Alabama White Sauce Lamb Sliders (Printable Version)
Slow-roasted pulled lamb in tangy Alabama white sauce on soft buns with crisp slaw.
# What You Need:
→ Pulled Lamb
01 - 2.5 lbs boneless lamb shoulder
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 tsp kosher salt
04 - 1 tsp black pepper
05 - 1 tbsp smoked paprika
06 - 2 tsp garlic powder
07 - 1 tsp ground cumin
08 - 1 cup chicken or lamb stock
→ Alabama White Sauce
09 - ½ cup mayonnaise
10 - ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
11 - 1 tbsp prepared horseradish
12 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
13 - 1 tsp lemon juice
14 - ½ tsp garlic powder
15 - ½ tsp onion powder
16 - ½ tsp black pepper
17 - ½ tsp salt
→ Slaw
18 - 2 cups shredded green cabbage
19 - ½ cup shredded carrot
20 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise
21 - 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
22 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ For Serving
23 - 8 soft slider buns
24 - Pickled red onions (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 300°F. Combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice blend evenly over the entire surface of the lamb shoulder.
02 - 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.
03 - Pour the stock into the pot around the lamb. Cover tightly with the lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 3 hours or until the lamb is fork-tender and pulls apart effortlessly.
04 - 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 mixing bowl until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
05 - Toss shredded green cabbage and carrot with mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper in a bowl until evenly coated. Chill in the refrigerator until assembly.
06 - 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 generously with Alabama White Sauce and toss to coat evenly.
07 - 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.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- The white sauce is a refrigerator staple you will want to put on everything from grilled chicken to roast potatoes once you taste it.
- Lamb shoulder shreds into impossibly tender ribbons that soak up the sauce and juices like nothing else.
- These sliders turn a long lazy cooking afternoon into a party-ready spread with almost zero last minute effort.
02 -
- Do not skip the sear because that caramelized crust is where half the flavor lives and you cannot get it back once the lamb is in the oven.
- Let the white sauce rest in the fridge for at least thirty minutes before serving because it tastes completely different when the ingredients have time to mingle.
03 -
- The lamb will shred most easily while it is still warm, so do not let it cool completely before pulling it apart with forks.
- A pinch of cayenne in the white sauce adds a warmth that makes the whole flavor profile more interesting without making it spicy.