My abject apologies to those of you reading this on Friday…it's so un-Lenten…
I can't help it…
It was a dark and stormy night, just as I told you it would be, so sorry for dark pictures! I made this casserole for the second time. And it is amazingly good.
The way it came about was that during Deirdre's spring break the week before St. Patrick's Day, she asked for Reubens. But the schedule was tight — I wouldn't have time to stand at the griddle, flipping sandwiches.
So I came up with this recipe, since the ones I found were not sounding good (dump a bottle of Thousand Island dressing over a layer of bread topped with meat and sauerkraut? No thanks.)
Someone once told me about Reuben soup, which, sorry, I think sounds pretty gross.
(Sorry, I keep apologizing.)
The point of a Reuben is that it offers the perfect balance of cheesy, meaty, sour filling with a crisp, buttery crust.
Maybe if the soup had rye croutons… I'll think about it.
Of course, the perfect time to make this casserole is after the St. Patrick's Day corned beef dinner, but who am I to say no to the little requester…
It was so good that the other day I made it again Tuesday night, a night of cold dampness– this time with leftovers.
It is so very good and so very handy for a supper that can be made in advance that I have to share, even though it isn't particularly Lenten (I have to say that some of you are far more abstemious than I. If I'm not actually eating ice cream, I consider myself as mortified as I'm going to get. Please don't be too scandalized by this relatively luxe offering…maybe you can make it after next week.)
Get some rye bread and/or pumpernickel. The first time I had a combination of the two, the second, just this sourdough rye I found at the supermarket bakery. Funny that it is all fancy, yet cost about $1.50 less than the Arnold Rye and has far fewer (i. e. less sketchy) ingredients.
Normally I'd use my own bread, but I don't often make rye, which is a must for a Reuben.
Cut it into good-sized cubes. For the two casseroles I made (let's say serving 6 heartily, all together, for dinner) I used 8 slices of bread, so for my friends with the big families I would say that in the past I would have gotten two loaves of this bread for one meal.
You will note the two colors of meat here — that's because I had some red corned beef in the freezer (just a little bit) and we had “gray” for St. Paddy's. It doesn't matter. (I once made my own corned beef — Julia, the things you make me do! — and you know what? It tasted exactly, but exactly, like store-bought corned beef. Sigh.)
Trim off the excess fat, which will be obvious in the cold meat.
If you have it tucked away in the freezer, add some sauteed onions and peppers (about 1/3 cup here). If not, don't worry — you could add a little dried minced onion.
Sauerkraut, one can.
Drain it but don't be obsessive.
{I wish I had my own home-cured sauerkraut, but I just don't think I know enough about fermented foods to try it yet. I know it's supposed to be ridiculously easy. I feel dumb! Soon…}
By the way, don't leave it out. Even your sauerkraut despisers will like it, if they even notice, and the trick is to present them with this completely irresistible dish and when they ask you what's in it, refuse to answer, at least until after they have had a good helping. Just say, “Lots of wonderful things. Try it!” They will love it, I promise.
I'm not a huge Swiss cheese fan (at least not the cheap kind — I will go for an aged Swiss, but who would use that in a casserole! …unless you happen to have some old dried-out stuff…), so I put maybe one cup grated swiss and one cup grated cheddar in the mix, holding back just a little to sprinkle on the top.
Now here's the thing. You need a bit of cream sauce for this, and it's not hard to make. The proper way to serve corned beef dinner is with parsley sauce (cream sauce with parsley) which, if you did (I happened not to this year), and were clever and made TOO MUCH, you would have the sauce ready to go for this dish.
I do encourage you to make a lot of cream sauce when you make it at all. It keeps for a week in the fridge and comes in handy for lots of things. Soup, for instance. Pouring over veggies that otherwise might be scorned, for another.
Enchiladas, pot pie (with some broth added), mac + cheese (if you are not making it Auntie Leila's way), scalloped potatoes…think how varied your menus would be if you had this on hand rather than making it individually for each dish.
