These Reuben Sliders on Pretzel Buns are a delightful and innovative twist on the classic Reuben Sandwich – the perfect game-day appetizer and a delicious addition to your St. Patrick’s Day spread.
When it comes to sandwich classics, few contenders can compete with the Reuben. Tender corned beef, tangy sauerkraut, melty Swiss cheese, and zesty Thousand Island dressing, all sandwiched between fragrant slices of rye bread, creating that iconic flavor combination loved by so many.
I can already hear Reuben purists worldwide shrieking in horror when they see their cherished rye bread being replaced with these squishy and slightly cheeky little pretzel buns. But stick with me here.
Innovation has its place in the culinary world. A few years ago, after a reasonably significant ordering error, we found ourselves buried in bags of freshly baked pretzel slider buns. So, I did what any chef would do – I made a special! We already served a fabulous classic Reuben Sandwich in the cafe, but on this day, things would go a little differently. The Reuben Sliders on Pretzel Buns became an immediate hit. As it turns out, the perfectly salty and slightly chewy buns proved to be an ingenious alternative that became quite popular with the guests.
This recipe will use a simple crock-pot corned beef brisket, slowly braised in beer and onions for approximately 4-5 hours. I recommend starting the corned beef earlier in the day and allowing plenty of time for the meat to become juicy and tender before use.
SAVING TIME: If you are short on time or want to eliminate steps, grab a high-quality store-bought corned beef or a sliced deli pastrami. Both would make excellent substitutes.
Reuben Slider Ingredients & Supplies:
- Corned Beef: follow the crock-pot corned beef preparation below or feel free to purchase from your local deli
- Light beer: use a lager or pale ale
- Onion: yellow or white onion
- Garlic: use fresh garlic cloves
- Mayonnaise: find a high-quality mayonnaise to add creaminess to your dressing
- Sour Cream:
- Ketchup: tomato ketchup adds sweetness to the dressing
- Stone Ground Mustard
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Prepared Horseradish
- Parsley
- Pretzel Slider Buns
- Sauerkraut: be sure to squeeze out all of the juice from your sauerkraut before use
- Swiss Cheese
Equipment
- Crock Pot or Slow Cooker
- 4″ Bamboo Skewers
- Oven-Proof Baking Dish
- Non-Stick Cooking Spray
Corned beef has been cured using large-grained rock salt, also known as “corns” of salt, hence the name “corned” beef. The corning process involves soaking the beef brisket or round in a brine solution containing water, salt, sugar, and various spices such as peppercorns, coriander seeds, and bay leaves.
Corned beef is a popular ingredient in many dishes, most notably the classic Reuben sandwich, as well as corned beef and cabbage, a traditional dish often associated with Irish cuisine, particularly around St. Patrick’s Day.
The traditional cheese used in a Reuben sandwich is Swiss cheese. Its nutty flavor and melting qualities complement the other ingredients such as the corned beef and sauerkraut beautifully. However, depending on personal preference or regional adaptations, variations may include other cheeses like GruyĆØre or Emmental.
How to Make Reuben Sliders with Pretzel Buns:
Step 1. Make Ahead: Crock Pot Corned Beef
Begin by positioning the corned beef brisket in the slow cooker, ensuring the fat side faces upwards. Tuck garlic cloves and onion around and beneath the meat, distributing them evenly. Add beer, water, and spice packet. Securely place the lid on the slow cooker and set the temperature to LOW. Allow the brisket to cook gently for 4 to 5 hours, allowing ample time for the flavors to meld and the meat to tenderize. Remove the corned beef from the cooking juices and shred the brisket while the meat is still warm. Brisket can be cooked up to 3 days in advance.
Step 2. Prepare Thousand Island Dressing
The next step will be to prepare the Thousand Island Dressing. In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, ketchup, diced pickles, minced onion, pimentos, horseradish, stone-ground mustard, Worcestershire sauce, freshly chopped parsley, and salt and pepper. Stir until ingredients are well incorporated. This dressing can be prepared in advance and stored in a refrigerator, where it will maintain its freshness and flavor for up to one week.
Step 3. Assemble, Warm, and Serve Sliders
Preheat oven to 350Ā°F. Spray an oven-proof baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place slider bun bottoms in the baking dish, and top each with 1-2 oz shredded corned beef, 1 – 2 Tbsp sauerkraut, 1 Tbsp Thousand Island, and 2 squares of Swiss cheese. Bake slider buns without bun tops for 5 minutes or until cheese begins to melt. Remove sliders from oven, top with bun tops, and secure with bamboo skewers. Return to the oven for an additional 5 – 6 minutes or until the sliders are warm and the cheese is melty. Serve immediately.
Enjoy these fabulous little sliders!!
xoxo
Kristen
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Reuben Sliders with Pretzel Buns
- Total Time: 5 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 serving (2 sliders per person) 1x
Description
These Reuben Sliders on Pretzel Buns are a delightful and innovative twist on the classic Reuben Sandwich – the perfect game-day appetizer and a delicious addition to your St. Patrick’s Day spread.
Ingredients
Corned Beef Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 – 3 lb corned beef
- 1 ea.Ā light beer
- 1 cĀ water
- 1 ea.Ā onion, quartered
- 5Ā Ā garlic cloves
- 1 ea spice packet ( if included with corned beef)
Thousand Island Dressing Ingredients:
- 1/2 cupĀ mayonnaise
- 12/ cupĀ sour cream
- 1/4 cupĀ ketchup
- 1/4 cupĀ dill pickle, minced
- 1/4 cupĀ yellow onion, minced
- 2 Tbsp.Ā Pimento, minced
- 1 Tbsp.Ā stone ground mustard
- 1/2 tspĀ Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tspĀ prepared horseradish
- 1 Tbsp parsley, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Slider Ingredients:
- 16–18 ea.Ā pretzel slider buns
- 2 cups sauerkraut, well-drained
- 9 slicesĀ Swiss cheese, cut into quarters
Instructions
Corned Beef Preparation:
- Position the corned beef brisket in the slow cooker, ensuring the fat side faces upwards.
- Add garlic cloves and onion around and beneath the meat, distributing them evenly.
- Add beer, water, and spice packet (if spice packet has been included with corned beef).
- Securely place the lid on the slow cooker and set the temperature to LOW.
- Cook brisket for 4 to 5 hours or until meat is tender and begins to fall apart.Ā
- Remove brisket from the cooking juices. While still warm, shred the meat using two forks.Ā While holding the brisket steady with one fork,Ā run the other fork with the meat’s grain, pulling the meat apart into shreds.Ā
Note: Brisket can be cooked up to 3 days in advance.
Thousand Island Dressing Preparation:
- In a medium-sized bowl,Ā combine mayonnaise, sour cream, ketchup, dill pickle, minced onion, pimentos, stone-ground mustard, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, chopped parsley, and salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly.
Note: This dressing can be prepared in advance and stored in a refrigerator to maintain its freshness and flavor for up to one week.
Slider Preparation:Ā
- Preheat oven to 350Ā°F. Spray oven-proof baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Layer slider bun bottoms in the baking dish. Top each slider bottom with 1-2 oz shredded corned beef, 1 – 2 Tbsp drained sauerkraut, 1 Tbsp Thousand Island dressing, and 2 squares of Swiss cheese.
- Bake slider buns without bun tops for 5 minutes or until cheese begins to melt.
- Remove sliders from oven and top sliders with bun tops, and secure with bamboo skewers. Return to the oven for an additional 5 – 6 minutes or until the sliders are warm and the cheese is melty. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 5 hours
- Cook Time: 20 min
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