Grilled Rueben Sandwich
The Reuben sandwich may not be Irish, but the corned beef that its made with has its origins there. Until 1825, the Irish were the biggest exporters of corned beef.
Did you know that the term “corned” comes from putting meat in a large crock, covering it with rock-salt kernels of salt (referred to as “corns of salt”).
Now that we’ve fed our minds, let’s feed our bellies and make some of these delicious mile-high sandwiches!

Grilled Rueben Sandwich
Ingredients
- GF Bread - Pumpernickel or your favorite GF bread sliced
- GF Corned Beef
- Sauerkraut
- GF cheese - Swiss Gouda or Gruyere, sliced
- GF sauce - mustard prepared horseradish, Russian Dressing*, or Thousand Islands Dressing**, to spread
- Ground Pepper
- Butter or margarine to spread
Note: no amounts are given, use as much or as little of each as you like
Instructions
- Warm corned beef, set aside. Warm sauerkraut (simmer in GF beer for added flavor), drain and set aside.
- To assemble sandwich, butter (or try mayo!) the outsides of the bread, flip then add sauce of your choice to the inside. Stack with corned beef, sauerkraut, cheese and sprinkle with about 1/4 tsp caraway seeds and pepper, then top with a (outside) buttered bread slice.
- Gently place into a heated fry pan and grill until golden (or use panini press). Carefully flip and cover with lid (to help melt cheese). Once golden, remove and serve immediately.
Notes
1/3 cup GF mayonnaise
1 1/2 Tbsp ketchup
1 1/2 tsp prepared horseradish
1/2 tsp GF Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
**Thousand Island Dressing
1/2 cup GF mayonnaise
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp vinegar
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp sweet pickle relish
1 tsp white onion, finely minced
1/8 tsp salt
1 dash black pepper
Combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves.
Delish O lish! (her words)
This is Billie’s (wife) favorite sandwich. She always orders a rueben when it is on the menu. I think we have a winner. I did a little tweaking to adjust for her taste, but not much. Thanks for a touch of a favorite.