The Seasoning Secrets You Need For Restaurant-Worthy Reuben Sandwiches

If you're a reuben sandwich fan but have only ever tried them at local delis, it's time to experiment with making them at home. While most of the steps for whipping up a classic reuben — mixing the Russian dressing, assembling the 'wich, and grilling it until the cheese melts — are pretty straightforward, there are a few ways you can elevate your creation from good to great. And it all starts with using the right seasonings.

To figure out the best way to proceed, we picked the brain of Michelle Wallace, owner and founder of B'tween Sandwich Co. According to Wallace, the secret to making corned beef from scratch is all in the brine. "When working with a brine you want to make sure that you create a flavorful liquid that is perfectly salted for the amount of beef that you are preparing," she said in an interview with Tasting Table. "Then you have to allow the brine to work ... giving it the time it needs to create a delicious corned beef." In general, opt for about 1 ½ cups of salt for every 5 pounds of beef brisket, and let everything sit for anywhere from 10 to 14 days.

When salting your brisket, Wallace advises to include a specific type. "A key ingredient for the corned beef is the pink curing salt," she said. "It is the ingredient that gives the beef that beautiful pink hue but also that hammy flavor that is common to corned beef." Typically, you'll want to use a combination of both kosher salt and pink curing salt, with the majority (the 1 ½ cups we mentioned) being the kosher kind. Then add 3 to 4 teaspoons of pink curing salt at the same step, when you're adding seasonings to water to make the brine. While your meat is soaking up all this delicious liquid, make sure to flip it halfway through so that both sides get all the flavors.

Aside from the corned beef, Wallace also emphasizes a necessary seasoning to include when making your sauerkraut: celery seed. "The spice gives off traditional flavors of celery which pair very well with the cabbage, but it also adds this earthiness and slight bitterness that is so delicious in sauerkraut and works nicely in a reuben sandwich," she said. You can, of course, make your sauerkraut from scratch, in which case you'll add the celery seed when you season the cabbage. But if you just want to jazz up the canned stuff, separate out a portion to use for your sandwiches and sprinkle on your new flavoring.