The Hot Brown: The recipe for Louisville, Kentucky's Famous Sandwich

The Hot Brown isn't just any old turkey sandwich. The storied sandwich has a history originating from glamorous parties at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky.

In the 1920s, the famous hotel drew over a thousand people each night for dinner and dancing. After a night of dancing, party goers were hungry but were tired of the usual ham and egg sandwiches. So Chef Fred Schmidt got creative. He created his masterpiece, the Hot Brown, an open faced turkey sandwich covered with bacon and Mornay sauce.

Want to have a piece of the glory of the Brown Hotel? Here's the recipe from the hotel's web site.

Eric Noll

Feast your eyes on the world famous Hot Brown... View Full Caption

Feast your eyes on the world famous Hot Brown - a Louisville treasure. A blissful mix of turkey, bacon, secret sauce, and...of course...lots of cheese. Got the recipe right from the chef today - and relishing it by the forkful. Close

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The Brown Hotel's Legendary Hot Brown Recipe:

2 oz. whole butter 2 oz. all-purpose flour 1 qt. heavy cream 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish salt & pepper to taste 14 oz. sliced roasted turkey breast 2 slices of Texas toast (crust trimmed) 4 slices of crispy bacon 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced in half paprika, parsley

Mornay Sauce:

Cook the roux for two minutes over medium-low heat. Be sure to stir frequently.

Whisk whipping cream into the roux and cook over medium heat until the cream begins to simmer. This should take about 2-3 minutes.

Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in Pecorino Romano cheese until the Mornay sauce is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Assembling The Sandwich:

Cover the slice of bread with 7 ounces of turkey.

Take the two halves of a Roma tomato and set them alongside the base of turkey and toast.

Pour one half of the Mornay sauce to completely cover the dish.

Sprinkle with additional Pecorino Romano cheese.

Place entire dish under a broiler. When the cheese begins to brown and bubble, remove it from the broiler.

Place two pieces of crispy bacon on top of the sandwich and sprinkle with paprika and parsley. You're ready to eat your homemade Hot Brown!

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