Louisville, Kentucky may not be on your bucket list, but you may want to consider adding it! With so much to see and do you could easily spend a romantic couple’s weekend savoring food and betting on a few horse races at Churchill Downs.
But if you do visit Louisville, Kentucky there is a time-honored tradition since the early 1900s you will definitely not want to miss- eating Hot Browns at the Brown Hotel.
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Home of the Hot Brown
The Brown Hotel, which is conveniently located in the heart of Louisville, is a gorgeous luxury hotel that originated in the 1920s. During that time people flocked to the hotel each evening for its dinner dance and would stay dancing well into the night. Because of this, Chef Fred Schmidt decided to create a dish that wasn’t quite breakfast or dinner but a happy mix of both, and thus created the Hot Brown.
What is a Hot Brown?
A Hot Brown is an open-faced turkey breast sandwich covered with bacon, tomatoes and smothered in a delicious mornay sauce.
This isn’t your ordinary turkey sandwich so don’t be fooled. I can’t tell you how perfect this lunch was. I ate up every bite and even finished my sister-in-law’s! Please don’t make a trip to Louisville without tasting this bite of history. Watch out for copy cat Hot Browns, they’re everywhere in Kentucky. There is even a Chick-Fil-A Hot Brown. Chick-Fil-A, of course, uses chicken instead of turkey though and it is only available at some locations. I’ve tried it and even though it is good, it does not even come close to the Brown Hotel’s. There are also a bunch of other variations of the recipe on the internet, including Hot Brown Sliders and Hot Brown Casserole.
I was told on the plane on the way to Louisville that I couldn’t leave Kentucky without trying derby pie- I mean the name itself screams Kentucky, so I was delighted to see the Brown Hotel had it on the menu. Wikipedia describes derby pie as a chocolate and pecan tart, but I would describe it as a combination pecan pie with chocolate and a warm half baked oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. Clearly, it’s indescribable and really just something you will have to experience for yourself!
And if you can’t make it to Kentucky in the near future? Don’t worry. You can make both of these delicious dishes at home. They are completely worth the work. Check out our Hot Brown recipe below.
Kentucky Hot Brown Recipe
Kentucky Hot Brown
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup whole butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to the taste
- paprika to the taste
- 14 ounces thick cut turkey
- 4 strips bacon fried crispy
- 4 slices of Texas Toast
- 2 Roma Tomatoes
Instructions
- In a medium-sized saucepan melt butter and whisk in flour to create a roux, cook the roux for approximately two minutes while whisking continuously.
- Add cream and milk to the roux and cook until thick sauce forms over medium heat, stirring continuously and scraping the bottom so it doesn’t burn. Remove from heat just before it reaches a boil and stir in parmesan cheese until melted and sauce thickens. Add salt, pepper and paprika to taste.
- To assemble hot browns, place two slices of the Texas Toast in an oven safe dish. We like to cut ours in to triangles diagonally to allow them to fit in dish. Arrange turkey on each slice of toast (about 7 ounces per dish) and cover in the delicious mornay sauce (I mean really drench it on there- it’s the highlight of the dish). Place the tomatoes at the edge of each toast and place under broiler until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Top with crisp bacon and sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired!
Let us know what you think of the recipe in the comments and be sure to add the Brown Hotel to your foodie bucket list!
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Comments 10
My ex is from Kentucky and his family introduced me to Hot Browns. Delicious! It is still a family tradition to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey by making Hot Brown sandwiches.
We are thrilled you enjoyed your visit, and your lunch! You are absolutely correct! No visit to Louisville, Kentucky is complete without a trip to The Brown Hotel for a Hot Brown! Derby Pie is a fabulous way to finish a decadant meal. Throw in a Mint Julep and you have an experience unlike any other! We hope you make it to our fair city again, and would love to welcome you back to The Brown!
That platter with bacon looks really good.
I love to hear people talk about our magnificent city and our fabulous food. The Brown Hotel is so amazing! I have never had a better tasting Hot Brown. I have tried them at home a few times but can never get the gravy to taste as it does from the hotel! I am so glad you tried the Derby Pie. It is a taste you can just not pass up!
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Thank you for posting this delicious recipe. I hope you don’t mind me sharing it on My Old Kentucky Home Pinterest board. No visit to the Bluegrass State is complete without a traditional Hot Brown!
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Delicious! I make mine with turkey from my grocery deli!
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