I have to be honest… this recipe was teamwork; perfect for a winning game day sandwich.
The other night I was having a drink with some buddies when Richard told me about this amazing Ruben sandwich that he had that afternoon that was made with beef instead of pastrami. My original thought was to stuff a flank steak with Swiss cheese and make a killer Russian dressing to go with.
I was talking through this idea with my good friend and fellow chef, Pablo, who suggested making a pimiento cheese-style spread out of the Swiss cheese and Russian dressing.
Flank steak rubbed with pastrami spices, grilled perfectly medium-rare on grill toasted Jewish rye bread with sauerkraut and an Swiss Cheese-Russian Spread…. Teamwork.
Flank Steak Rubbed with Pastrami Spices
Author: Jeff Parker
Recipe type: Direct Heat Grilling
Serves: 6 sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds flank steak
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt for every pound of meat
- 2 tablespoons Pastrami Rub (recipe below)
- Sliced Jewish rye bread
- Melted butter
- Swiss-Russian Spread (recipe below)
- Sauerkraut
Instructions
- Trim away any excess fat from the flank steak and place on a baking sheet. Season generously with salt on both sides and then cover with the rub and pat in until it all adheres. Cover and cure in the refrigerator for at least 4 to 6 hours or for as long as overnight.
- Remove the steak from the refrigerator an hour before grilling.
- Preheat grill for direct cooking over high heat and as always, brush and oil grates before cooking.
- Place steak on hot grill at a 45 degree angle to the grates. Cook for about 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Allow the steak to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
- Meanwhile, brush bread with melted butter and grill toast on both sides until marked and golden.
- Thinly slice across the grain of the meat with your knife tilted at an angle to give you nice wide slices.
- Slather toasted bread with Swiss-Russian Spread and pile on the sliced steak and sauerkraut.
Pastrami Rub
Author: Jeff Parker
Serves: ½ cup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons medium ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons ground coriander
- 4 teaspoons ground allspice
- 2 teaspoons mustard powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon lightly packed brown sugar
Instructions
- Combine all ingredient in a bowl and stir to combine. Will keep in tightly sealed container for 6 months.
Swiss Cheese-Russian Spread
Author: Jeff Parker
Serves: 2 cups
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons drained prepared horseradish
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon grated onion (not finely chopped)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 6 oz. extra Swiss cheese, finely grated (about 1½ cups)
Instructions
- Thoroughly combine everything up to the Swiss cheeses. Fold in the cheese. It can be enjoyed at this point, but it is really best if it’s left to sit in the fridge for an hour or two to let the ingredients to get to know each other.
Cheers and Happy Grilling!
~Jeff
