Baked Reuben Poppers
Originally Posted February 12, 2014. Updated 1/6/2021
Baked Reuben Poppers are "delicious pockets of yum", according to my husband. Easy to make, and super satisfying as a snack or appetizer!
Taking a quick break from developing my next cookbook, to write a few quick blog entries. Time to go through a backlog of older recipes and photos!
Back a few years - damn, had to be about 6, now - I made deep-fried Reuben poppers for my husband.
Back in the Day...
As I said then ( ):
They say that great minds think alike - and fools seldom differ - but sometimes, my husband scares me!
It's been probably a year since I last made these. Today at the grocery store, I spontaneously decided to make these for supper. Didn't say a word to my husband about it, thought it would be a nice surprise for him.
Well, as soon as he came home and saw the ingredients laid out, his jaw dropped, and he started laughing. As it turns out, his boss had a Reuben sandwich for lunch today, which led to a discussion about these Reuben poppers. Hubby explained the whole thing to his boss... I guess when he goes to work tomorrow, he'll have both the recipe AND photos to share as well!
He is a VERY happy man tonight!
Reuben Poppers
Think egg rolls, but completely different filling. I'd had the idea after having some "Ham and Swiss" deep-fried dough balls at a pub somewhere a few years earlier.
With Porter being completely in love with Reubens (Have you seen the Reuben Buns I created for him?) it was brilliant!
Several years later, though... being married to a cook/baker is taking its toll, and he's trying to avoid excess fat and calories. So, I decided to make a baked version of this favourite of his.
There's still a bit of oil involved - it's necessary to crisp up the wonton wrapper skin - but it's not *bathed* in oil. So... much better for you, even if it's still not exactly health food!
Says he:
"The Baked Reuben Poppers are delicious pockets of yum. Crap, I'm not good with words. I love the crispy texture of the crust with the kraut and beef. I could eat way too many of them!"
How to Make Baked Reuben Poppers
1 - Lay 1 egg roll wrapper flat on your workspace.
2 - Arrange about ⅛ of the corned beef in a single column, diagonally across the middle of the wrapper. Make sure to avoid about 2″ border around the edge of the wrapper.
3 - On top of the corned beef, layer ⅛ of the sauerkraut, then top with ⅛ of the swiss cheese, again avoiding the border.
4 - Sprinkle with caraway seeds, if using.
5 - Fold one corner of the wrapper across the filling layers, pressing down to the other side of the wrapper.
6 - Use a pastry brush and some water to dampen the two side corners.
7 - Fold them in to the center, gently pressing excess air out from the filling as you go.
8. Apply a little water to dampen the remaining corner edges and roll the popper carefully towards that corner, sealing all filling in as you go.
9 - Place your rolls on your well-greased cookie sheet, brush/spray with additional oil on top.
10 - Bake, per the recipe directions
11 - Serve hot, with Thousand Island dressing for dipping!
Deep Fried Reuben Poppers
Want to try the original recipe? Here's how:
Preheat your deep fryer to 375 / “high” setting.
Lay 1 egg roll wrapper flat on your workspace. Using a pastry brush (or just your fingers!), brush a bit of water around the entire edge of the wrapper – about a 1″ border.
Spread about ⅛ of the sauerkraut in a single column, in the middle of the wrapper. Make sure to avoid the 1″ border on either end of the sauerkraut row.
On top of the sauerkraut, layer ⅛ of the corned beef, then top with ⅛ of the swiss cheese, again avoiding the wet border.
Fold one side of the wrapper across the filling layers, pressing down to the other side of the wrapper. The water will “glue” the wrapper to itself.
Working carefully from the middle of the roll, carefully press any extra air / moisture from the filling, out of the open edges.
Once all of the air is out, fold the edge of the wrapper around the roll, sealing it down. If there is any air after this step, again, push it out the sides.
Press down the 2 edges, wet the tops of the edges, and fold them over themselves to form a better seal. Press down firmly on the edges, and you’re good to go!
Carefully add finished rolls to your deep fryer in small batches of 2-3 rolls at a time. Fry for 2-3 minutes, flipping halfway, or until browned to your liking. Remove rolls to paper towels.
Serve with Thousand Island dressing for dipping!
Deep Fried Reuben Poppers
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Baked Reuben Poppers
Ingredients
- Cooking oil or nonstick spray
- 8 egg roll wrappers
- 8 oz sauerkraut well drained
- 8 oz corned beef deli meat
- 8 oz Swiss Cheese grated
- Caraway seeds optional
- Thousand Island dressing for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F. Generously grease a baking sheet with cooking oil or spray, set aside.
- Lay 1 egg roll wrapper flat on your workspace.
- Spread about ⅛ of the corned beef in a single column, diagonally across the middle of the wrapper. Make sure to avoid about 2″ border around the edge of the wrapper.
- On top of the corned beef, layer ⅛ of the sauerkraut, then top with ⅛ of the swiss cheese, again avoiding the border. Sprinkle with caraway seeds, if using.
- Fold one corner of the wrapper across the filling layers, pressing down to the other side of the wrapper.
- Use a pastry brush and some water to dampen the two side corners. Fold them in to the center, gently pressing excess air out from the filling as you go.
- Apply a little water to dampen the remaining corner edges and roll the popper carefully towards that corner, sealing all filling in as you go.
- Place your rolls on your well-greased cookie sheet, brush/spray with additional oil on top. Bake for 15 minutes, flip all of the rolls over, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.
- Serve hot, with Thousand Island dressing for dipping!
Nutrition
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