The Best Corned Beef for Reubens Is Right at Your Grocery Store Deli

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Depending on who you talk to, the Reuben sandwich either originated at a deli in New York City or a hotel in Omaha, Nebraska. NYC has a lot of claims to fame; I say we give this one to Omaha (and not just because my husband’s family hails from there). Whichever origin story you choose to believe, one thing is for sure: The Reuben is one of the best sandwiches in the American sandwich songbook (a book I just made up). It’s pretty simple stuff. Sliced corned beef piled atop rye bread along with tangy sauerkraut, creamy Thousand Island dressing, and melty Swiss cheese. Honestly, I can’t utter the word “Reuben” without craving one. Hell, I’ll even settle for a Rachel (aka, a turkey Reuben) if I need to! But what’s the best corned beef for Reubens if you don’t have a NYC deli or a storied Omaha hotel nearby? That’s what we wanted to find out.

First of all, I was surprised by how few corned beef options there were at local grocery stores here in Los Angeles. The good news? One of the most popular and most widely available grocery store deli brands makes some of the best corned beef I’ve ever tasted.

Best Corned Beef

Boar’s Head Corned Beef Top Round

Ralphs

If you don’t have the energy to brine, roast, and slice a brisket, Boar’s Head corned beef is exemplary. It’s the best corned beef at the grocery store, especially if you’re making sandwiches. I’m a corned beef addict. Seriously. Whenever I visit my parents in Florida, my dad will buy a brisket to make corned beef and cabbage. Long after everyone else has left the table, I’m still sitting there, gnawing on slices of delicious, salty beef. 

But corned beef shouldn’t only be salty—you should be able to taste the array of pickling spices in the brine: coriander seeds, mustard seeds, peppercorns, bay leaves, dill seeds, and whole cloves. And that’s what’s great about Boar’s Head corned beef. It has depth, not just salt. The corning spices are zesty and a little bit fruity, and they perfectly complement the salty beef. Speaking of the beef, it has crumble like a freshly baked corned beef brisket, and there’s a little bit of fat on the slices, too, which I appreciate. I ate this cold out of the package, but it’s going to be fantastic browned in a skillet. There’s a choose-your-own adventure aspect to this corned beef, too. Other brands we tried came pre sliced and prepackaged in the refrigerator section. But if you get Boar’s head corned beef from the deli, you can choose whether you want fat slabs or slices so thin they just crumble into a million little beefy pieces. 

I’m a big Boar’s Head fan, but I swear that naming this the best corned beef isn’t confirmation bias. The beef is high quality. The flavor is deli-worthy. And the versatility makes this a total no brainer. This is some of the best corned beef you can buy.

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Other products we tried: Stone Ridge Ranch Shaved Deli Style Corned Beef