The Hot Brown Sandwich Recipe is an open-faced sandwich that originated in 1926 at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, KY. It's also known as the Kentucky Hot Brown or the Louisville Hot Brown. This is a super easy recipe to make, and if you have any Leftover Smoked Turkey from the holidays, this is the perfect way to use that up.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
The smokiness from the bacon and cajun smoked turkey combined with the creamy richness from the mornay sauce and freshness of tomatoes is something only dreams are made of...well...not really, I mean, that's exactly what this sandwich is made of.
Anyway, you know what I mean!
The Hot Brown Sandwich is delicious and can be cooked and served in under twenty Minutes!
Ingredients
Bread: A thick-cut piece of bread is a must. It has to hold up to the other ingredients and still be a well toast-able bread. I suggest a thick-cut Texas Toast. (See expert tips)
Meat: The meat used in The Hot Brown Sandwich is Turkey, traditionally roasted. I used some leftover Cajun Smoked Turkey I had from a previous cook.
The Sauce: This magnificent Mornay Sauce is spectacular, especially after the Gruyere Cheese is folded. It adds all the flavor in the world and is perfectly paired with the light smoke of the turkey. I want another plate just writing this! UGH!
The Toppings: The only other simple ingredients here are tomatoes and Bacon. I baked my bacon on a broiler sheet as I usually do. I also put the sliced tomato on the Cast Iron Griddle with salt and pepper and cooked it a little before placing it on the sandwich. (See expert tips)
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat a medium-sized cast iron skillet over medium heat for the Mornay Sauce.
Next, melt the butter in the pan, then add the flour, stirring quickly to mix. Now begin slowly adding the milk to the mixture. Once everything is smooth and mixed, remove from the heat. Add the Nutmeg, Salt, and Hot Sauce and stir.
Lastly, begin to fold in the finely shredded Gruyere cheese slowly.
Set aside and begin working on the sandwiches.
First, preheat your cast iron griddle over medium heat and preheat your oven to broil. Place the tomato slices on the griddle, drizzle with olive oil, and season with Salt and Pepper.
Once the tomatoes soften, remove them from the heat and place your turkey on the skillet to warm it and add a bit crisp, about 10 minutes.
Next, place the cooked turkey in a separate bowl, butter the bread, and place that on the Cast Iron Griddle.
Allow that to toast a bit, then top with turkey, tomato, and mornay sauce.
Place the entire cast iron griddle in the preheated oven set to broil and broil for about 3 minutes or until the mornay sauce is brown and bubbly.
Expert Tips
- Another option for the bread would be to make your own rustic rosemary loaf and slice that thick. It adds a lot of flavor, toasts very well, and is sturdy enough to hold all ingredients.
- Another excellent way to cook bacon is in the air fryer. Set your air fryer to 400°f for five minutes, throw a few slices in, and you'll have some of the most perfectly cooked bacon you've ever had.
Recipe FAQs
A Kentucky Hot Brown sandwich is a broiled open-faced sandwich that's served on a slice of white bread topped with turkey, bacon, tomato, cheese, and a mornay sauce.
The Hot Brown sandwich gets its name from where it originated, The Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky.
The Hot Brown sandwich originated at the Brown Hotel located in Louisville, Kentucky.
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📖 Recipe
The Hot Brown Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients
Mornay Sauce
- 2 Cups Whole Milk
- 1-½ tablespoon Salted Butter
- 2 tablespoon Flour
- 1 ½ Cup Gruyere Cheese-Shredded
- Pinch Nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
Sandwiches
- 2 Slices Thick Cut Bread
- Smoked Turkey - Chopped
- 4 Slices Thick Cut Bacon
- 2 Slices Tomato
- ¼ Cup Gruyere Cheese
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Dried Parsley for sprinkling
Instructions
Mornay Sauce
- Heat Milk in the microwave for about a minute or until warm.
- In a Cast Iron Skillet slowly melt butter while whisking in the flour.
- Begin to add the milk slowly while continuing to whisk together.
- Remove from heat and stir in Pepper, Nutmeg, and Hot Sauce.
- Add Gruyere Cheese continuing to whisk and set aside.
The Sandwiches
- Place tomato slices on a preheated Cast Iron Griddle, sprinkle with olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Remove tomatoes and add two slices of bread toasting both sides.
- Top toast with turkey, tomato, Mornay Sauce, and then sprinkle with extra Gruyere Cheese.
- Place entire Cast Iron Griddle under Broiler in the oven for about 3 minutes or until the cheese has began to brown.
- Remove, plate and top each sandwich with two pieces of crispy cooked bacon.
Video
Notes
- Another option for the bread would be to make your own rustic rosemary loaf and slice that thick. It adds a lot of flavor, toasts very well, and is sturdy enough to hold all ingredients.
- Another excellent way to cook bacon is in the air fryer. Set your air fryer to 400°f for five minutes, throw a few slices in, and you'll have some of the most perfectly cooked bacon you've ever had.
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