The Reuben sandwich is a titan of the deli world. It is a harmonious marriage of salty, sour, creamy, and crunchy textures. While you can certainly buy pre-sliced meat at the counter, nothing compares to the depth of flavor and tender texture of a home-cured brisket. Learning how to make corned beef for Reuben sandwiches allows you to control the salt levels, the spice profile, and most importantly, the quality of the meat. This process takes patience, but the result is a sandwich that far surpasses anything you can find in a plastic package.
Understanding the Brine: The Heart of Corned Beef
Corned beef is not a specific cut of meat, but rather a method of preservation. The “corn” in corned beef refers to the large grains of salt, or corns, originally used to cure the meat. To make a Reuben-ready brisket, you must start with a wet cure, commonly known as a brine.
The brine serves two purposes: it seasons the meat deep into the muscle fibers and breaks down tough connective tissues. A standard brine consists of water, kosher salt, sugar, and a blend of pickling spices. The sugar acts as a counterbalance to the intense saltiness, while the spices provide that signature aromatic profile.
The Role of Curing Salt
In traditional corned beef recipes, you will often see “pink curing salt” or Prague Powder Number 1. This is a mixture of sodium chloride and sodium nitrite. It is responsible for the distinct pink color of the meat. Without it, your corned beef will turn a dull gray color when cooked. While some home cooks choose to omit it for health reasons, the nitrite also prevents the growth of bacteria during the long brining process and provides a specific “cured” flavor that is essential for a true Reuben.
Crafting the Pickling Spice Blend
Don’t settle for the dusty packets that come with store-bought briskets. Making your own spice blend ensures freshness. A robust blend for Reuben-style meat should include:
- Black peppercorns for heat.
- Mustard seeds for tang.
- Coriander seeds for citrusy notes.
- Whole cloves and allspice berries for warmth.
- Bay leaves for earthiness.
- Cinnamon sticks for a hint of sweetness.
Selecting the Right Cut of Brisket
When you head to the butcher, you generally have two choices: the point cut or the flat cut. For the perfect Reuben, the choice depends on your preference for fat content.
The flat cut is leaner and more uniform in shape. This makes it much easier to slice into those beautiful, even ribbons that look so professional on rye bread. However, because it is leaner, it can dry out more easily if overcooked.
The point cut is thicker and contains significantly more marbling and a larger fat cap. This results in a much more succulent, flavorful meat that pulls apart easily. While it is harder to get perfectly clean slices from a point cut, the flavor is often superior for a decadent sandwich. Many enthusiasts prefer a “packer’s cut,” which includes both sections, allowing you to have the best of both worlds.
The Brining Process: A Lesson in Patience
Once you have your meat and your brine, the real work is simply waiting. You cannot rush a good cure.
Preparing the Brine Solution
To prepare the brine, combine about a gallon of water with 1 cup of kosher salt, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, and 5 teaspoons of pink curing salt. Add your spice blend and bring the mixture to a boil to ensure the salts and sugars are fully dissolved.
Crucially, you must let the brine cool completely to room temperature and then chill it in the refrigerator before adding the raw meat. Adding meat to warm brine is a food safety hazard.
The Submersion Phase
Place your brisket in a large, non-reactive container, such as a glass dish or a heavy-duty food-grade plastic bucket. Pour the cold brine over the meat until it is completely submerged. If the meat floats, weigh it down with a heavy plate.
The meat needs to cure for 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator. During this time, the salt and spices are slowly migrating to the center of the brisket. A general rule of thumb for the curing rate is about 1/2 inch of thickness per day.
Cooking Your Corned Beef to Perfection
After a week in the fridge, your brisket is cured. However, it is currently very salty and very tough. The next step is the long, slow simmer.
Rinsing and Soaking
Before cooking, remove the brisket from the brine and rinse it thoroughly under cold water. This removes the excess salt from the surface. If you prefer a milder flavor, you can soak the meat in fresh cold water for an hour before cooking to draw out even more salt.
The Low and Slow Simmer
Place the brisket in a large pot and cover it with fresh water. You can add a fresh batch of pickling spices, an onion, and a few cloves of garlic to the pot for extra flavor. Bring the water to a gentle simmer. Do not let it boil vigorously, as high heat will toughen the proteins.
Maintain a temperature where the water is barely bubbling. This usually takes about 3 to 4 hours for a 4-pound brisket. You are looking for “fork-tender” results, where a fork slides into the meat with zero resistance.
Using a Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker
If you prefer a hands-off approach, a slow cooker is excellent for corned beef. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. If you are short on time, a pressure cooker can finish a brisket in about 90 minutes. However, be aware that the high pressure can sometimes result in a slightly stringier texture compared to the gentle stovetop simmer.
Slicing for the Perfect Sandwich
How you slice the meat is just as important as how you cook it. If you slice it incorrectly, even the most tender brisket will feel chewy.
Always slice against the grain. Look at the meat to see which way the muscle fibers are running, and cut perpendicular to them. This shortens the fibers, making each bite easy to chew. For a Reuben, thin slices are traditional, as they allow you to stack the meat high, creating air pockets that hold the Russian dressing and melted Swiss cheese.
Assembling the Masterpiece
With your homemade corned beef ready, you can assemble the sandwich. The formula for a classic Reuben is:
- Rye Bread
- Russian Dressing
- Swiss Cheese
- Sauerkraut
- Corned Beef
To get the best results, butter the outside of your rye bread and grill the sandwich in a skillet. This melts the cheese and warms the sauerkraut and meat through, creating that iconic deli experience.
Measuring Success
If you want to scale your recipe for a large party, you can use a simple ratio for your brine. For every 1 quart of water, use the following calculation formula:
Salt amount = Water volume x 0.06
This ensures a 6 percent salinity, which is standard for a safe and flavorful cure. Remember to replace all asterisks in your notes with the letter x to keep your records clear. For example, 1 gallon x 0.06 equals the total salt weight needed.
FAQs
How long does homemade corned beef last in the fridge?
Once cooked, your corned beef will stay fresh and delicious for about 3 to 4 days when stored in an airtight container. If you have leftovers that you won’t get to immediately, corned beef freezes exceptionally well. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then foil to prevent freezer burn.
Can I make corned beef without pink curing salt?
Yes, you can use regular kosher salt. However, the meat will be a natural brownish-gray color rather than pink. The flavor will also be more like a spiced pot roast than traditional deli corned beef. If you skip the curing salt, you should still follow the brining time to ensure the flavors penetrate the meat.
Why is my corned beef tough even after hours of cooking?
Toughness is usually a sign of undercooking. Brisket is a very lean, tough muscle with lots of connective tissue (collagen). It takes a long time at low temperatures for that collagen to melt into gelatin. If it’s tough, put it back in the pot and keep simmering; it likely just needs another 30 to 60 minutes.
What is the best internal temperature for corned beef?
For the most tender results, aim for an internal temperature of 190°F to 200°F. While meat is technically “safe” to eat at 145°F, it will be incredibly rubbery at that temperature. The higher temperature is necessary to break down the tough fibers.
Should I cook the cabbage and potatoes with the meat if I’m making Reubens?
If your end goal is specifically Reuben sandwiches, it is better to cook the meat alone or only with aromatics like onions and garlic. Cooking cabbage in the same pot will infuse the meat with a strong brassica flavor that can clash with the sauerkraut and Russian dressing in the final sandwich. Save the cabbage for a traditional boiled dinner night!