Just sizzle up some butter — say, 3 tablespoons in this case — add enough flour to keep the butter from looking slick (no need for measuring once you figure it out — in other words, get out your cookbook, make it according to directions once, and then memorize how things look for next time).
Then add milk slowly until a paste forms.
No need, either, for boiling the milk beforehand. If you add it slowly and whisk continuously, it will be “good enough for government work.” I mean, we're going to add this to a casserole! It will be smooth enough. I think mine's pretty smooth.
Now, put some of this sauce into a cup to mix with ketchup and mayo (your very own “Thousand Island Dressing,” only with the binder of the sauce to make the casserole moist rather than just oily).
I guess there is pickle relish in some versions, but I want to serve pickles on the side, so I omit.
The reason I don't mix it in this pot is that I know I've made too much (according to my principles, above), and I don't want to adulterate the leftovers.
Now mix everything together very well!
You want to put this into a shallow dish so that you have a good amount of crusty topping for each serving. Since there are so few of us (sniff!), I made two, one a small lunch casserole for the freezer. I'm going to see how it works to freeze it without baking. I'll let you know what happens.*
Now you know that Auntie Leila is all about the menu. So here is the whole shebang:
Green beans, boiled until just crisp-tender, no butter or oil (since the Reuben Casserole and potatoes are so rich).
Red potatoes, quartered and boiled, mashed with a bit of butter. (If you have leftover spuds from your St. Pat's dinner, heat those up.) I've never cottoned to Yukon Golds — I love the starchiness of these red guys. By the way, I highly recommend finding pots pretty enough to serve in. It makes life so much easier! I found this one at a yard sale…
Apple-rhubarb sauce, made last fall. Plain applesauce will be fine, but make a mental note to try this with your rhubarb next year. It's just fabulous.
Reuben Casserole, Like Mother, Like Daughter
serves 8-10 (mine was 1/2 this amount because there's hardly anyone here…)
16 slices sourdough rye bread, rye, pumpernickel, or any combination, cubed (but not too small)
As much corned beef as you can set aside after serving boiled dinner, or let's say at least a 2 lb. corned beef, boiled, de-fatted, and cut up into chunks (why not make 2 at a time?)
2 cans (14.4 oz. each) sauerkraut, drained
4 cups cheese (1/2 Swiss, 1/2 sharp cheddar)
1 onion and 1 green pepper, chopped and sauteed in butter, or 2 tbsp. dry minced onion
3-4 cups cream sauce (5 tbsp. butter, 6 tbsp. flour, 4 cups milk) mixed with
1/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup pickle relish, drained, unless you are serving pickles on the side
Mix ingredients well, reserving a 1/2 cup cheese for the top, spread in a shallow baking dish (like a 10 x 15 lasagna dish), oiled. Sprinkle reserved cheese on top.
Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until well browned and bubbly.
*This casserole freezes just fine, I have found!
Emily (Laundry and L says
I think this is a perfect post for a feast day! Hurrah for the annunciation! I'm not a fan of corned beef, but this looks delicious.
Anonymous says
No doubt about it – you are amazing Leila. Thanks for taking the time to document this with photos, tell us in normal language how to do it and what you're thinking, gauging, estimating as you make it. Then you condense the message at the end of your post for our complete enlightenment. How kind of you to think of us by sharing your experience in this way. Your posts are always appreciated. Linda
Sara says
That looks awesome! We might have to try it.
Jensamom23 says
This was just added to my menu! Thanks!
Pippajo says
I just made corned beef last week but made Corned Beef Specials instead of Reubens (simply substituting cole slaw for the sauerkraut) for our next-day-leftovers meal as I am not a fan of the kraut. But, The Viking loves Reubens so much I will just have to try this recipe.By the way, I made your mac-n-cheese again last night, probably the fourth time I've made it and SUCCESS! The children now like it better than the boxed stuff! Well, Man-Cub says he doesn't but he's just being stubborn, I can see it in his eyes! Thank you!
