Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders

The Hot Brown is Kentucky's most famous sandwich — an open-faced turkey, bacon, and Mornay creation invented in 1926 at the Brown Hotel in Louisville. According to Wikipedia, chef Fred K. Schmidt created it as a glamorous alternative to ham-and-egg suppers for the thousands of guests who attend ed the hotel's dinner dances; it quickly became the choice of 95% of the restaurant's customers. The Brown Hotel's own recipe page preserves the original: thick-sliced roast turkey on trimmed Texas toast, blanketed in a Pecorino Romano Mornay sauce, broiled until bubbling, and finished with crisp bacon and tomato. It is, in essence, a Welsh rarebit reimagined for the Jazz Age — and it remains the official sandwich of the Kentucky Derby.

For a party, the slider version is the ideal hand-held form: the same broiled turkey-and-Mornay assembly on a small toasted round, with the bacon and the tomato, in a bite that captures all the creamy, smoky, savory genius of the original without a fork.

About the Ingredients

Turkey should be thick-sliced roast turkey breast (not deli shavings — the original calls for thick slices). The turkey is the foundation of the sandwich, and a generous, real slice gives the slider body.

Mornay sauce is a béchamel enriched with cheese — the Brown Hotel uses Pecorino Romano and a pinch of nutmeg, finished with Parmesan under the broiler. Serious Eats provides an authoritative Mornay-based version, and Southern Living a classic home version. The sauce must be thick enough to cling but loose enough to broil into a golden, blistered top.

Bacon is crisp-cooked and laid across the top — two strips on the full sandwich, a small piece on a slider.

Bread is trimmed white toast (Texas toast in the official recipe); for sliders, small rounds cut from a sturdy white loaf.

Ingredients (makes 12 sliders): - 12 small rounds cut from thick white bread (about 1.5 inches across) - 1 lb thick-sliced roast turkey breast, cut into small pieces - 2 tbsp unsalted butter - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour - 3/4 cup whole milk - 3/4 cup heavy cream - 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese - Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg - Kosher salt and black pepper - 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and halved - 1 Roma tomato, thinly sliced - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan, for the broiler - Paprika and chopped parsley, to finish

Instructions: Make the Mornay: in a saucepan, melt the butter and whisk in the flour to form a roux; cook 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cream and cook over medium heat until thickened. Off the heat, stir in the Pecorino Romano, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until smooth.

Toast the bread rounds lightly on both sides. Lay the rounds on a broiler-safe sheet. Top each with a folded slice of turkey. Spoon a generous tablespoon of Mornay over the turkey. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan.

Broil 2–3 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and golden in spots. Remove and top each with a piece of bacon and a slice of tomato. Finish with a dust of paprika and a pinch of parsley. Serve immediately.

The Mimosa Pairing Logic: The rich, creamy Mornay and the smoky bacon want a bright, acid-driven drink to cut through the dairy. A classic Champagne mimosa or a grapefruit rosemary mimosa is ideal — the citrus acidity balances the cheese sauce, and the wine's effervescence refreshes the palate between bites. The gentle bitterness of grapefruit echoes the savory bacon and the browned Mornay, recreating the rich-and-bright counterpoint that makes the Hot Brown so satisfying.

Reference Links: - Hot Brown overview and history: Wikipedia - The original Brown Hotel Hot Brown recipe: Brown Hotel - Kentucky Hot Brown with Mornay sauce: Serious Eats - Kentucky Hot Browns recipe: Southern Living

Make-Ahead: The Mornay can be made up to 1 day ahead, covered with plastic directly on the surface, and refrigerated; reheat gently, whisking, until pourable. The bacon can be cooked ahead and held crisp. Assemble and broil just before serving — the broiled top is the point, and it does not hold. Reheated Mornay may separate; whisk over low heat to bring it back.

Pro Tips: The Mornay must be thick enough to cling to the turkey but loose enough to broil into blisters — if it is too thin, the slider will be soupy. Broil close to the heat for the golden, blistered top that characterizes the dish. Do not skimp on the nutmeg — it is the quiet note that makes a Mornay taste like a Mornay. Serve immediately; a Hot Brown waits for no one.