Kentucky Hot Brown
Photo: IluvatarEru · CC BY-SA 4.0

History

Chef Fred K. Schmidt built the first Hot Brown at Louisville's Brown Hotel in 1926 to feed late-night dancers, and the broiled turkey-and-Mornay construction spread across the Commonwealth within a generation. In Lexington it settled into the diner repertoire: Ramsey's serves a benchmark version over toast with cream gravy and bacon, and Columbia Steak House keeps one on its 1948-vintage menu.

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Common allergens: Dairy, Gluten

Make it at home

Yield Serves 2Hands-on 30 minTotal 40 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 2 thick slices white bread, toasted
  • 300g roast turkey breast, thickly sliced
  • 4 rashers bacon, cooked crisp
  • 2 thick tomato slices
  • 30g butter
  • 30g plain flour
  • 480ml whole milk
  • 60g grated Parmesan or pecorino, plus more for the top
  • Pinch of nutmeg, salt and white pepper

Method

  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes without colouring.
  2. Whisk in the milk gradually and simmer until it coats a spoon, about 5 minutes, then stir in the cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
  3. Lay the toast in a shallow baking dish, stack the turkey on top and pour the Mornay over to cover completely.
  4. Broil 10cm from the element until the sauce blisters and browns in spots, 3 to 4 minutes.
  5. Cross the bacon over the top, tuck in the tomato, dust with more cheese and serve in the dish, bubbling.

Tip from the editors. Broil in the serving dish; a Hot Brown transferred after broiling loses the molten edge that makes it worth the calories.

Where to eat kentucky hot brown

Kentucky Hot Brown in Lexington

Ramsey's Diner ★ 4.4

$$ Southern

Ramsey's Diner has plated Lexington's meat-and-three since 1989, with an excellent Kentucky Hot Brown and pies from its Missy's Pies sister bakery.

SignatureKentucky Hot Brown, Meat and three

TipThe Zandale Drive room is the classic location. Save room for a slice of Missy's chess pie.

Directions

Columbia Steak House ★ 4.2

$$ Steakhouse

Columbia Steak House has fed Lexington since 1948, still broiling the garlic-butter Nighthawk Special with a Diego salad and frying its famous lamb fries.

SignatureNighthawk Special, Lamb fries, Diego salad

TipOrder the Nighthawk Special with fried banana peppers; the Richmond Road room keeps the old-school feel.

Directions

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