Looking for a way to use those St. Paddy’s Day leftovers? Or maybe just curious about how to make the perfect classic Reuben? This week I sat down with Daniel Chessare, owner of Saratoga’s Broadway Deli, in Saratoga Springs, who shared his thoughts on what makes the best ever Reuben! (SPOILER ALERT: It’s not the the “melts in your mouth” brisket).

WHAT EXACTLY IS A REUBEN SANDWICH? A Reuben is a fairly simple sandwich that includes rye bread, swiss cheese, Russian dressing, corned beef, and sauerkraut. Since there aren’t a lot of ingredients, you’ll want to make sure that each ingredient is perfect.

RYE BREAD. Daniel recommends bread that is a bit thicker to prevent it from getting soggy from the sauerkraut, dressing, and juices from the corned beef.

RUSSIAN DRESSING: Making your own is super simple and makes a big difference. Simply mix together mayo, ketchup, relish and a little paprika.

SAUERKRAUT: You don’t want a sauerkraut that’s been boiled in vinegar, or boiled at all! Choose a good, crunchy sauerkraut or make your own with salt, water and cabbage.

SWISS CHEESE: Daniel shares that Swiss is the one ingredient that you have a little flexibility with, and you can “save some pennies” by choosing a standard deli Swiss.

CORNED BEEF! Daniel prefers using a DELI meat over a brisket, since it has less moisture and is less likely to get soggy. Although the brisket is great for plating, it’s tough when making a Reuben. He shares that you ARE able to use your leftovers if you let your brisket fully cool, slice as thinly as possible, and then throw it in a pan to crisp it get a little caramelization.

The Reuben is just one of the many amazing sandwiches on Saratoga Broadway Deli’s menu. More details about their breakfast options, hot and cold sandwiches, catering and delivery can be found at https://www.saratogasbroadwaydeli.com/ .