Open-faced Reuben Sandwiches

 

So the whole reason I made rye bread was so I could make these reuben sandwiches. Jared and I love reubens and this recipe didn't disappoint. He gave these a 9 (!) and I gave them an 8. I got the recipe from my Fine Cooking magazine.

Open-Faced Reuben Sandwiches

• 2 Tbs. mayonnaise
• 1 Tbs. ketchup
• 1 Tbs. dill relish (not sweet)
• 1-1/3 cups sauerkraut, preferably bagged, not canned I used canned
• 3/4 lb. thin-sliced corned beef
• 4 large 3/4-inch-thick slices rye bread
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
• 6 oz. Gruyère, thinly sliced I used Swiss

Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler and another rack in the bottom third of the oven. Heat the broiler on high.
Combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, and relish in a small bowl.
Cut two 12x18-inch sheets of foil. Reserve 1 Tbs. of the liquid from the sauerkraut and then rinse and drain it. Squeeze the sauerkraut with your hands to remove as much liquid as possible and put it on 1 piece of foil. Put the corned beef on the other and sprinkle with the reserved sauerkraut liquid. Draw up the sides and seal each to make a package. Put both packages on a rimmed baking sheet and bake on the bottom rack of the oven until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the bread on another rimmed baking sheet and broil until well toasted, about 1 minute per side. Butter one side of the toasted bread and arrange butter side down on the baking sheet. Spread each piece with 1 Tbs. of the dressing.
Divide the corned beef among the bread slices. Top with the sauerkraut and the cheese. Broil on the lower rack until the cheese begins to bubble, about 3 minutes. Move the baking sheet to the upper rack and broil until the cheese browns lightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately.