Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9 inch baking dish.

Beat the softened cream cheese, sour cream and Thousand Island dressing together with a hand mixer on medium speed for 1 minute, until smooth.

Squeeze the drained sauerkraut over the sink with your hands until no more liquid drips out; this keeps the dip from turning soupy.

Fold the squeezed sauerkraut, chopped corned beef, 1 cup of the Swiss cheese and the black pepper into the cream cheese mixture, until evenly combined.

Spread the mixture into the prepared dish and smooth the top, then scatter the remaining 1/2 cup Swiss cheese over the surface.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the cheese on top is fully melted and lightly browned at the edges.

Let the dip rest for 5 minutes before serving; it is very hot straight out of the oven.

Drizzle a little extra Thousand Island dressing over the top and serve warm, straight from the baking dish, with rye crackers alongside for scooping.