Reubens are a delicious and savory pub, sandwich shop, diner and restaurant option.

An awesome Patty’s Day lunch, dinner or evening snack can include the classic corned beef sandwich.

Fresh bread, your own brined brisket, a creamy sauce and crunchy fresh sauerkraut make for the perfect Reuben.

Prior to Patty’s Day, have a game plan of prep days to brine your brisket before the holiday arrives. So perhaps this year, you could try making your own fresh brisket for your Saint Patrick’s Day evening meal of Reubens.

Once you learn some simple steps for brining and creating your own corned beef, the steps become super easy and fun.

Beef Brisket

A large, tall baking vessel for brining, such as a large oval crock pot dish

5 pounds of beef brisket, cut evenly with some fat

1 quart of water and extra water to cover brisket for baking later

2 teaspoons of black whole peppercorns

2 teaspoons of coriander seeds

2 teaspoons of mustard seeds

1 teaspoon of allspice berries

2 whole mace

1 cinnamon stick

4 fresh bay leaves

1 teaspoon of dry chili flakes

8 cloves

4 cloves of garlic, whole

½ cup of sugar

1 tablespoon of pink curing salt

1 cup of kosher salt

1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

1 onion, peeled and quartered

1 celery stalk, roughly chopped

Small bunch of fresh thyme sprigs

Combine all ingredients, except for the brisket, in a large saucepan. Heat over medium heat, bringing your brine up to simmer and until the sugars are dissolved. Place the whole saucepan over a water bath, to cool off the brine quickly. Pour the cooled brine into your vessel. Place the brisket in next.

To keep the brisket submerged in the brining liquid, put some heavy dishes over the brisket. Cover the vessel with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator for 10 days to brine the brisket.

On the 10th brining day, remove the brisket from the brine liquid. Strain the brine through a sieve, to reserve the spices. Place the spices into the pot, where you are going to braise your brisket and set aside for a moment. Rinse over cool water, to remove the excess brine. Pat dry with paper towels. Place on a tray until the brisket comes up to room temperature.

While the brisket is resting, pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Take a large Dutch oven or your favorite roasting pan and fill the pan with water enough to cover the brisket to bake. Place in the brisket. Add the carrot, onion, celery and thyme. Roast, covered tightly with foil and a lid, for three to four hours.

You know the brisket is fully cooked when you can pierce the brisket easily with a knife.

Once the brisket is done, take the brisket out of the oven and set aside to cool. Cover with foil to rest for about 15 minutes.

Reubens

Rye bread slices

Corned beef, sliced to your liking

Swiss cheese slices or your favorite melting cheese such as provolone or muenster

Thousand Island dressing

Sauerkraut

Softened butter

Prepare your Reubens just like a grilled cheese. Butter the outside of two slices of bread. You can warm your sauerkraut and corned beef separately in a nonstick skillet if you wish before placing it on your sandwiches.

Smear the inside of your slices of bread with the Thousand Island dressing, if you wish, to stack your sandwiches this way.

Stack your Reubens as you wish, placing the amounts of cheese, corned beef, sauerkraut and sauce the way each person would like their sandwich and amounts of each ingredient.

Grill each side of your Reubens in a skillet or use a panini press to make your Reubens, grilling the sandwiches to your liking for doneness. Slice and serve hot with more sauce, sweet potato fries with dips.

Easy Fresh Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet potatoes, one large potato at least per person, peeled and sliced long-ways

Grapeseed oil or safflower oil, for coating fries prior to baking

Salt and pepper

In a large bowl, mix your fries, oil and salt and pepper. Line your baking sheet with parchment on top of foil. Place fries on the baking sheet in one even layer.

Bake fries at 425 degrees Fahrenheit until fries are browned and cooked through approximately 25 minutes or until done.

Serve hot, sprinkled with crab seasoning or with a dip such as a garlic mayo or ketchup.

Sarah Schweitzer is dual-certified in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry from the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. She is a former prep and line cook for Executive Chef David Crespo at “Fresh Kitchen by Robert Irvine” in the new Downtown Allentown Market. She can be reached at sarah.schweitzer18@gmail.com.