Alabama White Sauce Lamb Sliders (Printable)

Slow-cooked pulled lamb with tangy white sauce on soft buns, topped with crisp slaw.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pulled Lamb

01 - 2.5 pounds 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

→ Alabama White Sauce

09 - ½ cup mayonnaise
10 - ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
11 - 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
14 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
15 - ½ teaspoon onion powder
16 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
17 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Slaw

18 - 2 cups shredded green cabbage
19 - ½ cup shredded carrot
20 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
21 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
22 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Assembly

23 - 8 soft slider buns
24 - Pickled red onions (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 300°F.
02 - In a small bowl, combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, kosher salt, and black 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 deeply browned, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side.
04 - Pour the stock into the pot around the lamb. Cover tightly with a lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Roast for 3 hours or until the lamb is fork-tender and shreds apart effortlessly.
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 mixing bowl until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
06 - Toss shredded cabbage and carrot with mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper in a bowl until evenly coated. Refrigerate 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 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 and cap with the top buns. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The white sauce is a complete game changer, tangy and punchy, and it cuts through the richness of lamb like nothing else I have tried.
  • Slow roasting makes the lamb practically fall apart on its own, so the hardest part of this recipe is waiting three hours.
  • These sliders are perfect for a crowd because everyone assembles their own, which means you actually get to enjoy the party too.
02 -
  • Do not skip the sear, I tried rushing it once and the lamb tasted flat because that brown crust builds layers of flavor you cannot get back later.
  • The white sauce thickens as it chills, so if it seems too thin right after mixing, trust that it will reach the perfect consistency after an hour in the fridge.
03 -
  • Let the seared lamb rest for five minutes before adding the stock, because the residual heat continues to develop flavor on the surface.
  • Stir a spoonful of the braising juices into the white sauce right before serving for a shortcut sauce that tastes like it was made by a pitmaster.

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