Alabama White Sauce Lamb Sliders (Print Version)
Tangy white sauce pulled lamb on soft slider buns with crisp slaw—bold Southern flavors in every bite.
# What You'll Need:
→ Lamb Shoulder
01 - 3.3 lbs boneless lamb shoulder
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 tsp kosher salt
04 - 1 tsp black pepper
05 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
06 - 1 tsp garlic powder
→ Braising Liquid
07 - 1 cup chicken or beef broth
08 - 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
→ Alabama White Sauce
09 - 3/4 cup mayonnaise
10 - 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
11 - 1 tbsp prepared horseradish
12 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
13 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
14 - 1 tsp sugar
15 - 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
16 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
17 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
18 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
19 - Salt to taste
→ Slaw
20 - 2 cups shredded green cabbage
21 - 1/2 cup shredded carrot
22 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise
23 - 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
24 - 1/4 tsp sugar
25 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Assembly
26 - 8 soft slider buns
27 - 1 tbsp melted butter (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 325°F.
02 - Pat the lamb shoulder dry with paper towels. Rub evenly with olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder, ensuring full coverage on all sides.
03 - Place the seasoned lamb in a Dutch oven or roasting pan. Pour the broth and apple cider vinegar around the lamb, avoiding pouring directly over the meat. Cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil.
04 - Roast for approximately 3 hours, or until the lamb is fork-tender and pulls apart easily with minimal effort.
05 - While the lamb braises, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, horseradish, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, sugar, cracked black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste in a mixing bowl until completely smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
06 - Toss the shredded cabbage and carrot with mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a bowl until evenly coated. Refrigerate until serving time.
07 - Remove the lamb from the oven and transfer to a large bowl. Using two forks, shred the meat, discarding any excess fat. Fold in half of the Alabama white sauce to thoroughly coat the pulled lamb.
08 - Lightly toast the slider buns, brushing with melted butter if desired, until golden on the cut sides.
09 - Pile the sauced pulled lamb generously onto the bottom halves of the toasted buns. Top with slaw and an extra drizzle of Alabama white sauce. Cap with the top buns and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The white sauce is a total revelation, creamy and sharp with horseradish that sneaks up on you in the best way.
- Lamb shoulder braised low and slow gets so tender it barely needs a fork to fall apart.
- These sliders disappear fast, so maybe double the batch if you actually want to eat one yourself.
02 -
- Do not rush the braise by cranking the heat. Three hours at a true low temp gives you that impossibly tender texture, while higher heat turns the lamb stringy and dry.
- The white sauce tastes dramatically better after sitting in the fridge for at least an hour. Make it first and forget about it until the lamb is ready.
03 -
- Save the leftover braising liquid and freeze it. It is liquid gold for soups, stews, or the next batch of pulled lamb.
- If you cannot find lamb shoulder, a well marbled pork shoulder braised the same way works beautifully with the white sauce.