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    Home » Recipes » My Favorite Recipes

    How to Make a Killer Ham Reuben Sandwich

    Updated Aug 8, 2022

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    Ham Reuben Sandwich

    This is quite possibly one of the best sandwiches I have ever put into my mouth. A Ham Reuben Sandwich recipe. Big sandwich with bigger flavors. Everyone has probably had the classic Reuben sandwich, right? Corned beef piled on rye bread, topped with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and some 1000 Island dressing. Delish.

    But may I present you with the idea of a Ham Reuben Sandwich recipe instead?  And not just any Reuben sandwich. A Killer Ham Reuben Sandwich.

    Ham Reuben Sandwich Recipe with Russian Horseradish Sauce

     

    Killer Ham Reuben Sandwich Recipe with Homemade Russian Horseradish Sauce

    Layers of thin deli-sliced black forest ham between two pieces of buttery toasted New York style rye bread. And then..what really makes this sandwich a sammich...our homemade Russian Horseradish Sauce. Get in my tummy! You have to try this sandwich recipe and tell me what you think.

    Don't even think about using 1000 Island dressing or another store-bought spread for this Ham Reuben Sandwich recipe.

    Trust me on this one, this Russian horseradish sauce is mouth-watering. Addictive. Zippy. Perfect.

    A Killer Ham Reuben Sandwich recipe. Layers of deli-sliced black forest ham on New York rye. With Muenster cheese, sauerkraut and Russian Horseradish Sauce. Money.

    Having a snack attack? Check out our Easy BLT Cheese Ball.

    Ingredients Needed:

    For the Russian Horseradish Saue

    • Duke's mayo
    • Chili sauce - the bottled ketchup type
    • Dill pickles - you can also use dill pickle relish
    • Prepared horseradish
    • Black pepper
    • Onion powder
    • Garlic powder

    For the Ham Reuben Sandwiches

    • New York Style rye bread
    • Thinly sliced black forest ham
    • Muenster cheese
    • Sauerkraut
    • Butter

    This easy to make sauce is also excellent on cheeseburgers. Great to dip your chips or veggies in. Or, try a crispy onion ring in the Russian Horseradish Sauce. My word. Lights out.

    *Note, we used prepared horseradish. The mild, creamy kind in a little jar. See the complete recipe below and adjust to your taste. The heat and strength of horseradish can vary, so start with a little and add more until you are happy with the way it tastes. We used this one, so you know what to look for.

    So, get to it. Whip your dressing together first and let it blend while you are working on your ham Reuben sandwich recipe. It takes mayo, a little chili sauce, chopped dill pickles, and horseradish. (Scroll to the bottom of this post for the complete recipe.)  Horseradish gives the sauce a kick in the pants.

    A Killer Ham Reuben Sandwich recipe. Layers of deli-sliced black forest ham on New York rye. With Muenster cheese, sauerkraut and Russian Horseradish Sauce. Money..

    How to Make this Reuben Sandwich:

    For the Russian Horseradish Sauce

    1. Combine all ingredients listed for the sauce. (Start with 1 teaspoon of horseradish, and add more to taste.) Let sit.

    For the Ham Reuben Sandwiches

    1. In a skillet, melt ½ teaspoon butter over medium heat. Add a sandwich size portion of the ham to the skillet. Move the ham slices around in the pan, turning frequently until warm.
    2. Move the ham to the side of the skillet. Lightly butter one slice of the rye bread. Spread some of the horseradish sauce on the other side. Place the bread buttered side down into the skillet.
    3. Place two slices of cheese on top of the bread. Top with the heated ham, more horseradish sauce and a portion of sauerkraut.
    4. Top with another sauced and buttered piece of rye bread, buttered side UP.
    5. When the bottom of the sandwich is brown and the cheese is slightly melted, carefully flip the sandwich with a spatula. Cook until the other side is browned.
    6. *Repeat this process for more sandwiches.
    7. Transfer to a cutting board or plate, and cut. Serve warm with a dill pickle and chips.
    8. Refrigerate any sauce leftovers.

