The Gary Reuben

Leftover corned beef sandwich with Swiss, provolone, slaw, and Gary sauce on grilled rye bread

This crispy leftover corned beef sandwich is loaded with melted Swiss and provolone, a punchy slaw, and plenty of Gary Sauce on buttery grilled bread. Messy in the best way.

Course Sandwich

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Servings

Calories 439kcal

Author Gary White

Ingredients

For the Gary Sauce

½ cup mayonaise
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. sweet pickle relish
1 tsp. smoked paprika
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. black pepper

For the Slaw

1 cup sauerkraut squeezed dry
1 cup slaw base, using cooked collard greens, chopped cabbage, or a mix of both chopped
2-3 Tbsp. Gary Sauce plus more to taste

For the Sandwiches

8 slices of rye bread or gluten-free bread if needed
softened butter for grilling
8 slices Swiss cheese
8 slices provolone cheese
1 lb. leftover corned beef sliced or chopped
1-2 Tbsp. butter for crisping the corned beef
extra Gary sauce for spreading

Instructions

Make the Gary Sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, Dijon mustard, sweet pickle relish, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper until smooth.
Make the slaw: In a medium bowl, combine the sauerkraut and your slaw base of choice. Use chopped cooked collards, chopped cabbage, or a mix of both. If using all three, aim for roughly equal parts sauerkraut, collards, and cabbage. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons Gary Sauce and mix until evenly coated. Add more sauce if needed. The slaw should be dressed, not dry.
Grill the bread and melt the cheese: Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place the bread butter-side down in the skillet. After a minute or two, flip each slice and immediately add Swiss to half the slices and provolone to the other half. Let the cheese melt while the second side lightly toasts, then transfer the bread to a plate or sheet pan.
Crisp the corned beef: In the same skillet, add 1 to 2 tablespoons butter and increase the heat to medium-high. Add the leftover corned beef in an even layer. Let it cook long enough to brown, then stir and continue cooking until the edges are crisp and caramelized.
Build the sandwiches: Spread Gary Sauce on both cheese sides of the bread. Pile the crispy corned beef onto one slice, then top with a generous amount of slaw. Add another swipe or drizzle of sauce if desired. Close with the second slice of bread. Secure each sandwich with 1 to 2 toothpicks before slicing, if needed.
Serve: Slice in half and serve hot.

Notes

Crisping the corned beef makes a big difference here. Do not just warm it through.
Be sure to squeeze the sauerkraut well so the slaw does not water everything down.
You can use sauerkraut, cabbage, collards, or a mix for the slaw.
Swiss brings the classic Reuben flavor, while provolone makes the sandwich extra melty.
For gluten-free sandwiches, use your favorite gluten-free bread and double-check the corned beef and sauerkraut labels.

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