Reuben Burger Recipe
Tried this recipe?Tell others what you thought of it and give it a star rating below.
It seems like no one has ever thought to use corned beef to make a hamburger. Ground beef with even more flavor from the curing process: what’s not to love? Try this recipe for your St. Patrick Day celebration and put a definite American twist on your dinner.
Serve with: a Guinness.
Course: , ,
Dinner
Lunch
Main Course
Cuisine:
American
Makes:
Servings: servings
Takes:
Ingredients
- 2 pounds uncooked corned beef brisket
- 8 slices Swiss cheese
- 14 ounce can sauerkraut, drained
- 1/4 cup Russian dressing
- 8 slices rye bread, toasted
Notes:
About the corned beef. Try to find one with visible fat on the exterior for a better meat-to-fat ratio.
Metric conversion:
These recipes were created in US Customary measurements and the conversion to metric is being done by calculations. They should be accurate, but it is possible there could be an error. If you find one, please let us know in the comments at the bottom of the page
Method
- Prep. Place the grinder’s coarse 14 hole metal die and auger in the freezer to chill.
- Remove the corned beef from the packaging, rinse, and pat dry. Cut the entire prepared corned beef including any exterior fat into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes. Add the meat to the freezer for approximately 20 minutes until firm but not frozen.
- Remove the die, auger and meat from the freezer. Assemble the KitchenAid stand mixer’s grinding attachment according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Set a bowl in front of the grinder to catch the ground meat as it comes out. Turn the mixer on, setting it to speed 4. Begin feeding the cubed meat into the grinder, gently pushing it down with the stomper.
- Divide the ground corned beef into four even portions. Gently form the meat into patties that are approximately 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) wider than the bread slices to allow for shrinkage during the cooking process.
- Fire up. Prepare a grill for indirect cooking by placing a chimney full of pre-heated charcoal briquets on one side of the grill’s charcoal grate in order to create direct and indirect cooking zones. Adjust the grill vents to bring the temperature to about 225°F (107.2°C) on the indirect side. Add 2 to 3 chunks of your favorite smoking wood to the charcoal for flavor. On a gas grill, adjust the temperature knobs so that one half of the grill is off and the other half is heated enough to maintain a temperature of approximately 225°F (107.2°C) on the indirect side.
- Cook. Place the burgers on the indirect side of the grill. Cover the grill, positioning the vent directly above the burgers in order to force the smoke over and around the meat. Cook the patties for about 10 minutes.
- Push the tip of a rapid-read thermometer such as the Thermapen into the side of both burgers. When the temperature reaches 105°F (40.6°C), flip the burgers and cook for approximately 10 more minutes. Because they are not over direct heat, you do not need to flip them often.
- When the burgers reach an internal temperature of approximately 140°F (60°C), get ready to move them to the direct-heat zone. If you are on a gas grill, crank it up to high. On a charcoal grill, you may want to add more pre-lit coals. If necessary, take the meat off of the grill and close the lid while the hot side heats up. If you have a pellet cooker or another grill that doesn’t have enough radiant heat to sear, put a cast iron pan or griddle in there—when the griddle collects a lot of heat, it can do the job.
- Put the burgers on the direct heat side to brown them. Leave the lid up so the heat is concentrated on one side of each burger. If the fire flares up, move the burger to another spot—flare-ups can deposit bad-tasting soot. Flip the meat every minute, acting like a human rotisserie, so all the energy is focused on one surface at a time. The interior will warm, but not too much. Remove the burgers when browned and the interior reaches 160°F (71.1°C). Don't overcook them while waiting for the second side to be perfect. If one side is paler than the other, that’s acceptable. Top each patty with sauerkraut followed by two slices of Swiss cheese. Cover the grill and allow the cheese to melt, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
- Serve. Set each patty on a slice of toasted rye bread. Brush one side of the remaining bread slices with Russian dressing. Crown each burger with a slice of bread, dressing side down. Serve immediately.