THINGS I LIKE: Kentucky "Hot Brown" Sandwich

KENTUCKY HOT BROWN  is a sandwich of turkey breast slices and bacon strips  covered with  a cheese sauce and, in many cases, topped with tomato slices, that is  broiled until it is hot and bubbly, It was developed, in 1926, by Fred Schmidt at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, KY. In the 1920’s, the hotel had a well attended daily dinner dance which lasted late into the night. At the end of the dance, patrons went to the hotel’s restaurant for a bite to eat. Schmidt created the “Hot Brown” for guests bored with the usually ordered post-dance dish; ham and eggs. The sandwich is also called “Louisville Hot Brown” or just, “Hot Brown".

From : The Foodie's Companion: Cooking Tips and Tables, Food History and Fun Food Facts. 2011, pg. 77

 
When I lived in Cincinnati, OH, I had several occasions to visit Louisville, KY. On all of these visits , I always went to the Brown's Hotel for one of their "Hot Brown " sandwiches. I live in New Jersey now and haven't been back to Louisville in many years,. However, I still make my own version of the "Hot Brown" sandwich. While my recipe varies somewhat from the original, I use  Cheddar cheese in my sauce while theirs uses parmesan cheese, the essence of the sandwich is true to the original and is equally tasty. The recipe follows

 

Ingredients

 1 C Cheddar cheese sauce (make your own or purchase)

2 slices good quality white bread,* lightly toasted

6-8  medium slices of  turkey breast (or more if you really are hungry)

4  thick slices of fresh tomato

8 strips of cooked bacon
 

Preparation

1) Place both pieces of the toasted bread on a heat proof dish.

2) Top each with several pieces of turkey breast, two tomato slices and four strips of bacon.

3) Cover each with 1/2 C cheese sauce

4) Place under broiler for 3-4 minutes or until sauce becomes browned in spots.

5)  Remove and serve as an open faced sandwich.

* I use Pepperidge Farms Country White but any good white bread, store bought or home made will do.