    Not only did we butter the outside of both pieces of New York style rye bread, but we spread a little bit of the amazing sauce on the inside of each slice. (Don't worry...there will be more sauce later.)

    Use a good quality bread. I'm a big fan of the rye breads with caraway seeds. Gives the ham Reuben sandwich recipe a little more flavor and texture.

    A Killer Ham Reuben Sandwich recipe. Layers of deli-sliced black forest ham on New York rye. With Muenster cheese, sauerkraut and Russian Horseradish Sauce. Money..

    Use good quality, deli-sliced thin black forest ham. A lots of it.  The slightly salty ham with the zing of the sauce, tang of the sauerkraut and melty cheese...between two buttery slices of bread. Hard to beat.

    I'm about to make a statement that will get me kicked out of Cheese World. I don't like Swiss cheese. Swiss is the traditional cheese found on a classic Reuben sandwich. It is generally bland to me, or slightly bitter.

    So we threw this ham Reuben sandwich another curve ball. Muenster cheese. Yes. Muenster is a perfect mild cheese that still has great flavor to balance out the strong flavors of the other ingredients. And it melts well.

    A Killer Ham Reuben Sandwich. Layers of deli-sliced black forest ham on New York rye. With Muenster cheese, sauerkraut and Russian Horseradish Sauce. Money..

    In a skillet melt a little butter and heat the ham slices. Don't cook them long. You don't want to dry the out, just get them warm.

    Scoot the ham over, then lay one piece of bread buttered side down.

    Top with cheese, then layer your ham Reuben sandwich up with as much ham as you'd like. Make yours thin, or make it thick.

    A Killer Ham Reuben Sandwich. Layers of deli-sliced black forest ham on New York rye. With Muenster cheese, sauerkraut and Russian Horseradish Sauce. Money.

    Top with more of the Russian horseradish sauce. (I like a lot. I'm a saucy kinda girl. And this isn't your run of the mill blah blah sauce.)

    A Killer Ham Reuben Sandwich. Layers of deli-sliced black forest ham on New York rye. With Muenster cheese, sauerkraut and Russian Horseradish Sauce. Money.

    Sprinkle with sauerkraut and top with the other piece of bread.

    Once the bottom is brown and the cheese gets a little melty, carefully flip.

    More Sandwich Ideas:

    Bourbon Bacon Meatball Subs

    The Best Chicken Salad. Ever.

    A Killer Ham Reuben Sandwich. Layers of deli-sliced black forest ham on New York rye. With Muenster cheese, sauerkraut and Russian Horseradish Sauce. Money.

    Slice. Drool. Get a napkin. Drool. Fix your drink. Drool. Sit down. Drool. Grab your sammich....

    A Killer Ham Reuben Sandwich recipe. Layers of deli-sliced black forest ham on New York rye. With Muenster cheese, sauerkraut and Russian Horseradish Sauce. Money.

    Eat!! Savor every single bite of this flavorful sandwich.

    A Killer Ham Reuben Sandwich. Layers of deli-sliced black forest ham on New York rye. With Muenster cheese, sauerkraut and Russian Horseradish Sauce. Money.

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    Ham Reuben Sandwich with Russian Horseradish Sauce

    A savory twist on a classic Reuben, made with ham and a killer homemade horseradish sauce.
    3.84 from 24 votes
    Print Recipe Email Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Sandwich
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 Half Sandwiches
    Calories 476 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    For the Russian Horseradish Saue

    • 1 cup Duke's mayo
    • ¼ cup chili sauce the bottled ketchup type
    • 4 TB dill pickles finely chopped
    • 4 teaspoon prepared horseradish more or less to taste. start with 1 tsp
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder

    For the Ham Reuben Sandwiches

    • 12 thick slices New York Style rye bread
    • 2 lbs thinly sliced black forest ham
    • 12 slices Muenster cheese
    • 1 14 oz can sauerkraut drained
    • ⅓ cup butter softened

    Instructions
     

    For the Russian Horseradish Sauce

    • Combine all ingredients listed for the sauce. (Start with 1 teaspoon of horseradish, and add more to taste.) Let sit.

