Can you make Mornay Sauce ahead of time?

Yes you can make the sauce up to 3 days ahead. Store it, covered in the refrigerator. Reheat over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally. If sauce has thickened, whisk in 2 to 3 teaspoons of whole milk, until it reaches the desired consistency.

Can you make a Hot Brown without bacon?

Yes you can make this sandwich without bacon, if you prefer.

Can you freeze a Hot Brown?

While it is technically possible to freeze a Hot Brown sandwich, I don't recommend freezing because, once thawed, the bread can become soggy, the sauce thin - and the texture may change.

Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwich Recipe - A Well Seasoned Kitchen

Name: Kentucky Hot Brown
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 24 min
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons butter; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 2 cups whole milk, at room temperature or warmed; 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese; 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 4 slices toasted bread (sourdough works well); 8 slices cooked turkey breast, placed on paper towel to dry, if needed; 4 slices baked ham, placed on paper towel to dry if, needed; 8 slices fresh, ripe tomato, slices placed on paper towel to soak up excess moisture; 8 slices crispy cooked bacon

Ingredients

Scale

Cheese Sauce

4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk, at room temperature or warmed
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Sandwiches

4 slices toasted bread (sourdough works well)
8 slices cooked turkey breast, placed on paper towel to dry, if needed
4 slices baked ham, placed on paper towel to dry if, needed
8 slices fresh, ripe tomato, slices placed on paper towel to soak up excess moisture
8 slices crispy cooked bacon

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper (a quarter-sheet pan works well).

Cheese Sauce

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking, for 3 minutes.
Whisk in milk, raise the heat to medium, and continue cooking, stirring, until very thick.
Stir in cheese and continue cooking, stirring, until the cheese melts.
Stir in Worcestershire sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Set aside and keep warm.

Sandwiches

Place toast slices in one layer on prepared baking sheet.
Put 2 slices of turkey and 1 of ham on each piece of toast (fold slices in half if large).
Place 2 slices of tomato on top of each sandwich, overlapping if needed.
Spoon cheese sauce over top of all.
Top with 2 slices of bacon on top of each sandwich, making an “X” shape.
Bake until sauce bubbles, around 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Notes

Variation on baking pan: these sandwiches can also be prepared in a rimmed baking dish or in individual gratin dishes.

Tip on fixing runny cheese sauce: Hot Brown cheese sauce needs to be fairly thick, in our opinion. If yours is runny, here’s how to fix it – in a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon flour with 1 tablespoon of the sauce. It will form a paste. Slowly whisk in 1 tablespoon water, just until smooth (no lumps). Add another tablespoon of water if needed. Slowly whisk flour mixture into sauce and cook, over medium-low heat, until thickened.

Author: Lee Clayton Roper
Category: sandwiches, lunch, dinner, main dish
Method: Bake
Cuisine: Southern