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Corned Beef Egg Rolls

A Reuben sandwich in a fried wrapper. The sauerkraut has to be wrung dry or the whole thing bursts.

Prep
30 min
Cook
15 min
Makes
Makes 12
Jump to the recipe
Flaky pastry rolls with a meat filling on a board
Photo: Miff Ibra / Pexels

Everything that goes wrong with these comes down to water.

Sauerkraut is packed in brine and holds an enormous amount of it. Left wet, that liquid turns to steam inside a sealed wrapper in 180°C oil, the pressure builds, and the roll splits along a seam and empties itself into the pan. Squeeze it in your fists until nothing more comes out, then squeeze again in a dish towel. You will be surprised how much comes out on the second go.

Let the filling cool completely before rolling. Warm filling generates steam on contact with the wrapper and softens it from the inside, so it tears as you roll.

Seal with a flour-and-water paste rather than egg or plain water. Water evaporates in the fryer and the seam opens; a starch paste gelatinises and holds.

For the uncooked, cold-rolled opposite, see fresh spring rolls.

Fry at 180°C. Cooler and the wrapper drinks oil before it crisps; hotter and it browns before the filling is hot.

Corned beef hash with a fried egg and sliced pickles
Photo: mygraphx / Pixabay

Crispy egg rolls, printed

A Reuben sandwich in a fried wrapper. The sauerkraut has to be wrung dry or the whole thing bursts.

Filling, wrappers and oil

For the filling

  • 12 oz (350 g) cooked corned beef, finely chopped
  • 10 oz (300 g) sauerkraut, squeezed very dry
  • 1½ cups (150 g) Swiss cheese, grated
  • 3 tbsp Russian or Thousand Island dressing
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
  • Black pepper

To assemble and fry

  • 12 egg roll wrappers
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour mixed with 3 tbsp water, for sealing
  • Neutral oil, for frying
  • More dressing, to serve

Rolling and frying

  1. 1 Squeeze the sauerkraut dry in your hands, then wring it in a dish towel until no more liquid comes. This is the step the recipe lives or dies on.
  2. 2 Mix it with the corned beef, cheese, dressing, caraway and pepper. Chill 20 minutes so the filling is cold and firm.
  3. 3 Lay a wrapper as a diamond. Put 3 tablespoons of filling across the lower third, fold the bottom corner over, fold both sides in, then roll up tightly. Seal the last corner with the flour paste.
  4. 4 Heat 5 cm of oil to 350°F (180°C). Use a thermometer — this temperature matters more than the timing.
  5. 5 Fry 3–4 at a time for 3–4 minutes, turning, until deep golden. Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature and makes them greasy.
  6. 6 Drain on a rack and serve hot with more dressing.

Freezing, and the air fryer version

  • They freeze well uncooked. Freeze on a tray, bag them, and fry from frozen for 5–6 minutes.
  • In an air fryer: spray well and cook at 190°C for 10 minutes, turning once. Less crisp, much less oil.

Why crispy egg rolls burst

Wet sauerkraut or warm filling. Both produce steam inside a sealed wrapper, and the seam is the weakest point. Squeeze harder and chill the filling.