Kentucky Hot Brown

Name: Kentucky Hot Brown
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/4 cup unsalted butter; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 3 cups whole milk, warmed; 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated; 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp white pepper; 8 slices sourdough bread, thick sliced; 1 1/2 lbs roasted turkey breast, thick sliced; 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced; 8 bacon strips, cooked until crisp; to taste paprika; 2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped

A luxurious open-faced sandwich created at Louisville's Brown Hotel in the 1920s, featuring thick-sliced turkey on toast smothered in Mornay sauce, then broiled until bubbly and garnished with bacon and tomato. This decadent dish was originally crafted as an elegant alternative to late-night ham and egg suppers for hotel guests.

35 minMediumServes 4580 cal/serving

AmericanLunchStovetop and OvenStandardHigh ProteinAlcohol-FreeCorn-Free

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk, warmed
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
8 slices sourdough bread, thick sliced
1 1/2 lbs roasted turkey breast, thick sliced
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
8 bacon strips, cooked until crisp
to taste paprika
2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped

Instructions

1

Preheat the broiler in your oven.
2

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter. Add 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and cook, whisking constantly, for about 2 minutes to make a roux.
3

Gradually whisk in the 3 cups warmed whole milk and continue cooking, whisking frequently, until the sauce thickens and can coat the back of a spoon, about 5-7 minutes.
4

Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp white pepper. Whisk until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. This is your Mornay sauce. Set aside and keep warm.
5

Arrange 8 slices thick sliced sourdough bread slices on a baking sheet and toast them lightly under the broiler, about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove from broiler.
6

For each hot brown, place 2 slices of toast on an oven-safe plate or in an individual gratin dish. Top each with several slices of 1 1/2 lbs thick sliced roasted turkey breast.
7

Place a slice of 2 sliced Roma tomatoes alongside the turkey on each plate.
8

Pour a generous amount of Mornay sauce over the turkey and bread, completely covering them.
9

Place the prepared plates under the broiler until the sauce is bubbly and speckled with golden brown spots, about 3-4 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
10

Remove from the broiler and cross two pieces of 8 cooked until crisp bacon strips on top of each hot brown.
11

Sprinkle with to taste paprika and garnish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives.
12

Serve immediately while still hot and bubbly.

Questions

Can I make Kentucky Hot Brown dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 1/4 cup unsalted butter, 3 cups whole milk, warmed, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated. Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed; the milk for unsweetened oat or soy milk; the cheese for a plant-based melting cheese (expect a milder flavor). The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Can I make Kentucky Hot Brown gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in this entry is 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 8 slices sourdough bread, thick sliced. Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works); the bread or crumbs for a gluten-free loaf or gluten-free panko. Everything else proceeds as written.

How long does Kentucky Hot Brown keep?

Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat them within three days. Reheat covered in a 300 F oven until warmed through.

Can I halve or double Kentucky Hot Brown?

Yes. As written it serves 4. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. Doubled, split it across two pans and rotate them halfway; one crowded pan bakes unevenly.

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