A Hot Brown Sandwich (sometimes known as a Kentucky Hot Brown) is a variation on the traditional Welsh rarebit. The Hot Brown was created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, by Fred K. Schmidt in 1926. Inspired by the name, we chose brown ale for the mornay sauce.
The sandwich uses slices of a Pullman Loaf, which is bread baked in a lidded bread pan with straight sides. If you can’t find a Pullman Loaf, substitute Texas toast.
Active preparation time: 35 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
Serves: 2
BROWN BEER MORNAY SAUCE
1½ cup (355 ml) milk
4 Tbs butter
4 Tbs flour
1 cup (8 fl oz/237 ml) brown ale, room temperature
1 shallot, finely chopped
Pinch nutmeg
4 oz (113 g) Gruyère, shredded
Salt
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk until small bubbles form around the edge. In a second saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour to the butter, mix well, and cook for 30 seconds on medium heat. Add the hot milk to the butter and flour and stir briskly until the mixture begins to thicken. Slowly whisk in the beer until it is fully incorporated. Add the shallot and nutmeg and cook on low for 20 minutes. Stir in the cheese and whisk until it is melted. Season to taste with salt and reserve for the sandwich.
SANDWICH
2 slices Pullman Loaf, sliced 1" (2.5 cm) thick
8 oz (227 g) turkey, sliced
4 slices bacon, cooked crispy
4 slices ripe tomato
1½ cup (12 fl oz/355 ml) Brown Beer Mornay Sauce
Fresh cracked black pepper
Preheat the broiler. Toast the bread lightly. Top each slice of bread with half the sliced turkey. Cover each half with ¾ cup (177 ml) of the Mornay Sauce. Broil the sandwiches until the mornay sauce begins to bubble and brown. Lay two slices each of the tomato and bacon over each sandwich. Finish with loads of freshly cracked black pepper.
Beer Suggestions: Uinta Bristlecone (Salt Lake City, Utah), Against the Grain The Brown Note (Louisville, Kentucky), Port Brewing Board Meeting (San Marcos, California)