Hot Brown

This delectable Hot Brown Sandwich is layered with roasted turkey, crisp smoked bacon, sun ripened tomatoes and creamy Mornay sauce.  A classic Hot Brown Sandwich is the ultimate comfort food sandwich.  This southern favorite sometimes called a Kentucky Hot Brown or even Louisville Hot Brown is one of my favorites.

This delectable Hot Brown Sandwich was created by Chef Fred Schmidt at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky in 1926.  There have been slight modifications here and there but for the most part, the Hot Brown sandwich has kept its original tasty components. Sometimes the cheese sauce is made with Parmesan, sometimes with cheddar and sometimes with both.

How do you make a Hot Brown Sandwich?

Start by melting a little butter in a skillet over medium low heat.  Sprinkle in the flour and cook for about 3 minutes whisking constantly.  Then whisk in the milk stirring constantly. Simmer over low heat until the sauce thickens. Whisk in the cayenne pepper. Now remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the Parmesan and cheddar cheese until melted.

Next assemble the turkey and bacon on the bread.  Spoon a little bit of the cheese sauce over the sandwich and top with thin slices of tomato.  Then spoon on a little more cheese and place the sandwich under the broiler for a couple of minutes to brown the dish on top.  Be sure to keep a close eye on the sandwich as broilers are unpredictable.  Finally serve promptly sprinkled with a bit of grated Parmesan cheese and a pinch of paprika or nutmeg.

Helpful tips for making the Hot Brown Sandwich

• Use good quality smoked turkey and nitrate free smoked bacon.
• If you have homegrown tomatoes or access to them use them.  Fresh homegrown tomatoes take this Hot Brown Sandwich over the top.
• Bakery fresh white bread works best for this recipe however I have used whole wheat and European white with good results.
• For taste variation hold the paprika and sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg.
• Parmesan, cheddar or a mixture of both work well in the sauce.
• Assemble the sandwiches on a baking sheet so you place them under the broiler for a couple of minutes.  Sometimes I place the bacon and then the tomatoes on top of the sauce.  This allows the bacon and tomatoes to broil just a tad.
• Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika, nutmeg, or chopped fresh parsley. 

More sandwiches to try

Hot Brown Sandwich Recipe

This Hot Brown is an open-faced sandwich layered with turkey, crisp bacon, sun-ripened tomatoes and creamy cheese sauce. Quick, satisfying, and delicious, this classic diner-style sandwich is a great dinner.

5 from 8 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: sandwich

Cuisine: Southern

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 403kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1-2 pinches ground cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan plus more for a sprinkle on the top
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 4 slices white bread
• 8 slices bacon cooked crisp
• 1 large tomato cut into thin slices
• 1 lb deli smoked turkey sliced
• 1-2 pinches paprika

Instructions

• Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium low heat. Whisk in flour; whisking continuously for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add the milk; whisking continuously. Cook over low heat until thickened; stirring frequently. Whisk in the ground cayenne pepper.
• Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the cheddar and Parmesan slowly. Continue stirring until cheese is completely melted. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
• Toast bread, microwave the deli meat for 10-15 seconds to get the chill off. Assemble sandwich by dividing the turkey over the four slices of toast. Add several tablespoons of the sauce to each sandwich.
• Top each sandwich with tomato slices and 2 slices of bacon.  Divide the rest of the sauce between the sandwiches. Sprinkle with a little bit of grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of paprika.
• Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or until lightly browned.  Make sure you keep an eye on the sandwiches under the broiler as I have always found broilers unpredictable.

Notes

• Use good quality smoked turkey and nitrate free smoked bacon.
• If you have homegrown tomatoes or access to them use them.  Fresh homegrown tomatoes take this Hot Brown Sandwich over the top.
• Bakery fresh white bread works best for this recipe however I have used whole wheat and European white with good results.
• For taste variation hold the paprika and sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg.
• Parmesan, cheddar or a mixture of both work well in the sauce.
• Assemble the sandwiches on a baking sheet so you place them under the broiler for a couple of minutes.  Sometimes I place the bacon and then the tomatoes on top of the sauce.  This allows the bacon and tomatoes to broil just a tad.
• Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika, nutmeg, or chopped fresh parsley.

Nutrition

Calories: 403kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 1380mg | Potassium: 733mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 976IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 349mg | Iron: 2mg

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This post was originally published November 15, 2015 and was republished May 5, 2020 with new content.