Ingredients

  • 2 cups rye flour
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup good-quality beer (recommended: stout or porter)
  • 1 cup cold whole milk
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
  • Nonstick spray
  • 1 pound thinly sliced corned beef
  • 1/2 pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese
  • 2 cups sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup Big Daddy's Thousand Island, recipe follows
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
  • 1 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of coarsely ground black pepper

Method

  • Special equipment: waffle iron
  • Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F and prepare a cookie sheet with a cooling rack on top.
  • In a large bowl, add the rye flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and whisk together to combine.
  • Add the beer, milk, eggs and caraway seeds and whisk again until the wet and dry ingredients are mixed well, about 30 seconds.
  • Spray the waffle iron with nonstick spray.
  • Pour about 1 cup batter into the preheated waffle iron and cook the waffle according to the waffle maker's instructions.
  • As each waffle is cooked, place it onto the prepared rack in the oven to keep warm.
  • There should be 8 waffles total, or 4 large waffles which can be cut in half.
  • Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Once all of the waffles are done, place 4 of them on a cutting board.
  • Top each with a couple slices of cheese, some corned beef, about 1/2 cup of sauerkraut and drizzle with the Thousand Island dressing.
  • Make a few layers, if desired.
  • Top the sandwiches with the remaining waffles and place back on the rack.
  • Place a sheet of foil on top of the sandwiches, add another cookie sheet on top of the foil and place a heavy pan or a brick on the sheet to press the sandwiches.
  • Cook in the oven until the cheese melts, an additional 5 minutes.
  • Whisk all the ingredients in a small bowl until well incorporated.
  • Store covered in the refrigerator.