The Reuben sandwich is one of the most iconic items in New York deli culture — salt beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and thousand island dressing on rye bread, pressed until golden. As a burger, with a beef patty added to the equation, it becomes something that is simultaneously familiar and completely new — a construction that takes everything that makes the Reuben great and amplifies it with the additional richness and satisfying heft of a proper beef patty.

The salt beef is the ingredient that makes this burger distinctive. Properly cured, slow-cooked brisket with a deep pink colour and a tender, yielding texture that is unlike any other preparation of beef. You can make your own — a week-long process that is deeply rewarding — or buy it from any good Jewish deli, which is significantly more practical and produces an excellent result.

Sauerkraut is the element that prevents this burger from becoming overwhelming. Its sharp acidity cuts through the richness of the beef, the creaminess of the cheese, and the fat of the thousand island dressing, providing the acidic reset that makes the next bite as good as the first. Do not drain it too thoroughly — some of that brine is part of the flavour.

Reuben Burger

Recipe by By butter u0026 berriesCourse: Burgers

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

760

kcal

Ingredients

• •t400g beef mince (20% fat)

• •t150g good quality salt beef (corned beef), thinly sliced

• •t4 slices Swiss cheese

• •t100g sauerkraut, lightly drained

• •t4 slices dark rye bread

• •t2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

• •tFor thousand island dressing: 4 tbsp mayonnaise

• •tFor thousand island dressing: 2 tbsp ketchup

• •tFor thousand island dressing: 2 tbsp finely chopped dill pickles

• •tFor thousand island dressing: 1 tsp white wine vinegar

• •tFor thousand island dressing: 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• •tFor thousand island dressing: pinch of paprika

• •tSalt and freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

• Make thousand island dressing: combine all ingredients, mix well, and refrigerate.
• Shape beef into 2 patties roughly the shape of the rye bread slices. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Cook patties on a hot griddle for 3 minutes per side for medium. Set aside.
• Warm salt beef in a pan over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Warm sauerkraut in the same pan.
• Butter the outside of all rye bread slices generously. On the inside of the bottom slice spread thousand island dressing. Layer one slice Swiss cheese, then the beef patty, then warm salt beef, then sauerkraut, then another slice of Swiss cheese, then more thousand island dressing. Close with top bread slice buttered on the outside.
• Press the assembled burger on a medium griddle under a heavy weight for 3-4 minutes per side until the bread is golden and the cheese is fully melted.
• Serve immediately cut diagonally with a dill pickle spear alongside.

Notes

• Warm the salt beef and sauerkraut before assembling — cold components cool the melted cheese rapidly and the burger loses its appeal within seconds.
  Rye bread is structurally important here — its density holds up to the weight and moisture of the fillings in a way that softer breads cannot.
  The pressing step creates the characteristic compacted structure of a Reuben. Use a heavy cast iron pan as the weight for even, firm pressure.
  A good deli sauerkraut is significantly better than supermarket varieties — if you live near a deli that makes their own, it is worth the trip.

Storage

The thousand island dressing keeps for 1 week refrigerated. Cooked patties keep for 2 days. Salt beef keeps for 5 days. Assemble and press fresh when ready to eat as the pressed burger does not store well once griddled.

Serving Tips

Serve with a dill pickle spear, thin cut chips or a simple green salad. A cold New York lager — Brooklyn Lager or Sixpoint — is the natural companion. For something non-alcoholic, a cream soda or a Dr. Brown’s celery tonic is authentically deli. A dry Riesling from the Mosel provides a surprisingly elegant pairing if wine is preferred.

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