Drain the sauerkraut in colander. Rinse the sauerkraut with water and squeeze out the extra moisture. In a small skillet, over medium heat, saute the bacon and onion until the onions become translucent. Pour the vegetable oil into a 4-quart saucepan. Add 1 quart of the sauerkraut, the caraway seeds, another 1 quart of sauerkraut, the bacon and onion mixture, the sugar, applesauce, and bay leaf. Cover and simmer on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer the sauerkraut mixture to a container and refrigerate until cool.

Thousand Island dressing:

Add all the ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Reuben:

Butter 2 slices of fresh rye bread and put them on the flat top grill. Put a slice of Swiss cheese to each piece of bread. Apply the desired amount of Thousand Island dressing and sauerkraut on each slice. Heat 4 ounces of thinly sliced corned beef on the flat top. Arrange the hot corned beef on top of 1 slice of bread. Transfer the bread slices to a cutting board and make a sandwich. Slice in half and serve.