If you love a classic Reuben sandwich, you will love these Corned Beef Reuben Sliders! The classic ingredients like corned beef and sauerkraut are paired with a tangy dressing and then cooked low and slow in the crock pot. They are easy to make but hard to resist, making them perfect for serving at parties, covered dish suppers, and, of course, St. Patrick’s Day!
Make-ahead party sliders are always fun to serve! Other family favorites are Crockpot Mississippi Sliders and Roast Beef and Cheese Sliders.
In This Post
As the boys were growing up, we began hosting many parties. One of my favorites has always been our St. Patrick’s Day party, where I always serve these Reuben Sliders. They are just so delicious and easy to make that they are perfect for parties and to pair with any other appetizer!
What Is Corned Beef?
Most of us only know it from St. Patrick’s Day festivities, but it’s something you can get and enjoy all year.
It’s a salt-brined beef brisket that gets its name from the large salt crystals used to make it. They are nicknamed “corn” salt because they resemble corn kernels, hence the name “corned beef.” It became associated with St. Patrick’s Day because Ireland was the largest producer of corned beef due to their low salt tax and large cattle ranches.
What Makes These Homemade Rueben Sliders So Special?
- After cooking, a tangy homemade Thousand Island dressing applied to the sliders elevates them!
- The slow cooker provides hands-off cooking, making this recipe easy and flavorful.
- Thanks to my friends and family, this recipe has become a favorite. They’ve enjoyed it so many times at parties that I’ve accumulated a lot of great feedback to ensure its perfection.
What You Need To Make Reuben Slider Sandwiches
Crock Pot Corned Beef Ingredients
- Corned beef—You must make corned beef brisket in the crockpot. You’ll need 3-4 lbs of brisket.
- Vegetables—To add heartiness to the dish, you will need an onion, carrots, celery, and garlic.
- The flavor -For that delicious Irish flavor add beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and the secret ingredient – dark beer! Any dark beer you like will work, but Guinness is the best.
- Spices – You will need celery seeds, red pepper flakes for a kick, salt, and fresh cracked pepper. Fresh cracked black pepper has so much more flavor than ground pepper!
Slider Ingredients
- The dressing – to make my easy Thousand Island dressing, you need mayonnaise, ketchup, chili sauce, sweet pickle relish, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Slider buns – I love to use Hawaiian rolls because they are soft, delicious, and slightly sweet so everyone loves them. Any slider buns will work, though; just slice through them horizontally for easy assembly.
- Swiss cheese slices.
Variations And Additions
These Irish corned beef sliders have a ton of great flavor that is pretty specific to the Reuben, but you can switch up a few things as needed.
- Use cabbage in place of sauerkraut.
- Try sliced white cheddar if you don’t have Swiss cheese.
- If you don’t want to make the corned beef brisket, you can substitute pastrami or deli corned beef in a pinch.
- Add horseradish to the Thousand Island dressing. This makes it technically Russian dressing.
How To Make Reuben Sliders In The Crock Pot
- Layer the slow cooker with ½ of the chopped veggies, the corned beef (fat side up), the remaining vegetables, and garlic.
- In a bowl, mix the spices and wet ingredients and then pour it over the beef. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top, really coat it well! Then pour in your dark beer and cook on low for 8 hours.
- After cooking, remove the brisket and shred it with 2 forks.
- Make the Thousand Island dressing by mixing all the ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Slice the slider buns horizontally and layer the corned beef, Swiss cheese, dressing, and the top buns. Then, enjoy! For a pretty serving, add melted butter and fresh chopped parsley to the top of the rolls.
Success Tips
- Assemble the sandwiches while the beef is hot so the cheese melts nicely.
- When pulling out the shredded corned beef, let as much liquid drain out or off as possible. This keeps the sliders from getting soggy.
- You can use store-bought or leftover corned beef if you are short on time. Just layer the sandwiches and then bake them in the oven covered with foil for just enough to heat the beef and melt the cheese.
Questions And Answers
Both sandwiches are layered deli meat with Thousand Island dressing on rye bread. But, a Rachel uses cabbage instead of sauerkraut and sometimes swaps turkey for the corned beef.
I like to assemble the sliders and serve them in a baking dish, especially one with a lid for easier transport. The high sides help keep the dressing from making a mess.
Yes, you can use store-bought but the best flavor will come from homemade dressing!
Yes, these sliders freeze super well! Just assemble them, cover them with foil or a lid, and then plastic wrap (or another airtight container). I like to do a double wrap to help prevent freezer burn. When you want to enjoy them, place them in the oven from frozen for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees or until heated through. I don’t recommend letting them thaw in the fridge because they get soggy.
What to Serve With The Best Corned Beef Reuben Sliders
I love to serve them with my Million Dollar Dip, Quick Pickled Red Onions (also good on the sliders!), and Creamy Southern Deviled Eggs. You can also serve it with this Crock Pot Reuben Dip (if you have a second slow cooker) for the ultimate Irish feast!
More Crock Pot Party Food Ideas
If you tried this Crock Pot Corned Beef Reuben Sliders Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 corned beef brisket , 3-4 lbs
- 1 onion , chopped
- 3 carrots , chopped
- 3 stalks celery , chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 cups beef broth
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon celery seeds
- 1 dash red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ tablespoon fresh cracked pepper
- 1 bottle dark beer
Dressing
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup chili sauce
- ¼ cup sweet pickle relish
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 package slider buns
- 1 package Swiss cheese slices
Instructions
- Layer ½ of chopped veggies in bottom of slow cooker.
- Place corned beef on top of veggie with fat cap up.
- Add remaining veggies and garlic around side of meat.
- In a bowl, mix beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, celery seeds and red pepper – pour over beef.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper over top of corned beef, coating well.
- Pour dark beer around side inside of slower cooker.
- Cook on low for 8 hours.
- When done, remove from cooker, slice or shred with 2 forks.
- Slice slider buns and pile on corned beef. Layer on a slice of Swiss cheese and spoon on dressing. Serve!
1000 Island Dressing
- Add mayonnaise, ketchup, chili sauce, relish to a small bowl and mix until well blended. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper
Nutrition
Want To Know More About Slow Cooking?
If you are new to cooking with a Crock Pot or just don’t know where to start, I’ve got something to help. I’ve put together a helpful guide with tips and recipes to get you using a slow cooker like a pro!
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Deborah Spencer
Hi, I don’t have a slow cooker but do have an instant pot. Can this be made in the instant pot? What change’s should be made?
I’ve never made it in the Instant Pot so I don’t know what setting to recommend. Let me know how it turns out!
~Donya
Rebecca LaQua
Huge hit for St. Patty’s party!
Awesome! Thanks for the terrific rating.
~Donya
Janet Krett
OMGoodness!!! Bet corned beef I’ve ever had! This is a keeper. Will buy 2 roasts next year. One for a traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner and the other for sliders. YUM! Thank you!!