Alabama White Sauce Lamb Sliders (Printer-Friendly)
Slow-roasted pulled lamb in tangy Alabama white sauce on soft buns with crisp slaw.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Pulled Lamb
01 - 2.5 lbs boneless lamb shoulder
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt
04 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
06 - 2 teaspoons garlic powder
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1 cup chicken or lamb stock
→ For the Alabama White Sauce
09 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
10 - 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
11 - 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
14 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
15 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
16 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
17 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ For the Slaw
18 - 2 cups shredded green cabbage
19 - 1/2 cup shredded carrot
20 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
21 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
22 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ To Serve
23 - 8 soft slider buns
24 - Pickled red onions (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 300°F.
02 - In a small bowl, combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Rub the spice mixture evenly over the entire surface of the lamb shoulder.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Sear the lamb shoulder on all sides until a deep golden-brown crust forms, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side.
04 - Pour the stock into the pot around the lamb. Cover tightly with the lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Roast for 3 hours or until the lamb is fall-apart tender and shreds effortlessly with a fork.
05 - While the lamb braises, whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, prepared horseradish, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
06 - In a separate bowl, toss the shredded cabbage and carrot with mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Chill until serving.
07 - Remove the lamb from the oven and shred the meat directly in the pot using two forks, mixing it with the accumulated cooking juices. Drizzle with a generous amount of Alabama White Sauce and toss to coat evenly.
08 - Layer the sauced pulled lamb onto the bottom half of each slider bun. Top with slaw and pickled red onions if desired. Drizzle with additional white sauce, cap with the top bun, and serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The Alabama white sauce is something your guests will ask you to bottle and sell, and it comes together in about two minutes with pantry staples.
- Lamb shoulder is vastly more forgiving than pork shoulder, and the rich meat stands up beautifully to the creamy, vinegary sauce.
- These sliders are the rare party food that tastes even better when made ahead and reheated.
02 -
- Underseasoning the white sauce is the most common mistake, so taste it after whisking and add more vinegar or salt until it has a bold, punchy character.
- The lamb needs every minute of those three hours, and pulling it early will leave you with chewy meat that no amount of sauce can save.
03 -
- Let the rubbed lamb sit uncovered in the refrigerator overnight before cooking, and the dry surface will give you a dramatically better sear.
- Always make double the white sauce because you will find yourself putting it on everything else you cook that week.