Lindsey in AL says
Please PLEASE let us know how the freezer casserole works out! I am trying to put some easy to cook meals into the freezer for when Baby arrives and I know my hubby will LOVE this. I am going to keep my eyes peeled for rye on the "oops we over bake" rack at the grocery. And if you made your own kraut (which is ridiculously easy) you wouldn't want to waste it in a baked dish. The cooking would take out all the goodness that is the whole point of making it yourself. If you eat homemade lacto-fermented kraut, you don't want to heat it much about room temperature. I like to take out just as much as I will eat and let it sit on the counter while I make whatever dish I want it on. Then I add it as soon as the dish is done and still hot. That makes the kraut warmish without killing the good beasties 😀
Betsy says
Wow, that looks wonderful! That is going on the menu for Sunday. I agree with letting us know how it freezes – I am trying to get stocked up on freezer meals as our springs get hectic. We make our own krout around here every other year as I find it keeps well canned for 2yrs. It really is easy and tastes better than the store bought stuff. Just plant too much cabbage this spring and then you will find you HAVE to make it so the cabbage doesn't all go to waste – this is why we usually end up making it. :)Oh, and thanks for the explanation for the tapioca in the pies. You are so sweet to take the time on that.
Sue says
My German-Irish mother would have loved this casserole, and so would I! The only time I get to have sauerkraut these days is on the occasional hot dog at Costco. The kraut is not a widely eaten food in Japan, nor are corned beef and rye bread. Too bad. I will star this recipe just in case I happen to have all the ingredients some time. One never knows.Your ice cream comment totally cracked me up!
Leila says
I will definitely let you know about the freezing.I think that accumulating the ingredients for this little by little is a good idea. Certainly marked-down bread is the way to go. Those of you who think you wouldn't like it — just try it. The guys will worship you. My Joseph is swooning over the whole idea ever since I twittered it. I told him I'd send him the recipe and he said, "No mom, you just have to make it for me." However, I don't see it on the menu for Easter weekend 🙂
jill f says
Leila,I think you have just saved my marraige! My husband is such a sauerkraut lover (and let's not even start with the reubens!). I can take or leave the kraut but I hate the smell when it cooks all day (he's been dying to make his own but where is he going to let it "incubate"…in the laundry room?). Anyway, I am going to surprise him with this casserole! I can't wait!And if it's freezable and I can freeze some "love" to pull out and surprise him later? Oh happy day! And if it pleases the mongul hordes? (nine children)…I may just have to send you a gift in the mail:)
Leila says
Jill, it's so funny how the guys I know just love sauerkraut. I have another recipe…I call it Polish Dinner of the Gods. We girls just barely tolerate it, but the joy on the faces of the menfolk when they find out what's for dinner is funny to behold…
Kari says
This looks delicious! I love Reubens as does the hubby so I'll have to have this next time we have some corned beef.So for a poor protestant friend, will you explain the Lenten fast? We observe Lent in our family(and our churches have more or less depending on denomination, leadership, etc)and I love the richness and celebration it brings to Easter! What I don't understand is: you don't eat meat every Friday right? So how is Lent different from the rest of the year? I though you weren't supposed to eat meat at all during Lent? (I know it's sort of individual, but your family seems pretty…strict(?) in your observance, so I thought I'd ask.Please forgive me for being ignorant–I live in a culturally Catholic, but very non-observant state (NM).And thanks for the yummy recipe!Kari
LJtravelsTHEworld/LF says
This post has been approved by the recently founded CCoA (Clueless Cooks of America) as meeting the criteria of "deliciousness", "relative simplicity", "appeal to the menfolk", and "acceptable rate of photographic evidence for the culinarily inept."Thank you! 🙂
Anonymous says
Okay, so here's my question. Being a complete ignoramus or something, I have never purchased corned beef. Now I have discovered that I get a bad reaction to MSG (migraines), so the corned beef scares me. So…is there a way to make just plain corned beef? Or what is IN the kind you buy (and what department do you find it in?)? Even "plain beef" at Walmart all had some kind of additives that made my shopping expert (hubby) VERY NERVOUS for me. (So we buy our beef elsewhere, sigh.)Sorry for the dumb questions, but I actually really enjoy Reubens (and your idea for homemade dressing would work around here) — but I am REALLY trying to avoid the MSG.Love to you, Susan (now in DE)(formerly in Parrish East :-))
MrsJenB says
Oh my goodness, this looks incredible. I just love reubens, too, and you've managed to make me crave one BADLY! I love the "actual" rye bread much more than I do, say, Arnold's or anything else. My mom waits in line for hours every Christmas Eve and Holy Saturday just for the opportunity to score some reeeeally good rye from the Polish market down the street. One woman drives two hours from her new home to the 'old neighborhood' just to get it. But it's so worth it and has become a family tradition! I can taste it now…Thanks for sharing @ FOF!
