BISON REUBEN SANDWICH

Bison Reuben Sandwich image

A trip to New York City wouldn't be complete without stopping in a Jewish-style deli, and you can't go to a New York deli without trying a Reuben sandwich piled sky-high with corned beef brisket, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Russian or Thousand Island dressing. This is my southern take on that great sandwich. Lean bison is naturally lower in fat than beef, but its flavor is quite similar and you should feel free to use beef brisket if you can't find or don't care for bison. I often dress red cabbage as coleslaw for sandwiches, but cooking it first mellows its bitter note. Hundred Island Dressing is revamped from the original with a substitution of pickled okra for pickle relish. Okra reinforces the southern touch that's also present in the barbecue sauce.

Yield serves 8

Number Of Ingredients 23

Ingredients

3 cups Bar Americain Barbecue Sauce (page 236) or store-bought barbecue sauce
1 buffalo brisket (about 4 pounds)
2 tablespoons canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 quart chicken stock, homemade (page 240) or store-bought
1 1/4 cups red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large head of red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
16 (1/4-inch-thick) slices Pullman or other good-quality white sandwich bread
1/4 pound fontina cheese, grated (1 cup)
Hundred Island Dressing (recipe follows)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 to 2 teaspoons Frank's RedHot or other hot sauce, to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped pickled okra
(makes about 1 1/2 cups)

Steps:

Place 2 cups of the barbecue sauce in a large shallow baking dish, add the brisket, and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until it begins to shimmer. Remove the brisket from the refrigerator, season with salt and pepper, and sear well on both sides until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Add the carrots, onions, and celery and cook until soft and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Return the brisket to the pan and add the chicken stock and the remaining 1 cup barbecue sauce. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove; then cover and place in the oven. Cook until fork-tender, about 2 hours.
Meanwhile, make the pickled red cabbage. Bring the vinegar, honey, and salt and pepper to taste to a simmer in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, about 15 minutes.
Remove the brisket from the cooking liquid, tent with foil, and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain.
Place 8 slices of bread on a work surface. Top each slice with 4 or 5 slices of brisket, 2 tablespoons of the cheese, some pickled red cabbage, and a drizzle of the dressing. Top with the remaining bread.
Heat one-third of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook 2 to 3 sandwiches at a time until golden brown on both sides and the cheese has melted, about 3 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining butter and sandwiches.
Whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, and hot sauce in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Stir in the pickled okra just before using.