Beef Tongue Reuben Sandwich

Jump to Recipe

If you ask me what the King of sandwiches is, I’m not even hesitating: it’s the Reuben. Warm rye bread, melty Swiss cheese, tangy sauerkraut, and that creamy-sweet Thousand Island dressing… it’s the perfect balance of salty, sharp, rich, and crunchy.

Traditionally, a Reuben is made with corned beef brisket, but this time I went a little off-script and used beef tongue—and honestly? It might be my favorite Reuben variation yet.

Beef tongue isn’t as fatty as brisket, but it’s packed with connective tissue that breaks down during a long cook, keeping the meat unbelievably juicy. It also has this inherent buttery, ultra-beefy flavor that you just don’t get from most other cuts. When cooked perfectly, beef tongue becomes tender while still keeping a slight chew and snap that’s super satisfying and meaty—basically the dream texture for a stacked deli-style sandwich.

---

Why Beef Tongue Works So Well in a Reuben

Beef tongue is one of those cuts that rewards patience. Once it’s brined and cooked low-and-slow, it becomes:

• Tender but still meaty (not shredded or mushy)
• Juicy without needing tons of fat
• Deeply beefy and buttery
• Perfect for slicing thin and piling high

And because it holds its shape so well, it gives you that classic Reuben “bite” where everything stays stacked instead of falling apart.

---

Beef Tongue Reuben Recipe

🥩 Ingredients

Corning Brine

• 1 beef tongue
• 1000 g water
• 1000 g ice
• 120 g salt
• 6 g Prague powder #1
• 80 g brown sugar
• 2 star anise
• 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp white peppercorns
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp allspice berries
• 6 cloves
• 3 bay leaves

Pressure Cooking Stage (or Braising Stage)

• 1/2 head cabbage, roughly chopped
• 1 onion, halved
• 1 L chicken or beef stock
• Water (enough to cover)

Thousand Island Dressing

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp yellow onion, minced
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 2 tbsp sweet relish
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• Salt, to taste

For Assembly

• Sauerkraut
• Rye bread
• Swiss cheese

---

Step-by-Step Instructions

1) Brine the Beef Tongue (5–7 Days)

1. In a pot, combine water, salt, Prague powder #1, brown sugar, and all spices.
2. Bring to a boil to dissolve everything, then remove from heat.
3. Fill a large container with ice and pour the hot brine over the ice.
4. Once cooled, add the beef tongue.
5. Brine in the fridge for 5–7 days.

This is what gives the tongue that classic corned beef flavor—salty, spiced, and deli-style.

---

2) Cook the Beef Tongue Until Tender

1. Remove tongue from brine and rinse well (so it doesn’t end up overly salty).

Oven braise method:

• Add tongue to a Dutch oven with cabbage, onion, stock, and enough water to cover.
• Cook at 200°F for ~4 hours.

Pressure cooker method:

• Cook on high pressure for 1 hour.

2. Remove tongue from liquid, wrap or cover, and let cool 30 minutes.
3. Peel off the outer skin.
4. Optionally trim rough parts (like the taste buds).

---

3) Make the Thousand Island Dressing

Mix together:

• mayo
• minced onion
• ketchup
• sweet relish
• lemon juice
• paprika
• salt to taste

---

4) Assemble the Reuben

1. Slice beef tongue into 0.5 cm / 0.25 inch slices.
2. Toast rye bread with Swiss cheese until melty.
3. Build the sandwich:
   • Thousand Island dressing
   • a generous pile of corned beef tongue
   • sauerkraut
4. Press, slice, and enjoy immediately.

---

What Does a Beef Tongue Reuben Taste Like?

This sandwich is everything a Reuben should be—savory, tangy, creamy, cheesy—but with a meat upgrade that feels extra special.

The beef tongue is:

• buttery and intensely beefy
• tender but not falling apart
• slightly chewy with a satisfying “snap”

That texture makes it feel more luxurious than brisket in a way—like deli meat meets steak energy.

---

Tips for the Best Beef Tongue Reuben

• Don’t skip the rinse after brining (it helps balance the salt)
• Chill the tongue slightly before slicing for cleaner cuts
• Use good rye bread (it makes a huge difference)
• Warm sauerkraut slightly so the sandwich stays hot throughout
• Toast the bread with Swiss first so it melts into the bread

---

Final Thoughts: The King of Sandwiches, Reinvented

The Reuben will always be the King of sandwiches in my book, and while corned beef brisket is the classic, corned beef tongue brings something special: a richer beef flavor, incredible juiciness from connective tissue, and that perfect tender-chewy bite that keeps you going back for another mouthful.

If you love a Reuben and you’re feeling adventurous, this is absolutely worth the time. Make it once and you’ll start looking at beef tongue very differently.