Corned beef is an amazing meal in itself, but is unfortunately often overlooked or even forgotten outside of the St. Patrick's Day holiday season. Why do most people only enjoy such a great meat a few days a year? I mean, yes we have Reuben sandwiches that can be eaten year-round, but they are also typically only popular around the same time as a way to use up leftover corned beef. Well, I say we throw caution to the wind and make corned beef and Reubens a common meal throughout the year whenever we feel like it! Today's recipe, Reuben Pickle Bites, are an amuse-bouche of the traditional Reuben sandwich that can be enjoyed as a snack or appetizer. You can chow down on these little flavor bombs anytime you wish or change things up the next time you have leftover corned beef. If you want to make corned beef and Reubens everyday fare, check out this tasty new spinoff and give it a try for yourself...Let's Get Cooking!
While you certainly can use store-bought Thousand Island dressing, my homemade version has a ton more flavor with a bit of heat rounding out these Reuben Pickle Bites. In order to make the sauce, finely dice the white onion and combine it with mayonnaise, sweet relish, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, white vinegar, and sugar in a bowl. Mix well before seasoning with a dash of salt and pepper. These flavors will better combine after some time resting in the refrigerator so cover the bowl or transfer the dressing to a jar with sealable lid. I do suggest making this Thousand Island dressing the day before to give all those flavors ample time to fuse together for the perfect sauce!
Since all our ingredients are already cooked or ready as is, the only thing left to do is assemble our pickle bites. Begin by arranging large pickle chips on a tray or serving platter. Once the base pickle layer is down, simply stack each bite with a slice of corned beef and Swiss cheese. Place a tablespoon or so of sauerkraut on the cheese and drizzle some of the dressing on top of that. Finish each Reuben Pickle Bite with another pickle chip and secure everything in place with a toothpick. This super simple appetizer or snack is pretty much self-explanatory so for all my non-readers out there I have demonstrated the process in pictures below.
Whether you are using up leftover corned beef or just want to try something a little different, these Reuben Pickle Bites are sure to be a hit at your next dinner or party. I would suggest making them as close to serving as possible as the sauerkraut and pickle juices will start to drip and run everywhere after some time, but that is just a visual downfall and nothing about the taste will change. The assembly process is fairly quick and straightforward so prepare the Thousand Island ahead of time but hold off on the pickle bites as long as possible. Otherwise, these Reuben Pickle Bites are a great KETO alternative to the traditional sandwich so next time you're craving some corned beef give this recipe a try...Just Keep Cooking!
REUBEN PICKLE BITES