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A type of deli sandwich recipe that can be served hot (grilled) or cold and is made with layers of thinly sliced corned beef, sliced Swiss cheese, plenty of sauerkraut, and a special sandwich dressing, which is usually homemade Russian dressing or Thousand Island dressing, all sandwiched between slices of rye bread. There are several stories concerning the origin of this sandwich: Some people say that it originated at a New York City deli run by Arnold Reuben in the early 1900s. Others proclaim that it was invented by a grocer in Omaha, Nebraska known as Reuben Kulakofsky. Regardless of its origin, the Reuben sandwich began as a Reuben and has been relabeled occasionally as a Rueben (the u before the e) with the basic ingredients remaining the same.

Traditional recipes call for either a Russian rye bread or a pumpernickel rye bread to be used for the sandwich. If served hot, the sandwich is spread with butter on the outside and grilled, while the interior ingredients remain relatively cool. Although corned beef is typically the type of meat that is most often used in the sandwich, other meats, such as turkey, are sometimes used.