Leila says
LJ, you are so funny. Susan, like I said, you can corn beef yourself if you are worried about the MSG. I find I do react to MSG myself (although probably not as severely as you), and the corned beef I buy doesn't seem to bother me. I haven't looked at the ingredients for a while… I'm sure it's not very pure. We don't eat it more than a couple times a year, so I figure if I am super careful about other things I can get away with it, but I understand your concern.Jen, sorry for the craving ;)Kari, no need to apologize…and no, we are not strict, as I said in my post. We are miserably lax; penitential failures for the most part, or I should just speak for myself, probably.And yes, we try to abstain from meat every Friday (except during the octave {8 days} of Christmas and Easter). You could say that every Friday is a Lent, just as every Sunday is an Easter.But Lent commemorates the time Our Lord Himself fasted for 40 days in the desert. So it's more than meatless Fridays. Some people go meatless the whole time. We try to keep things much simpler than normal and even when eating meat, modest. We give up sweets and ice cream :(Each person chooses some ascetical practice of the spirit as well — trying not to complain, being kinder to others, refraining from looking at the mirror more than necessary (as a young lady recently informed me was her attempt this year!) — and maybe going to daily Mass, reading Scripture every day, etc.And hopefully some of that growth in good habit pays off, and while we go back to sweets we are better about complaining for the rest of the year!Frankly, Lent is a time when you learn anew how very weak the human spirit is, and how much we need to depend on God for His goodness.
messy bessy says
Oh yum yum. As a huge sauerkraut fan myself, I am planning on trying this during Easter week!
Kari says
Auntie Leila,Thanks for your response! I understand a bit better now..thanks!(BTW…are you going to discuss Pieper? Leisure as the Basis of Culture was VERY thought provoking for me.)Thanks again…Kari
Anonymous says
Thank you, Leila! 🙂 (I am only getting back here now…)I want to try it…sometime…I think. I mean, I know I like Reubens. I am just not sure I am up to corning my own beef…Susan
Maia says
I happened to read your twitter about this right before St. Patrick's Day and was so filled with "Yum!" that I made it for my little one's 2nd birthday party (he's a St. Patrick's Day child). It was a hit — even though I had to skip on the rye bread and use homemade gluten free bread. It was a good place for gf bread, though it brought back a desperate longing for rye bread.Now that I read your post, I am drooling all over again. I don't think the family will mind if I put this back on the menu for next week…
Robert says
That casserole was amazing. My wife made it for me tonight. Merry Christmas and happy 2012.
Anonymous says
Oh dear. I have a husband…and he will like this. I do hope it freezes well!
Kh. Patty says
The past few years, we've bought up our corned beef to have for our Easter (Pascha) dinner since we don't have meat during Lent (well, Daddy doesn't… the rest of us babies, toddlers, and pregnant/nursing Mommies do, just not normally at dinnertime if possible). Makes the EASIEST Easter dinner ever. Which is good since our service is in the middle of the night, then we have a big party afterward, and if we get to bed before 4AM, we consider that early.Anyway, we always make two as well, so we'll have leftovers. Can't wait to try this casserole this year. May run out and get a third one to add to the pots!