hot |
| Main ingredients | Corned beef,sauerkraut,Swiss cheese,rye bread,Thousand Island dressing orRussian dressing |
TheReuben sandwich is aNorth American grilledsandwich comprisingcorned beef,Swiss cheese,sauerkraut, andRussian dressing orThousand Island dressing,grilled between slices ofrye bread. It is associated withkosher-styledelicatessens but is notkosher, as it combinesmeat and cheese.[1]
One origin story holds that Reuben Kulakofsky (his first name sometimes spelled Reubin; his last name sometimes shortened to Kay), aLithuanian-born Jewish grocer residing inOmaha, Nebraska, asked for a sandwich made ofcorned beef andsauerkraut at his weekly poker game held in theBlackstone Hotel from around 1920 through 1935. The participants, who nicknamed themselves "the committee", included the hotel's owner,Charles Schimmel. Schimmel's son, who worked in the kitchen, made the first Reuben for him, addingSwiss cheese andthousand island dressing to his order, putting the whole thing onrye bread.[2] The sandwich first gained local fame when Schimmel put it on the Blackstone's lunch menu, and its fame spread when a former employee of the hotel won the national sandwich idea contest[clarification needed] with the recipe.[3] In Omaha, March 14 was proclaimed Reuben Sandwich Day.[4]
Another account holds that the Reuben's creator was Arnold Reuben, theGerman-Jewish owner ofReuben's Delicatessen (1908–2001) inNew York City. According to an interview withCraig Claiborne, Arnold Reuben created the "Reuben Special" around 1914.[5][6]Bernard Sobel in his 1953 book,Broadway Heartbeat: Memoirs of a Press Agent states that the sandwich was an extemporaneous creation forMarjorie Rambeau, inaugurated when the Broadway actress visited the Reuben's Delicatessen one night when the cupboards were particularly bare.[7]
Still other versions give credit to Alfred Scheuing, a chef at Reuben's Delicatessen, and say he created the sandwich for Reuben's son, Arnold Jr., in the 1930s.[3]
TheMontreal Reuben substitutesMontreal-style smoked meat for the corned beef.[8]
Thousand Island dressing is commonly used as a substitute forRussian dressing.[9]
Thewalleye Reuben features the freshwater fish (Sander vitreus) in place of the corned beef.[10][11][12]
The grouper Reuben is a variation on the standard Reuben sandwich, substitutinggrouper for the corned beef, and sometimescoleslaw for the sauerkraut as well. This variation is often a menu item in restaurants inFlorida.[13]
Reuben egg rolls, sometimes called "Irish egg rolls" or "Reuben balls", use the standard Reuben sandwich filling of corned beef, sauerkraut, and cheese inside a deep-friedegg roll wrapper. Typically served with Thousand Island dressing (instead of Russian dressing) as an appetizer or snack, they originated at Mader's, aGerman restaurant inMilwaukee, Wisconsin, where chef Dennis Wegner created them for a summer festival circa 1990.[14]
The Rachel sandwich is a variation which substitutespastrami orturkey for the corned beef, andcoleslaw for the sauerkraut.[15][16][17] In some parts of the United States, especially Michigan, this turkey variant is known as a "Georgia Reuben" or "California Reuben", and it may also call forbarbecue sauce orFrench dressing instead of Russian dressing. The name may have originated from the 1871 song "Reuben and Rachel".[16]
Vegetarian versions, called "veggie Reubens", omit the corned beef or substitute vegetarian ingredients for it, including zucchini, cucumbers,[18]wheatmeat,[19] and mushrooms.[20] Vegan versions can use the aforementioned wheatmeat also known asseitan,tempeh[21] or mushrooms with non-dairy cheese, dressing and butter.[22]
As a Reuben combines both meat and dairy ingredients in the same meal, it is notkosher.[23] However, it is frequently served atkosher style restaurants.[24][25] Kosher versions may be made by removing the cheese, using non-dairyimitation cheese, or substituting the corned beef with a rabbinically supervised alternative.[26][1]
For the homestand against the Minnesota Twins this weekend, look for walleye Reuben sandwiches, for $9.25.
In Florida … many restaurants serve a grouper Reuben
For a Rachel, substitute turkey for the corned beef.
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