Kentucky Hot Brown

Born at Louisville's Brown Hotel in the small hours of a 1926 supper dance, this open-faced turkey sandwich is pure Bluegrass comfort. Thick slabs of Texas toast cradle warm roasted turkey and ripe Roma tomatoes, all blanketed in a silky Pecorino Romano Mornay, then broiled until bubbling and crowned with two crossed strips of bacon and a dusting of paprika.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings: 2 People

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 890

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

4 slices Texas toast crusts trimmed off
12 oz roasted turkey breast sliced thick, warm if possible
2 Roma tomatoes halved lengthwise, seeds left in
4 slices thick-cut bacon cooked crisp
4 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
1.5 cups whole milk warmed slightly
0.5 cup heavy cream
1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese finely grated, plus 2 tbsp extra for topping
0.125 tsp ground nutmeg freshly grated if possible
0.5 tsp kosher salt or to taste
0.25 tsp black pepper freshly ground
0.25 tsp sweet paprika for dusting
1 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped

Equipment

2 broiler-proof oven dishes or shallow gratin dishes individual size, about 8 inches
1 medium heavy-bottomed saucepan for the Mornay sauce
1 Whisk
1 Large Skillet for cooking the bacon
1 box grater or microplane for the Pecorino

Method

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until deeply crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and set aside.
Position an oven rack about 6 inches below the broiler element and preheat the broiler to high.
Toast the Texas toast slices until lightly golden on both sides. Trim off the crusts if you have not already done so.
Make the Mornay sauce. Melt the butter in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Whisk in the flour and cook the roux, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes. Do not let it brown.
Slowly whisk in the warm whole milk and heavy cream a little at a time, smoothing out any lumps as you go. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook, whisking often, for 4 to 5 minutes until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon heavily.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk in the grated Pecorino Romano a handful at a time until completely melted and glossy. Season with the nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Taste and adjust.
Assemble the Hot Browns. Place two slices of toast side by side in each broiler-proof dish to form a base, trimming as needed. Pile the warm sliced turkey generously over the toast, mounding it slightly higher in the center.
Tuck two Roma tomato halves, cut side up, alongside the turkey in each dish.
Ladle the hot Mornay sauce over the entire surface, covering the turkey, toast edges, and tomatoes completely. Sprinkle the extra 2 tablespoons of Pecorino Romano evenly over the top.
Slide the dishes under the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, watching closely, until the sauce is bubbling vigorously and patches of golden brown appear on the surface.
Pull the dishes from the oven. Immediately lay two crisp bacon strips across the top of each Hot Brown in an X.
Dust with sweet paprika and scatter the chopped parsley over the top. Serve at once, in the same dish, while bubbling hot.

Notes

For the most authentic flavor, use Pecorino Romano rather than Parmesan or cheddar; the sharp, salty bite is essential to the Brown Hotel's signature sauce.

Slice your own turkey from a roasted breast if possible. Deli turkey works in a pinch but gives a wetter result.

The Mornay should coat the back of a spoon thickly. If it thins out, simmer a minute longer before adding cheese.

Serve immediately in the same dish it was broiled in. The Hot Brown is meant to arrive at the table piping hot and bubbling.

On Derby Day, Kentuckians traditionally pair this with a Mint Julep, a simple green salad, or fresh seasonal fruit, but the sandwich itself stands alone.

Do not be tempted to add pimentos or substitute ham. The original 1926 version is turkey only.