Kentucky Derby Party: Hot Brown Sliders

Below is a description of one of the many dishes I made for a Kentucky Derby-themed party last year. Go to the main post for details about the party, links to all the dishes I made, and a simple schedule to help you host your very own Derby party!
******************* 

The Hot Brown is a classic Kentucky sandwich, originally created in 1926 at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky by Fred K. Schmidt. It is a variation of traditional Welsh rarebit and was created to serve as an alternative to ham and egg late-night dinners. The Hot Brown is an open-faced sandwich of turkey breast, ham, and bacon, which is then covered in creamy Mornay sauce (a cheesy variation on béchamel sauce) and baked or broiled until the bread is crisp and the sauce begins to brown.

Now I didn't make classic Hot Brown sandwiches, but opted for a more party-friendly slider recipe. I looked at a ton of recipes, but I am soooo happy I settled on this one from I Am Homesteader because holey smokes was this sandwich a HIT!

As you can tell I did not prioritize food photos once the party got going. So this random photo of a half-eaten tray will have to suffice for my blog. To see how awesome these sliders are though, go to the I Am Homesteader blog post for more enticing photographs.

Of all the recipes from the party this one may have just been my favorite. In addition to all the flavortown deliciousness inside of the buns, the bread is doused in a garlicy butter topping before baking, taking this dish to next level. When eaten warm from the oven it was absolute perfection!

Buen provecho,

Jacquelin

Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders, from I Am Homesteader

Notes: I used King's Hawaiian Rolls for the the sliders, but you could also use regular dinner rolls. For my gluten-free party people I found a pack of 4 frozen gluten-free rolls that worked perfectly, which I baked up separately for them. For the turkey I used thickly sliced deli meat, but you could also use leftover turkey breast in these sandwiches (hello post Thanksgiving ideas)!

If you want to prepare parts of this dish in advance, you can make your cheese sauce and cook your bacon the day before assembly. Gently reheat your sauce before using (adding a touch more milk if its too thick). I doubled the entire recipe for my party and I'm glad I did because we barely had any leftovers! 

Ingredients

Cheese Sauce

1 TBSP unsalted butter

1 TBSP all-purpose flour (substitute with 1 TBSP cornstarch if making gluten free)

1 cup (245 g) whole milk, room temperature

¼ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

1 cup (113 g) white cheddar cheese, shredded (optional: replace some or all of the cheddar with gruyère)

¼ cup (25 g) parmesan cheese, grated

Butter Topping

¼ cup (½ stick / 57 g) unsalted butter, melted

½ tsp garlic salt

½ tsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

½ tsp kosher salt

Sliders

1 package (12-count) King's Hawaiian Rolls

1 pound turkey breast, leftover or thickly sliced deli turkey (optional: replace some or all of the turkey with ham)

2 medium tomatoes, sliced

8-10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions

1. Cheese Sauce: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour (or cornstarch) and cook until smooth and golden brown, about 1-2 minutes.
2. While whisking constantly, slowly pour in milk. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Continue cooking for 3-5 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened.
3. Remove from heat and add cheddar and parmesan cheeses. Whisk until fully melted. Set aside.
4. Butter Topping: In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients (melted butter, garlic salt, parsley, and salt). Set aside.
5. Assemble Sliders: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 7x11" or 9x13" baking dish with nonstick spray. 
6. Split rolls in half, placing bottom halves in the prepared baking dish.
7. Top buns with turkey, tomato slices, cheese sauce, and crumbled bacon. 
8. Place tops of the buns on top and brush with the melted butter mixture.
9. Bake sliders: Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is hot and bubbly. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until top of sliders are golden brown.
10. Remove from the oven, slice, and serve.