Crafting an extravagant Derby Day menu? "Hot Brown Party Rolls fill the bill with gooey cheese, turkey, and bacon sandwiched between sweet rolls topped with a brown sugar-garlic butter," says Test Kitchen pro and Hey Y'all host Ivy Odom. A Kentucky hot brown is a classic choice for the Derby, and these slider-style versions are perfect for sharing. The pull-apart party rolls couldn't be easier to put together—simply split the rolls horizontally (without even bothering to separate them into individual rolls) and pile on the fixins.
Turkey, Gruyère, tomato, bacon, and Parmesan get stacked up to make these towering sliders. Fold the turkey (instead of laying the slices flat) for a nice presentation that adds texture to the sandwich. Once you've assembled the sandwiches, the fun really begins. The trick to keep these sandwiches super moist and tender is to smother them in a sauce of melted butter, Dijon, Worcestershire, and light brown sugar, then bake them until they achieve a lovely golden-brown, crisp top. Trust us: These Hot Brown Party Rolls will be the talk of the town.
![Hot Brown Party Rolls](https://www.southernliving.com/thmb/t782lPp4rayn1Fq5VefJI4trrTM=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/2663801_HeyYa_0204-2000-d71c4f15b157462da805e81818dd24a7-e9f2baa39cf5435f8be02567f6f76c95.jpg)
Victor Protasio; Food Stying: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
Ingredients
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1 (12-ct.) pkg. small sweet Hawaiian rolls (such as King's Hawaiian)
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5 ounces Gruyère cheese slices (about 6 slices), divided
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½ pound thinly sliced deli turkey
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1 small tomato, cut into ¼-inch slices
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6 slices thick-cut bacon (such as Wright Brand), cooked and cut into 2-inch pieces
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1 ounce Parmesan cheese, shredded (about ¼ cup)
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¾ cup butter, melted
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1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
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2 teaspoons dried minced onion
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1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
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1 teaspoon light brown sugar
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½ teaspoon grated garlic (from 1 medium garlic clove)
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½ teaspoon Mexican-style hot sauce (such as Cholula Hot Sauce)
Directions
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Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray an 11- x 7-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Split rolls horizontally (without separating into individual rolls); place bottom halves of rolls in prepared baking dish.
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Cover bottom halves of rolls with 3 slices Gruyère cheese, cutting slices to fit in an even layer. Add turkey slices, folding to fit evenly on Gruyère. Place tomato slices in an even layer on turkey. Top evenly with bacon pieces. Add remaining slices of Gruyère, cutting to fit, in an even layer on bacon. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan. Cover with top halves of rolls.
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Stir together melted butter, Dijon mustard, minced onion, Worcestershire, brown sugar, garlic, and hot sauce in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Slowly pour mixture over rolls in baking dish, allowing it to soak into rolls. Cover dish with aluminum foil, and bake in preheated oven until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Uncover, and continue baking until tops are golden brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot sandwiches from the baking dish