The Turkey Devonshire is a sandwich that comes from Pittsburgh, it was created by Frank Blandi. This delightful sandwich is made of crisp bacon, slices of turkey, slices of tomato, and are covered in cheese sauce before being popped into the oven to become nice and toasty.
Armstrong’s is a well-known Pittsburgh restaurant noted for good food, big portions, and tasty sandwiches. The Turkey Devonshire is an open-faced sandwich that comes from Pittsburgh. This satisfying hearty sandwich is made with turkey, crisp bacon, and tomato slices. It is covered in a rich, creamy cheese sauce before being popped under the broiler to become bubbly and toasty.
Some years ago, I spent a lot of time in Pittsburgh for work. I hate to tell you how many of these sandwiches I ate! I just couldn’t resist this kind of comfort food. This is the perfect sandwich to make for brunch the day after Thanksgiving when you have leftover turkey.
History of Turkey Devonshire
Pittsburghers have been eating the Devonshire Sandwich in its many variations since 1934. That’s when Frank Blandi opened his first restaurant and created the Devonshire. The sandwich was such a success that Blandi had to make the sauce in five-gallon batches. The basic ingredients of the original Devonshire were slices of turkey and strips of crispy bacon. Blandi went on to offer variations on the main theme (the cheese sauce) – chicken, crab, shrimp, asparagus.
Origin possibly comes from the Kentucky Hot Brown
The Devonshire Turkey Sandwich is similar to the Kentucky Hot Brown Turkey Sandwich, which originated at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, KY. The main difference is in the cheese – the Hot Brown is usually made with parmesan, romano, or Swiss, while an authentic Turkey Devonshire is made with cheddar.
Sandwich Ingredients
For this sandwich, you will need some hearty bread, if you can use some thin-sliced Italian bread, I have also made this with Sourdough bread. You also need turkey, left-over turkey is the best, you can use deli turkey in a pinch, don’t let that stop you from making the sandwich. Grab your favorite bacon and some fresh tomatoes. The cheese sauce is the star of this sandwich. Don’t worry, the recipe for the cheese sauce is down below.
Assembling the Sandwich
You will need to place the sandwich in an oven-proof dish, we will pop this into the oven and brown the top, so the oven-proof dish is a must.
Place the bread on the bottom, top with turkey, then tomatoes, ladle the cheese sauce on top of everything, and add a sprinkle of paprika, and a couple of slices of bacon.
You will place this sandwich in under the broiler just until the cheese beings to brown, and then you will have the most delightful sandwich!
Looking for more hearty sandwiches like the turkey devonshire? Try some of these hearty sandwich recipes.
Looking for more hearty sandwiches? Try these copykat sandwich recipes. And, please let me know if you have a favorite sandwich recipe to share.
Bennigan’s Monte Cristo Sandwich (another way to use your leftover turkey)
Best Ever Homemade Sloppy Joes
Grilled Tuna and Cheese Sandwich
Wonder what to do with leftover turkey? Here are 35 leftover turkey sandwich ideas.
Armstrong's Turkey Devonshire Sandwich
Ingredients
Cheese Sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 8 ounces shredded Cheddar Cheese I recommend a sharp Cheddar, Tilamook
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Sandwich
- 5 slices bacon cooked
- 4 slices Italian bread lightly toasted
- 4 slices tomato
- 1/2 pound turkey breast
- paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler.
Sauce instructions
- In a medium-sized saucepan, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Cook the butter and flour mixture over medium heat for about one minute cook until the flour begins to smell nutty. Add 1 cup of chicken broth, and 1 cup of milk and stir until the sauce thickens.
- Add Cheddar and Parmesan cheese to the sauce, stir until the cheese melts. Remove the pan from the hot burner, stir occasionally as you assemble the sandwich to keep a skin from forming on the top of the sauce.
Sandwich Assembly
- Toast the bread.
- Build sandwich by laying a piece of toasted bread into a pie pan, top with turkey, then tomato. Ladle cheese sauce over the sandwich. Sprinkle some paprika on top.
- Place two slices of bacon crisscrossed on the cheese sauce.
- Broil until the cheese begins to brown.
Angelina says
This is Armstrong’s VERSION of Turkey Devonshire, NOT the original recipe, You can read all about this sandwich…. it’s origin, and how it was originally made, by going to http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com. Search for the January 19, 2019 edition. Very informative, & good reading.
