Kentucky Hot Browns – A Traditional Kentucky Derby Sandwich

The Kentucky Derby! First held at Churchill Downs, Kentucky, in 1875. Since then it’s become a celebrated event that happens every year – with just two cancellations. The first time, in 1945 when the horses were being reserved for military use during WWII – And the second time was 2020 due to the pandemic.

This event is celebrated with red roses, mint juleps and delicious foods! A Kentucky derby menu could include many of the southern favorites, like pimento cheese and fried okra. And this one – the Hot Brown Sandwich!

What is a Hot Brown?

Invented at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1926, the Kentucky Hot Brown is an open-faced sandwich, made with Texas toast topped with slices of turkey (sometimes ham too) and tomato, then covered in a cheesy mornay sauce. And it’s finished with two crispy slices of bacon.

You’ll need a fork with this one!

Making a Kentucky Hot Brown:

Make the sauce first. Mornay sauce is a basically a béchamel sauce with cheese.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook until it’s just a very light brown.

Gradually stir in the cream and milk until the sauce starts to thicken.

Grate in some nutmeg.

Add the cheese and stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the bacon into crispy strips.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the crusts off of the Texas toast and cut it in half in triangles. Place them in an individual casserole dishes –

Top each one with turkey and tomato.

Pour the sauce over each sandwich and

bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly.

Add a little more cheese, some parsley, paprika and

two slices of bacon to the top of each sandwich. Serve hot!

© Copyright 2023 The Lazy Gastronome

5 from 4 votes

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Kentucky Hot Browns

he Kentucky Hot Brown is an open-faced sandwich, made with Texas toast topped with slices of turkey (sometimes ham too) and tomato, then covered in a cheesy mornay sauce. And it's finished with two crispy slices of bacon.

Course: lunch, Main Course, main dish

Cuisine: American, Kentucky

Keyword: bacon, kentucky derby, mornay, sandwich, texas toast, turkey

Servings: 4 open faced sandwiches

Author: HelenFern

Ingredients

Mornay Sauce

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1-1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup grated romano cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese
• fresh grated nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste

Sandwich

• 4 slices Texas toast
• 8 oz thick sliced, roasted turkey breast
• 2 large roma tomatoes
• 8 slices thick cut bacon
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• sweet paprika for garnish

Instructions

Mornay Sauce

1. Start with the sauce -

   Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook until it's just a very light brown.

2. Gradually stir in the cream and milk and grate in the nutmeg, stirring until the sauce starts to thicken.

3. Add 3/4 of the cheese and stir it in well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Making the Sandwiches

1. Cook the bacon into crispy strips. 

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3. Cut the crusts off of the Texas toast and cut it in half in triangles. Place them in an individual casserole dish.

4. Top each one with turkey and tomato. Pour the sauce over each sandwich and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly.

5. Add more cheese, some parsley, paprika and two slices of bacon to the top of each sandwich.

6. Serve hot!

Recipe Notes

© Copyright 2023 The Lazy Gastronome