The Kentucky Hot Brown

by doughmesstic on November 15, 2010

in bacon, cheese

Turkey. Cheese. Bacon. Bread. Cheese sauce. Starch…That’s the Kentucky Hot Brown.

CarbsIt’s what’s for dinner.

Well, dinner, or lunch. Or even breakfast in my case. But be afraid. Be very afraid.  If you consume this masterpiece at breakfast – your day is shot.  Not shot as in “I ate a Hot Pocket for breakfast” shot, but, shot as in “I need a nap immediately” shot. If you can even utter the entire sentence before your head falls into the plate, that is.

The Kentucky Hot Brown originates from the heydays of the Roaring Twenties, when times were good and dances were held every night of the week in Louisville, Kentucky at the Brown Hotel.  Late at night, after hours of boisterous partying, the hotel guests would make their way into the restaurant, hungry for what every intoxicated patron craves – grease and starch. (If you don’t believe me, I dare you to visit a Waffle House at 2am on a Saturday Night.)  So, after bacon and eggs became passe, the Executive Chef invented the infamous Hot Brown…and a legend was born.hotbrown1

Since those days at the Brown, the Hot Brown has been served in hundreds of restaurants and dives around Kentucky, each with their own take on the masterpiece. What remains constant is the layer of toasted bread, the pile of turkey, a bit of fried bacon, a side of tomato, and the ever present cheese sauce.  The original Hot Brown used a delicate Mornay Sauce to smother the sandwich, and added a layer of ham to the mix as well, and you will most often find that this is the case in other restaurants as well.  Some places have taken it up anotch with a serving of mashed potatoes beneath the cheese sauce.  Some have replaced the ham with proscuitto or roast beef.  But all – yes – all of them will douse the open faced Hot Brown in enough cheese to harden any artery.

I’ll be honest – I didn’t get the hype.  A turkey sandwich.  With cheese sauce. Big deal, right?  What’s so great about that?  Depends on the cheese.  Don’t attempt this sandwich with Velveeta. Sure, Velveeta has it’s place – and I do love it in my macaroni – but not here.  What you want is Pecorino.  Or Parmegiano Reggiano.  Or Parmesan or Gruyere. Trust me. The Mornay Sauce is the kicker.

This sandwich is the answer to your Thanksgiving leftover turkey.  Pile it on some toast, make a quick sauce, fry a few piece of bacon, slice a tomato – you’ve got your visiting in-laws in a coma by 2pm if you serve it for lunch. (10 if you make it for breakfast!)

Enjoy it, folks!

The Kentucky Hot Brownhotbrown2

makes 4 large servings

  • 4 slices toasted french or italian bread
  • 8 slices tomato
  • 12 slices fried bacon
  • 1 1/2 pounds sliced or leftover turkey
  • 4 slices ham (if desired)
  • 1 recipe Mornay Sauce (recipe follows)
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Heat oven broiler. Place 4 slices of toast on baking sheet, or, if available, 4 single baking/serving plates. Pile turkey atop each piece of toast, followed by a slice of ham.  On top of this, pour your Mornay Sauce, and sprinkle each with a bit of cheddar cheese and bacon.  Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted and oozing.  Remove from oven, add the fresh tomatoes, and enjoy!

Simple Mornay Sauce

  • 3 ounces Butter
  • 3 ounces All Purpose Flour
  • 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
  • 1 cup shredded Pecorino or Parmesan Cheese (Gruyere if you have it)
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Begin by making a simple roux by combining the four and butter over medium heat until smooth.  Add in cream and continue to cook until lightly simmering, whisking constantly, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and add in cheese, whisking until smooth.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

If you would like to make the original Louisville Brown Hotel Hot Brown, here is the recipe link. Have a great day!

hotbrown3

{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }

sarah November 16, 2010 at 3:55 am

this is one of my dad’s favorite meals and even living in Bowling Green Kentucky we don’t have many restaurants in town that serve it. With all these recent posts, I think you need to move down here to Kentucky!

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Nutmeg Nanny November 16, 2010 at 4:22 am

I love Kentucky Hot Browns!

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brandi November 16, 2010 at 2:34 pm

I had my first Hot Brown at Lynn’s Paradise Cafe in Louisville, and it was incredible.

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Beet Queen November 16, 2010 at 3:43 pm

The best Kentucky Hot Brown I ever tasted was at Edible Vibe in Rocky Mount, VA…. they have since closed and I mourn not being able to get that dish anymore. It was so crispy brown on the outside and ooey gooey underneath. Nothing like it in the world!

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Jenny November 16, 2010 at 5:19 pm

The bread and flour are the only carbs here.

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Shannon November 17, 2010 at 5:38 pm

OMG!! this looks so good, I’m printing it off now, so I’ll have it for after Thanksgiving. Thanks for the recipe.

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Roberto Gruters December 8, 2010 at 12:18 pm

Thanks very much for that! My mum recently harvested her garden full of tomatoes , and I find myself the proud owner of two or three buckets worth! Of course I couldnt eat them all, but I did find a website full of lots more tomato recipe there. A website dedicated the topic!! Crazy what you can find on the internetz nowadays!!

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Lauren from Lauren's Latest October 29, 2011 at 11:45 am

Never had one of these before, but it looks amazing!!

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Nikolas Xenophon December 12, 2011 at 2:57 pm

I had my first official Hot Brown in authentic fashion — at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, dressed in impeccable fashion with my girlfriend, while washing it down with a Rock Hill Farms Mint Julep. A mint julep that had just been purchased by a man who picked the winning horse in the granddaddy of them all, Mine That Bird, who ran on 50-to-1 odds. That man said he didn’t want to see one dollar cross the bar for the entire time he was there. The Hot Brown just added so much more to the experience, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Matter of fact, I might have an idea for a future blog post! My blog, The Congenial Hour, discusses where, how, and why people drink — illuminating connections through drinking culture in the areas of fashion, architecture, technology, medicine, spirituality, history, and many other areas of culture. Tune in and enjoy! http://thecongenialhour.tumblr.com/

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Lisa Montalva March 5, 2012 at 11:14 am

I found you on Pinterest and made this on Sunday, it was a hit. thank you!

Lisa aka The Gourmet Mom

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