Kentucky Hot Browns
Unfortunately, for many people, Kentucky is simply part of a punchline for jokes about rednecks. Having been born and raised in Louisville, KY I have heard more than my fair share of those jokes, and would like to take a moment to introduce you to just a small piece of our amazingly rich and diverse culture.
You may know that Louisville, KY is home to the Kentucky Derby, and the appropriately named Derby Pie®. If you have every had any experience whatsoever with baseball, you have probably used a Louisville Slugger® bat. You may have even heard of (or tasted) a Hot Brown, but I would venture to say that you did not know this deliciously creamy dish was created here in Louisville, back in 1923.
In the 1920′s, The Brown Hotel drew over 1,200 guests each evening for its dinner dance. In the wee hours of the morning, the guests would grow tired of dancing and retire to the restaurant for a bite to eat. Diners were growing rapidly bored with the traditional ham and eggs, so Chef Fred Schmidt set out to create something new to tempt his guests’ palates. His unique creation was an open-faced turkey sandwich with bacon and a delicate Mornay sauce. Exemplifying our unending dedication to serving our guests, The Hot Brown was born!
Excerpt from the Brown Hotel website. Their site hosts the original recipe, but the version I have included below was AMAZING!
Kentucky Hot Browns
INGREDIENTS
- 8 slices Texas toast (or very thick white bread)
- 1 lb. roasted turkey slices
- Cheese Sauce (recipe follows)
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 8 bacon slices, cooked
- 2 large tomatoes, sliced and halved
METHOD
1. Trim the crust from the bread, and place the slices on a baking sheet. Broil 3 inches from heat until toasted, turning once.
2. If you have individual baking dishes, lightly grease them and place 2 slices of bread in each. Otherwise, a lightly greased 10×15 inch jelly roll pan may be used to bake them all in one pan. If using a single pan, place the bread slices in grid-style form.
3. Top bread evenly with turkey, and pour hot cheese sauce over top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and broil 6 inches from the heat for 4 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.
4. Top evenly with bacon and tomato, and serve immediately.
Cheese Sauce
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
METHOD
1. Melt the butter over medium-high heat and whisk in flour. Whisk continuously for 1 minute, and then gradually whisk in milk.
2. While continuing to whisk constantly, bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Whisk in cheese, salt, and pepper, and remove from heat.
The hot brown recipe makes 4 servings. The cheese sauce makes about 4 cups.
Recipe from the April 2002 issue of Southern Living.
Ok, you KNOW this includes my two favorite food groups! First off, my husband is a HUGE horse racing fan so I know all about the Kentucky Derby, blah blah blah. I have never heard of this though. I would eat the entire dish. He pobably would too, but is more likely if I tell him the story relating to the Derby!
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