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Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders

Kentucky hot brown sliders are pull-apart, open-face turkey sliders drenched in a golden bubbly Mornay sauce, topped with crisp bacon. The broiler toasts the edges and gives a classic Derby-style hot brown finish in a sweet-roll slider format.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Slider rolls
  • 12 slider rolls (Hawaiian sweet rolls)
Turkey and toppings
  • 1 lb deli turkey, thinly sliced
  • 6 bacon, cooked until crispy
  • 2 large tomatoes, sliced thin
Mornay sauce
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cup whole milk, warmed
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar or Gruyère cheese, shredded
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp white pepper
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 paprika for garnish
  • 0.25 fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and assemble in the baking dish
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish with a thin coating of grease so the bottoms don’t stick.
  2. Slice the slider rolls in half horizontally and place the bottoms in the greased baking dish.
  3. Layer the turkey slices evenly over the roll bottoms, then top with the tomato slices.
Make the Mornay sauce
  1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Slowly whisk in the warmed milk and stir until thickened, about 3–4 minutes.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in the shredded cheese, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg until smooth.
Bake, broil, and finish
  1. Pour the Mornay sauce generously over the turkey layer, then place the slider tops on and bake for 15 minutes at 350°F.
  2. Remove from the oven, place bacon strips across the top, switch to broil, and broil for 2–3 minutes until the tops are golden and the edges are crispy.
  3. Garnish with paprika and fresh parsley and serve immediately with the sauce still hot and bubbly.

Notes

For the best pull-apart texture, use evenly thin deli turkey slices and press the slider tops down lightly so sauce coats the seams. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat covered in a 325°F oven until warmed through. Freezing isn’t recommended because the Mornay sauce can break upon thawing. For a lighter option, swap part-skim milk for the whole milk in the sauce (texture may be slightly less thick).