Amanda S says
This is called a Kentucky Hot Brown and originated at the Brown Hotel in Louisville KY…or so they say! I make it for brunch the day after Thanksgiving every year. In the hot brown, Romano or Parmesan is used instead of cheddar (so a Mornay sauce), but that’s the only difference!
https://www.brownhotel.com/m/dining/hot-brown
Carol Cerar says
Never made with deli turkey – always real turkey!!!!
John pfeifer says
Apollo restaurant in Whitehall. If anybody knows Paul or his recipe let me know
JOSEPH TOMKO says
I am from picksburgh and this recipe isn’t right either. No chicken broth and you have to use velveeta cheese ‘n at. alright then.
Jo Fisher says
BTW: I’D LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY OF THE WEINSTEIN FAMILY MEMBERS STILL AROUND THAT COULD GIVE US THE “REAL INGREDIENTS IN THAT WONDERFUL, FLUFFY, HIGH-MOUNDED CHEESE SAUCE. I THINK I RECALL THAT IT WAS CALLED A ‘SHERRY TYPE FLUFFY SAUCE.” NEVER HAD ANOTHER LIKE THEIR’S….I HAD PLANNED ON MAKING IT MONDAY, ACTUALLY, AND ASKED MY HUBBY IF HE COULD GET SOME INFO FOR ME….PLEASE LET ME KNOW! MANY THANKS, JO
Holly Harmon-Giles says
Armstrong’s is the best so I’m definitely trying this recipe.
Jory says
I’m sorry, I’m from Pittsburgh and that is NOT how you make a Devonshire sandwich. You really need to get the recipe correct as it’s a classic.
You use: 3/4 stick butter melted, 1 cup flour, stir add one pt chic broth stirring constantly, then add one pint hot whole milk continuing to stir constantly. Bring to boil stirring constantly and cook for twenty minutes. Let cool to warm temp.
Mst ir with wisk untill smooth. Get one slice white toast points with the crist cut off and add 3 slices crisp bacon and thinly sliced turkey or chicken, top with sauce and sprinkle with butter and a liberal amts of paprika. Bake in 450% oven for approx 15-20 min untill hot and golden brown. Fresh tomato slices are optional and may be added before the cheese sauce if so desired. This is Franks original recipe from the LaMonte. I’ve been making it for years.
Holly Harmon-Giles says
This is how they make it. Everyone makes it different, doesn’t mean your way is the right way, the LaMonte didn’t invent it.
Betty says
Sorry but I believe Frank Blandi was at Park Schenley not LaMonte
Jo Fisher says
I think Frank Blandi was at the LeMont-I believe he owned this restaurant. While the site says the Devonshire was created in Pittsburgh(also my home town) I would have to say that the BEST TURKEY DEVONSHIRE, was from Squirrel Hill’s-@
“Weinstein’s”….it was different looking from this one pictured, and we used to go there often to get their’s. I WOULD LOVE SOMEONE FROM “WEINSTEIN’S” THAT WOULD GIVE THAT ORIGINAL RECIPE TO ALL OF US, WHO LOVED IT, AND NEVER HAD ANOTHER LIKE IT. MANY THANKS….I’LL WAIT ANXIOUSLY,
AS I’VE MADE THESE MANY TIMES, BUT PINE FOR ‘WEINSTEIN’S CLASSIC.”
Jo Fisher says
WONDERING IF THERE ARE ANY WEINSTEIN FAMILY LEFT, THAT CAN GIVE THE ACTUAL ‘LIGHT, FLUFFY SAUCE INGREDIENTS TO THOSE OF US WHO MISS IT, AND NEVER DID FIND ANOTHER LIKE THEIRS’….I BELIEVE IT HAD ‘SHERRY IN IT, AND IT WAS MOUNDED SO HIGH, AND THIS WAS “THE BEST IN PITTSBURGH”….HOPING TO HEAR FROM ANYONE(EVEN THOSE WHO MAY HAVE WORKED AT “WEINSTEIN’S”……….
Marce says
Don’t you add cheese to the sauce?
Jeepcycle says
Having grown up in “The Burgh” and going to breakfast at this eaterey, I always loved their Eggs Benedict with Devonshire Sauce. This sauce is great on many things.
Thanks for the recipe. Now….if only I could get the recipe for the Dicarlo’s Pizza that I used to always get on Saw Mill Run Blvd. I miss “The Burgh” sooooo much.
Anonymous says
This basically the Louisville speciality, The Hot Brown!
Amanda S says
Exactly!