Clem's Kentucky Hot Browns

Looking for a new and tasty way to finish off those holiday leftovers? I got this recipe from Aaron's cousins in Kentucky and it is delicious. It's been n their family for years and is a crowd pleaser. This dish is far from low cal but it hits the spot big time. We had these tonight and they were amazing.

I will be posting some healthy recipe options n the coming weeks.

Clem's Kentucky Hot Browns
To assemble each serving you will need well greased individual baking dishes and you start from the bottom up with the following:

Place 1 piece of dry toast cut into 4 triangles into indiv dish
Add Several slices of dark meat of turkey
Add Several slice of white meat of turkey
Add 1 large slice of baked country ham (Critchfield's or Mitch's meat market preferably)
Add 1 cup Clem's Hot Brown Gravy (recipe below for 6 servings)
Add 6 tablespoons grated sharp cheddar cheese
Top with 2 slices of bacon (fry one side a little more than other and place that side down)
Top with 4 slices of tomato
paprika (lightly dust top of finished serving)
place under broiler until well browned: Serve at once while bubbling hot)

Clem's Hot Brown Gravy
1 stick butter (8 tablespoons)
1/2 cup kentucky flour (secret is to cook flour thoroughly and slowly in hot butter)
4 cups chicken stock (room temp)
4 cups 1/2 and 1/2 or whole milk (room temp)
2 egg yolks, well beaten in small heat proof bowl
salt and pepper to taste

In double broiler, melt butter, add flour, stirring constantly.
Mix chicken stock and milk or 1/2 and 1/2 in separate bowl.  Add stock and milk mixture to flour/butter  stirring constantly.
When mixture becomes smooth and begins to thicken add 5 or 6 tablespoons of the mixture to the egg yolks in heat proof bowl. This is to equalize the temp so your eggs don't cook.
When well mixed, pour the egg mixture back into the double broiler.
After blending, stir until well thickened, take care that sauce does not boil as this will cause the eggs to curdle.
Remove from flame and add salt and pepper to taste.


How to prevent lumpy gravy--- A common mistake when making gravy is blending the flour into the broth instead of into the pan drippings (or butter). Flour forms a water proof shield when mixed with water or broth, creating lumps.  But when you add flour to pan drippings, it binds with the fat, making a smooth paste that easily dissolves.