Made a Reuben sandwich for the first time

[lillypaddle]

Have you ever flipped a sandwich piled high with corned beef, swiss cheese, sauerkraut and (homemade) Russian dressing? Let's just say it was a DECONSTRCTED Reuben when I got through with it, and my stovetop had stuff all over it.

Any hints for a successful maneuver of this sort?

[TreasonousBastard]

1. NYC delis have been famnous for years selling Reubens about...

twice the size of your mouth. The only way. I could eat one was to start from the middle.

[asiliveandbreathe]

2. Tongs..spatula tongs..

or use 2 spatulas..lifting the turkey from pan to turkey plate..works every time..well..most of the time..

sorry for huge pic..still learning...

[ms liberty]

4. Wow. I totally did not know these existed...

Now I feel I must purchase at least two asap!

[asiliveandbreathe]

5. LOL..I am sure you have 2 spatulas..but first do a trial run..

LOL..neither did I..I have been using two spatulas forevah..

I was looking on line for just a toaster..not a toaster oven..came across a toaster that toasts a grilled cheese sandwich..

WHAT!!! I ain't cleanin' it!!!

[lillypaddle]

19. I bought some

The spatula on those in only a little over two inches, but I found one that has a 5" wide spatula. They're on their way!

[Diamond_Dog]

6. Oh! I want a set of those!

Would be great for grilled cheese and sliced tomato!

[asiliveandbreathe]

7. Here ya' go...

?t=4

[MLAA]

8. Just ordered one!

Thanks, grilled cheese just got easier!

[asiliveandbreathe]

9. comment #7 or the tongs...

[lillypaddle]

15. Cool!

Amazon, here I come!

[3catwoman3]

3. Maybe cook the top piece of bread...

...first, separately, so you don't have to flip it?

[doc03]

10. Use your George Forman grille it grills both sides

at the same time.
You could also take your spatula and put it on your sandwich . Flip the whole works over. then remove your skillet from the top and flip the skillet over under the sandwich. You flip the skillet instead of the sandwich.

[TygrBright]

11. I use silicone-tipped tongs. n/t

[lillypaddle]

16. I tried those

I think my filling was too high, and the bread, while crispy, gave in the middle with the tongs and the filling fell out. What can I say, I'm not very coordinated!

[OAITW r.2.0]

12. When I do a grilled cheese, I lift the sammy out of the pan with a spatula, tilt the pan to 45

degree angle and quick flip the sammy back into the pan. Seems to work OK, so far.

[Indykatie]

13. There's A Toaster for Grilled Cheese? Who Knew? I Gotta Get One.

[dem in texas]

14. Rubens are what I have on the menu for today.

My Old Boy's favorite. I don't have any corned-beef, will use sliced ham. Have some baby swiss in the fridge, some canned sauerkraut in the pantry and some dark rye bread in the freezer. Like you, I make my own 1000 Island dressing. Going to made some potato salad to go with it.

Never had a problem tuning the sandwiches over in the skillet; press them down before putting in skillet. I use the spatula in one hand and my fingers on other hand to hold when flipping over. Guess. my 83 year-old fingers are tough!

[sir pball]

17. Cook it open-faced in the oven and assemble it afterwards.

The best way is to cook it open and use the oven; I usually go with the corned beef/pastrami and kraut on one slice and the cheese and 1000 Island on the other. Get the pan hot, lay both slices of bread in, put the filling on, and 450˚F for five minutes. Pull it out and flip the cheese slice onto the meat, boom, Robert's your mother's brother.

I even do that in the restaurant, with a proper flattop, since a Reuben should be piled so high it just can't get hot through on the griddle. Toast the open slices up, put them on a sizzle platter, and finish in the oven or under the broiler.

[lillypaddle]

18. Thanks

I actually heated the kraut in the microwave; then I put the cheese on top of the pastrami and did a quick 6 second heat in the microwave. Toasted the bread on the skillet, and then assembled. Turned out great! However, I did buy one of those spatula tongs someone on this thread found. I got one where the spatula is 5 inches wide, which should do the trick for future flipping.