    For the Ham Reuben Sandwiches

    • In a skillet, melt ½ teaspoon butter over medium heat. Add a sandwich size portion of the ham to the skillet. Move the ham slices around in the pan, turning frequently until warm.
    • Move the ham to the side of the skillet. Lightly butter one slice of the rye bread. Spread some of the horseradish sauce on the other side. Place the bread buttered side down into the skillet.
    • Place two slices of cheese on top of the bread. Top with the heated ham, more horseradish sauce and a portion of sauerkraut.
    • Top with another sauced and buttered piece of rye bread, buttered side UP.
    • When the bottom of the sandwich is brown and the cheese is slightly melted, carefully flip the sandwich with a spatula. Cook until the other side is browned.
    • *Repeat this process for more sandwiches.
    • Transfer to a cutting board or plate, and cut. Serve warm with a dill pickle and chips.
    • Refrigerate any sauce leftovers.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Half SandwichCalories: 476kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 23gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 1603mgPotassium: 347mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 505IUVitamin C: 6.5mgCalcium: 224mgIron: 1.4mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jere

      January 20, 2017 at 7:08 pm

      Sometimes you can't worry about the calories. This sandwich looks amazing.

      Reply
    2. Teri

      January 20, 2017 at 9:30 pm

      Ms. Jere, thank you so much for visiting and checking out our recipe. The Ham Reuben is definitely a recipe you will want to wear your stretchy pants. 🙂

      Reply
    3. Tom

      July 23, 2019 at 11:22 am

      4 stars
      I accidentally discovered a ham Reuben a while ago. Used the last corned beef on the wife's sandwich and said "what the hey"

      Thanks for the Russian dressing recipe. Much better than 1000 island.

      My method is to chop the sauerkraut and mix with a lot of sauce. The meat goes against one piece of bread, the cheese against the other piece of bread, the sauerkraut in between. This is easier to make and keeps the toast from getting soggy from sauce or sauerkraut juice

      Reply
      • Teri

        July 28, 2019 at 12:59 pm

        Hard to go wrong with ham, right? Thanks for trying out the recipe and glad you loved it. It is one of my family's faves..and we haven't had them in a while...so...going on the menu this week. 🙂

        Reply
    4. S J

      January 06, 2021 at 5:27 pm

      Great recipe. Just made it tonight and we loved it. Your recipe is outstanding. Thanks sooo much.

      Reply
      • Teri

        January 06, 2021 at 5:43 pm

        Awesome!! It is one of my husband's favorite sandwiches. That sauce is my favorite. 🙂 Thanks for trying it and taking the time to leave your kind message.

        Reply
    5. P

      April 09, 2022 at 8:56 pm

      2 stars
      This sauce is very similar to thousand island and would be cheaper to just use the already prepared dressing

      Reply
      • Teri

        April 11, 2022 at 2:13 pm

        If you prefer, you certainly can. I like the extra horseradish, and sometimes it is fun to make your own sauces.

        Reply
      • Lovely

        August 11, 2022 at 8:48 pm

        4 stars
        Eww. Too many preservatives and NO HORSERADISH.

        Reply
        • Teri

          August 12, 2022 at 5:11 pm

          To each his own. 🙂

        • Heather

          January 13, 2023 at 5:12 pm

          2 stars
          Preservatives? What?

    6. Heather

      January 13, 2023 at 5:10 pm

      2 stars
      Now you're heading into the Cubano sandwich flavor profile when you replace the corned beef with ham.

      Reply
      • Teri

        January 18, 2023 at 7:00 pm

        True. But ham is what we had on hand when I made these. 🙂 (Sometimes my budget doesn't allow for corned beef. 🙂

        Reply

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