It’s Burger Month again, hosted by Girl Carnivore. This year I’m sharing a Smashed Reuben Burger: all the classic Reuben toppings piled on a smashed all-beef patty and finished with a homemade smoky Russian dressing.
Find more epic burger recipes on my site. Enjoy!
This post is part of Girl Carnivore’s Burger Month. I received some promotional items from sponsors; all opinions and this recipe are my own.
I’m a big fan of smashed burgers—if you love them too, see my BBQ Bacon Smashed Burger and Smashed Bacon Double Cheeseburger on the blog.
Smashed Reuben Burger with Smoky Russian Dressing
Before you scroll to the giveaway, here’s everything you need to know about this burger.
I picked up grass-fed beef and corned beef at a local market, and that inspired this Reuben-style burger. The components are straightforward and mostly pantry staples, so you may already have everything on hand.
- Most of the dressing ingredients are shown here—whisk them together with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Drain sauerkraut well so your bread doesn’t get soggy.
- Toppings: Swiss cheese, corned beef, sauerkraut, and smoky Russian dressing.
- Portion patties around 2.5–3 oz; for a double use two 2.5 oz patties per burger.
- Smashed thin on a hot pan and flip once a crust forms; use a rigid metal spatula to lift the patty.
Tips, Tricks, and Troubleshooting
Tips and Tricks
- Use a stainless-steel or cast-iron pan for the best caramelized crust—avoid non-stick for smashing.
- These burgers can smoke while cooking; run an exhaust fan or open a window.
- When making the dressing, add horseradish sparingly—the flavor intensifies after resting.
- Smoky flavor: smoked paprika or chipotle powder plus a smoky ketchup will give the dressing depth.
- Either marble rye or seeded rye works for serving. Marble rye looks nice but can be a bit flakier.
- The burger is substantial but not oversized; it’s easy to pick up and eat or slice in half for serving.
Troubleshooting
There aren’t many ways to go wrong, but here are options to tailor the dressing to your taste:
- Too spicy: Omit hot sauce, reduce smoked paprika to 1/4 tsp, and cut or skip horseradish.
- Prefer sweet: Add an extra tablespoon of relish or a teaspoon or two of honey.
- Want it hotter: Increase smoked paprika to 1 tsp or substitute chipotle powder; add more hot sauce.
- Simpler sauce: Mix mayo with cocktail sauce or prepared horseradish sauce, vinegar, and relish.
- Use store-bought dressing: Stir in 1/2 tsp smoked paprika or chipotle powder to add smokiness.
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Smashed Reuben Burger with Smoky Russian Dressing
Jennifer Field
Ingredients
For the Russian Dressing
- 1/2 cup full-fat mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup smoky ketchup
- 1 Tablespoon sweet pickle relish
- 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 3–4 teaspoons prepared horseradish
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Burgers
- 1 1/3 cups sauerkraut
- 1/2 pound corned beef, thinly sliced
- 8 slices marble rye or seeded rye
- Russian dressing (from above)
- 8 slices Swiss cheese
- 12 oz ground beef
- 1/2–1 teaspoon hot sauce, to taste
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
To Make the Russian Dressing
- Whisk all dressing ingredients together with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour to let flavors marry. Adjust sweetness or heat to taste.
To Make the Burgers
- Place sauerkraut in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and drain at least 30 minutes.
- Warm corned beef and drained sauerkraut briefly so toppings are hot but don’t overcook the corned beef.
- Toast one side of each slice of bread; spread the toasted sides with about 1 tablespoon Russian dressing each.
- Place a slice of Swiss on four of the bread pieces.
- Form the ground beef into four oval-shaped meatballs roughly the shape of the bread.
- Heat a stainless-steel or cast-iron pan over medium-high until very hot. Place a meatball in the pan and press flat with the back of a large spatula to about 1/4″ thickness.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook 2–3 minutes until mostly cooked through with a bit of pink remaining.
- Use a metal spatula to loosen and flip; cook an additional 30–60 seconds. Place each cooked patty on a slice of Swiss so the cheese melts.
- Top each patty with about 2 oz corned beef (3 thin slices), a drizzle of Russian dressing, another slice of Swiss, and about 1/3 cup sauerkraut.
- Crown with the remaining piece of bread, toasted side down. Serve immediately or toast assembled sandwiches briefly to meld everything.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, y’all! I hope you enjoyed this post and picked up at least one useful tip.
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And there you have it—my smashed Reuben burger. I made these several times in short order because they’re just that good.
A big thank you to Kita Roberts of Girl Carnivore for organizing Burger Month and bringing together so many creative burger recipes.