Developed at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1923, this delight remains on the menu to this day. This open-faced sandwich combines toast, turkey, and bacon under a blanket of rich Mornay sauce for a decadent meal.

Source: Joy of Cooking (2019), p. 143

Ingredients

  • 4 slices lightly toasted and buttered white bread, cut into quarters
  • 8 ounces thinly sliced turkey
  • 8 slices tomato
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups Mornay Sauce, to taste
  • 8 slices bacon, cooked until crisp

Directions

  1. Preheat the broiler.
  2. Divide among 4 small gratin dishes: white bread quarters.
  3. Top with, dividing the ingredients evenly: turkey and tomato slices.
  4. Pour over the top: Mornay Sauce.
  5. Broil until bubbling.
  6. Top with, dividing evenly: crisp bacon slices.
  7. Serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

  • For an authentic Brown Hotel Hot Brown, use their exact recipe which includes pecorino romano cheese in the Mornay sauce.
  • For a modern twist, add a slice of avocado under the tomato.
  • This dish can be assembled on a single oven-safe platter rather than individual dishes for family-style serving.
  • A sprinkle of paprika or chopped parsley adds a nice color contrast before serving.