Buffalo Turkey and Beer Cheese Sandwich

Legend has it that beer cheese — a creamy concoction of spreadable cheese, beer and spices — was made sometime in the 1930s not far from my home near the confluence of the Kentucky River and Howard's Creek, also known as Lower Howard's Creek, in Clark County, Kentucky, more than 85 years ago. It is indigenous to the central Kentucky area called Boonesborough.

Legend has it that spicy beer cheese was invented near the Kentucky River in the early 1900s, and we’ve been incorporating it into tasty meals ever since. Images by author.

The first beer cheese was served by Johnny Allman at his restaurant. When the restaurant burned (for the third time; talk about tough luck), Allman turned in his apron and called it quits. But by then, word of the tasty cheese spread had spread around the area. Patrons clamored for it. A new restaurant, Hall’s on the River, sprung up in the mid-’60s near where Allman’s had been. Hall’s still operates today, despite regular flooding from the nearby river, and is still famous for the beer cheese. Nearby Winchester, Kentucky, now holds an annual Beer Cheese Festival. The popularity has soared throughout the country. You can now find beer cheese just about anywhere. If you can’t find it, recipes abound online to make your own.

This recipe pairs that spicy beer cheese with everyone’s favorite fried wild turkey breast, with a twist. After frying the turkey breast cutlets to a crispy golden brown, give them a run through a dish of your favorite Buffalo wing sauce until it is coated on both sides. For the frying portion, try beef tallow instead of vegetable oil for added flavor.

Beef tallow adds flavor to the finished sandwich.

Start by slicing the breast across the grain into ¾-inch cutlets. Use a meat mallet to pound the cutlets down to about a quarter-inch in thickness to tenderize.

Pour 2 cups of Kentucky Kernel or your favorite seasoned flour mixture into a shallow dish. Dredge the pounded turkey cutlets in the seasoned flour.

Dredge the pounded turkey in seasoned flour.

Allow the dredge to set a few minutes on the turkey while a half-inch of beef tallow or oil heats to 350 degrees in a large skillet.

Let the tallow or oil reach about 350 degrees before frying.

When the grease of choice is hot, fry the turkey for five to seven minutes per side, or until it’s golden, crisp and just cooked through. Fry in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Move the fried turkey to a wire rack or paper-lined tray.

Fry the turkey in batches until crispy and golden.

After all of the turkey is fried, pour Buffalo sauce into a shallow dish. Dip the fried turkey into the Buffalo sauce to evenly coat the entire surface.

Dip the fried turkey in your favorite Buffalo wing sauce.

Place a sauced turkey cutlet onto a toasted bun. Top with beer cheese that you have warmed slightly so it pours evenly over the turkey. Top with a bun and serve immediately.

Drizzle over the warmed beer cheese just before serving.

Is this the least messy sandwich you will ever eat? Not by a long shot. Is it one of the tastiest turkey sandwiches you can make? You better believe it.

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