Description
Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders are a delicious twist on the classic Hot Brown sandwich, featuring layers of oven-roasted turkey, juicy tomatoes, crispy bacon, and creamy cheddar cheese sauce served on soft Hawaiian rolls. This recipe yields 12 savory, crowd-pleasing sliders perfect for parties or family meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Slider Base
- 1 12-count package Hawaiian rolls
- 8 tablespoons salted butter, divided
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Poppy seeds, for topping
Cheese Sauce
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups grated white cheddar cheese
- About 1/2 teaspoon salt
- About 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Fillings
- 1 pound oven-roasted turkey breast, sliced
- 2-3 medium tomatoes, sliced
- 1 pound thick-cut bacon, cooked
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper or aluminum foil to make lifting the sliders easier after baking.
- Make Roux for Cheese Sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add flour, salt, pepper, dry mustard, and nutmeg, stirring constantly until the mixture forms a paste and begins to turn light brown.
- Add Milk and Thicken Sauce: Slowly whisk in milk, one tablespoon at a time, ensuring the mixture stays smooth. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, stirring constantly until it thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
- Add Cheese to Sauce: Stir in the grated white cheddar cheese until completely melted and the sauce is smooth. Set aside.
- Prepare Slider Base: Slice the entire sheet of Hawaiian rolls in half horizontally. Place the bottom halves into the lined baking dish.
- Layer Turkey: Arrange 2-3 layers of sliced turkey breast evenly over the bottom halves of the rolls.
- Add Tomato Slices: Lay tomato slices over the turkey and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Pour Cheese Sauce: Spoon the creamy cheese sauce liberally over the tomato layer to cover thoroughly.
- Add Bacon and Turkey: Add a thick layer of cooked bacon over the cheese sauce, followed by another layer of turkey slices.
- Top with Rolls and Butter: Place the top halves of the Hawaiian rolls on the assembled layers. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and brush generously over the tops of the rolls.
- Garnish: Sprinkle poppy seeds over the buttered tops to add texture and flavor.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven.
- Finish Baking Uncovered: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the tops of the rolls are toasted and golden brown.
- Serve: Lift the sliders out of the dish using the parchment or foil lining. Slice apart into individual sliders and serve warm.
Notes
- You can use different cheeses like Gruyere or mozzarella for a unique flavor twist.
- To save time, precook bacon in the oven on a baking sheet lined with foil.
- Use fresh tomatoes for the best taste and texture; remove seeds if tomatoes are very juicy to avoid sogginess.
- Adjust seasoning of the cheese sauce to your preference, adding more mustard or nutmeg for a spicier flavor.
- These sliders reheat well in the oven at a low temperature until warmed through.
