Mole Pulled Lamb Sandwiches with Spicy Slaw
The other night we ventured to the heart of Mexico and created a fabulous authentic mole sauce. However, we made too much. Now, if you have ever had a mole sauce before, you will likely agree that this is not a bad predicament to be in. So, the question becomes, “What do we do with all of the leftover mole sauce?” We thought, why not take something traditional and make it extraordinary by using the mole sauce. Thus, we decided to take your southern staple, the pulled pork sandwich, and recreate it using the mole sauce and by replacing the pork with lamb. Hence, we bring to you a mole pulled lamb sandwich (with a spicy slaw for a little added heat and crunch).
The entire post can also be found here.
I am sure that we have all (well, at least those omnivorous humans) have had a pulled pork sandwich at some point in time. Maybe it was at a friends BBQ or at a restaurant in the south. Or maybe you have a solid recipe that you make for the family now and again. After all, who doesn’t love pulled pork in the summer along with some potato salad and corn on the cob. But, at least last time that I checked, there is no law preventing one from revitalizing the classic pulled pork sandwich by mixing different cuisines to create a one-of-a-kind sandwich that will make your mouth water.
The mole pulled pork sandwich is about the easiest thing on the plannet to make … if you have a slow cooker and some leftover mole sauce laying around the house. If you are lacking the mole sauce, well, you better get to it since it will not make itself. And, as is the case with most things in the kitchen, short cuts lead to lackluster end products (in other words, follow the recipe, don’t skip ingredients and be patient!). All we do to make this sandwich is cook down the lamb shoulder (I would not eat lamb shoulder unless it was slow cooked for several hours anyway) in a mixture of mole sauce and chicken stock. The unique and distinct flavors of the mole sauce (e.g., oregano, clove, chocolate, chilies, almonds, pepitas, etc.) will infuse into the lamb over time and make for a succulent dish in the end. Our spicy slaw is equally simple to prepare and adds a wonderful crunch to the sandwich as well as just a tad more heat. Lastly, we like to use lightly toasted onion rolls for serving the sandwich to give it just one more level of flavor.
This sandwich is certainly going to please the whole family. And, if you are having a party, you can easily make this into a miniature version and serve mole pulled lamb sliders. How cool would that be. ? Or, with football season just around the corner, why not whip up a big batch of the mole pulled lamb in the slow cooker and serve it at the next tailgate with all the fixin’s? Oh, and as always, spicy food goes with hoppy beer. Don’t ask questions, just take my word for it for now.
Enjoy.
Mole Pulled Lamb Sandwiches
Prep Time: 10min
Cook Time: 6-8hr
Total Time: 6-8hr
Yield: about 4 sandwiches
Hardware
- Slow Cooker
- Forks
- Sharp Knife
Software
- 2 cuts lamb shoulder (or some other tough cut of meat, about 1.5 pounds)
- 3-4 cups mole sauce
- 28 ounces chicken stock
- Spicy slaw (recipe follows)
- 4 fresh onion rolls
- Cooking spray
To Do
1. Set your slow cooker to low (6-8 hour cook time) and add the pre-made mole sauce along with the chicken stock (mixing well to fully combine) and lamb shoulder. Make sure that the lamb is fully submerged in the mole braising liquid. Cook for 6-8 hours, or until the lamb falls of the bones.
2. Slice the onion rolls in half and lightly spray with cooking spray. Place the rolls on a grill, griddle, or under the broiler for about 3-5 minutes. The rolls should be lightly toasted.
3. Remove the lamb from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board. Remove the bones and then proceed to pull the lamb using two forks, moving in opposite directions.
4. To assemble the sandwich, place the bottom bun on the plate.
Step 1 of the assembly process.
5. Add 1/4 of the lamb meat to the top of the bun and layer with some of the mole sauce that remained in the slow cooker.
The mole pulled lamb is added to the sandwich.
6. Add about 1/3 cup spicy slaw (recipe follows).
Now we have added the spicy slaw to give the sandwich a nice crunch.
7. Top with the remaining half of the role and you are ready to eat! Serve with potato salad or maybe even spicy sweet potato fries.
The mole pulled lamb sandwich is ready to be served!
Spicy Slaw
Prep Time: 10min
Inactive Time: 30min
Total Time: 40min
Yield: 4 servings
Hardware
- Cutting Board
- Sharp Knife
- Resealable Bag
Software
- 1 cup sliced cabbage (red or green)
- 1/2 onion (sliced)
- 1 carrot (julienned)
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 lime (juice only)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
To Do
1. Begin by cutting the cabbage, onion, and carrot.
Vegetables are cut and ready for the spicy slaw
2. Place the cut vegetables in a resealable bag along with the remaining ingredients. Seal the bag, and use your hands to mix the vegetables and seasonings. Place the the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.