Reuben Sandwich Braid
What’s not to love about St. Patrick’s Day? The wearing o’ the green, leprechaun pinches, and green food coloring in everything from breakfast to beer (well maybe not that so much). Plus, I’m excited about the traditional St. Pat’s dinner of corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes. This Reuben Sandwich Braid is seriously delicious.
But to be honest I’m even more excited that corned beef is finally on sale and thus, affordable. I always buy an extra corned beef (or five) while they’re on sale. At least one of the precious corned beef is destined to star in this Reuben Sandwich Braid which is as much a tradition in our family as corned beef and cabbage itself.
This favorite recipe has been in my family for more than 30 years. It’s supposed to use up leftover corned beef but that’s never an issue in my house. As recipes evolve with the folks who make them, I’ll share my version with you.
This braided sandwich makes such a pretty presentation, it’s perfect to serve company or to “wow” your next potluck gathering. Oh, and it’s delicious! Even people who think they don’t like Reuben sandwiches love this sandwich. I suggest you make two.
Reuben Sandwich Braid
What You’ll Need:
- 1 loaf frozen bread dough – or homemade equivalent
- ⅓ cup thousand island or Russian salad dressing – divided
- ½ to ¾ pound corned beef – sliced or chopped
- 6 oz. Swiss cheese – grated
- 1 cup sauerkraut – well drained
- 1 egg
- Poppy seeds or caraway seeds
Here’s How:
- Thaw bread overnight in refrigerator. On a baking sheet lined with parchment, let the dough rise at room temperature.
This is the baking sheet I use. It’s a handy size and anything you bake gets nicely browned on the bottom. Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Half Sheet - Roll the dough into a 14” by 10” rectangle, right on the parchment so you don’t have to move it.
- Spread most of the dressing down the center third of the dough. Top with layers of corned beef, cheese, and sauerkraut. I like to drizzle more dressing on the sauerkraut. It gets that sweet and tangy thing going on that makes this sandwich so irresistible.
- Squish the filling together in the center one third of the dough.
- Using a knife or kitchen shears, make cuts from filling to edges of dough 1-inch apart on both sides of the filling.
- Starting at either end, lift the ends of the dough and form a seal for the top ends of the loaf and begin crossing the strips into a decorative pattern over the filling.
- Allow the loaf to rise for 20 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 400°. Brush the braid with egg wash made by beating one egg with a teaspoon of water. Sprinkle with caraway or poppy seeds.
- Bake for 25 minutes and prepare to do your “I’m such a Diva” strut!
Diva Tip – You can vary the recipe by using any sandwich filling you like and have the same beautiful presentation and bragging rights. For times when corned beef is expensive, (like the other 51 weeks of the year) substitute pastrami or turkey pastrami. You can use other fillings like; pepperoni and mozzarella, BBQ chicken and pepper jack, roast veggies and ricotta, ham with broccoli and cheddar. Simply stuff all your leftovers into a bread braid and it’ll be fabulous (and frugal)!
REUBEN SANDWICH BRAID
Ingredients
- 1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed or fresh homemade equivalent
- ⅓ cup Thousand Island or Russian salad dressing divided
- ¾ pound corned beef sliced or chopped
- 1 cup Swiss cheese grated
- 1 cup sauerkraut well drained
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon Poppy seeds or caraway seeds
Instructions
- If using frozen bread dough, thaw overnight in refrigerator.
- On a baking sheet lined with parchment, let the dough rise at room temperature. Depending on the temperature and humidity of your room this will take between 1 and 3 hours.
- Roll the dough into a 14” by 10” rectangle, right on the parchment so you don’t have to move it.
- Visually divide the dough into thirds, lengthwise. Spread half of the Thousand Island dressing down the center third of the dough.
- Top with layers of corned beef, cheese, and sauerkraut. I like to drizzle more dressing right on the sauerkraut. It gets that sweet and tangy thing going on that makes this sandwich so irresistible.
- Squish the filling together in the center one third of the dough.
- Using a knife or kitchen shears, make cuts from about an inch outside of the filling, to edges of dough, 1-inch apart on both sides of the filling. Like you're making a wide fringe.
- Starting at either skinny end of the loaf, lift the ends of the dough and form a cap to make a barrier so the filling doesn't leak out.
- Starting at one end, pick up each piece of cut (fringe) ends of the loaf and begin crossing the strips into a decorative pattern over the filling. Pinching as necessary to keep the filling from leaking.
- Allow the loaf to rise for 20 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 400F° degrees.
- Brush the braid with egg wash made by beating one egg with a teaspoon of water. Sprinkle the top with poppy or caraway seeds. Ooh! Pretty!
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and irresistible. Prepare to do your “I’m such a Diva” strut!
Notes
You may also like: Slab Grilled Cheese and Homemade Tomato Soup
Proudly made in the USA by Nordic Ware, this Baker's Half Sheet is crafted from pure aluminum, ensuring it will never rust for lasting durability. Its superior heat conductivity allows baked goods to rise and bake evenly, while the reinforced encapsulated steel rim prevents warping. The pan's exterior dimensions are 17.88 x 12.88 x 1.06 inches, with interior dimensions of 16.5 x 11.38 x 1 inches. Cleanup is a breeze—just hand wash for best results.