Corned Beef Melt

I say it time and time again, but I get excited mid-March. Why? Well, it is because it is that time of year when corned beef goes on sale. The standard corned beef goes on sale for at least fifty percent of the cost, and that is the time when I stock up. By default I purchase at least two of them, and I love making a couple of things with the beef; one being corned beef hash (one of my dad’s favorites), and the next is a variety of sandwiches.

By default, my first reaction is to make a reuben, and as much as I wanted to go down this route, I chose another direction, and make a corned beef melt. This melt is similar to a reuben, as it involves rye bread, cheese, and some spread, however a reuben uses thousand island dressing, and I am using a nice dijon dressing. Enough already, lets go ahead get this super comforting sandwich ready for your upcoming St. Patrick’s Day gathering.

Ingredients:

• Rye bread
• 6 slices of thinly cut cooked corned beef
• 2 slices of provolone cheese
• Dijon mustard
• Caramelized onions
• 2 tbsp butter, room temperature
• Cast Iron Skillet, if you have one

Begin by heating your cast iron skillet to a medium heat. Add one tablespoon of butter to each slice of good rye bread. Add one slice of the bread, butter side down, onto the skillet. Spread a thin layer of dijon mustard on the bread. Add a slice of the provolone cheese. Add a nice layer of the caramelized onions on top of the cheese, then the slices of corned beef, then top with a slice of cheese, then the final layer of bread, butter side up.

Cook for about four minutes on one side until you get a nice golden brown. Carefully flip over, and continue to cook for an additional four minutes. Feel free to lay something heavy on the cooked top to apply a bit of pressure, to make this a nice melt.

Once both side are nice and golden and the cheese is melted, you are good to go. This corned beef melt is hard to resist. The nice spice from the corned beef, the sweetness of the onions, and the creaminess of the cheese makes this one a serious competitor to the reuben sandwich.

What is your favorite way to use corned beef?