Ruben Rolls

We love sauerkraut with hot dogs, pork dishes or Ruben Sandwiches. With German backgrounds on both sides of our families, we grew up learning to like dishes which included sauerkraut.

I recent bought thinly sliced deli corned beef as I was craving the taste of a Ruben Sandwich, but we were dieting.  So to cut out the carbs, I made "Ruben Rolls."  

They're all the same ingredients as a Reuben Sandwich, minus the bread.  Two to three of them rolled up with sauerkraut and topped with cheese were very filling, along with a side of extra sauerkraut and a green salad.

These would also make a nice appetizer or addition to a buffet table.

Ruben Rolls
Thinly Sliced Deli Corned Beef, allow two to 3 slices per person
Swiss Cheese or Pepper Jack Cheese slices or shredded
Canned Sauerkraut
Thousand Island Dressing ( mixture of ketchup and mayo)
Creamed Horseradish

Lay slices of corned beef flat, then spread a thin layer of Thousand Island dressing mixed with a bit a horseradish. Spoon sauerkraut down the middle and roll up corned beef slices.

Assemble rolls in a casserole dish and topped each with a 3/4-inch of sliced of Swiss cheese or two to three tablespoons of shredded cheese

Heat in a microwave oven for a few minutes until the cheese melts.

Estimated cost for 4 servings: $5.00 or less.

Corned Beef Dinner

Photo: Tasty Island Hawaii.com

March means Corned Beef and Cabbage in our house, as my husband's birthday is on St. Patrick's Day.  So I've been making this delightful meal for decades on his big day.

This recipe calls for cooking it low and slow in the oven, but I've made it other ways: on the stove top, simmering several hours, and in the pressure cooker for an hour. 

I know a 3 pounder serves 4 to 6 people as I entertained 30 people for his birthday 7 years ago and made 7 of them. They shrink when cooking to about half, which allows 5 to 6 ounces cooked per person.

March is the time to watch for corned beef sales prior to the 17th, then stock up for the year!  It's seldom on sale for under $3 a pound any other time of the year.

St. Patrick's Day 2011

This year (2017) I snagged several for around  $3.00 a pound.  The rest of the year we'll enjoy many Reuben sandwiches, more dinners, and corned beef hash for breakfasts.

Corned Beef and Cabbage
3 pound corned beef brisket
1 cup beer
2 cups beef broth
1 cup water
2 Tabs. of minced garlic
2 medium onions, cut in half lengthwise
2 Tabs. pickling spice
4-6 medium cleaned red potatoes
1 large head of cabbage cut into wedges
2 cups of  baby carrots or carrots cut in 2-4 inch pieces
Condiments: mustards and horseradish, vinegar

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Rinse corned beef, remove excess fat, and put into a large roasting pan. Most briskets come with spice packet which I rub onto the meat and add extra from my spice cabinet. Add garlic, onions, water, broth, and beer.  Cover and place in the oven. 

Braise 3 hours, turning meat once. At the end of 3 hours, add carrots, cabbage and potatoes.  If small, leave potatoes whole, or may cut in half.  Cover again and return to oven for an additional 2 hours. Remove from the oven, place corned beef on platter, sliced cross grain. Put vegetables in a serving dish with strained juices. Or arrange sliced meat on platter with vegetables surrounding it and pour juices into a gravy boat. Serves 4-6.

We like a splash of vinegar on the cabbage and regular and/or Dijon mustard for the beef.  Serve butter and sour cream for the potatoes. I also make a creamed horseradish sauce which is lighter than raw horseradish.

Estimated cost: $13 or under; $3.25 or less per person.