Pulled Lamb Sizzlin Sliders Recipes

SANTORINI LAMB SLIDERS

Steps:

• Line a strainer or colander with 4 layers of cheesecloth or 1 coffee filter; place over a bowl. Place yogurt in prepared strainer; cover yogurt with sides of cheesecloth. Refrigerate 2-4 hours. Meanwhile, place cucumber in a colander over a plate; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and toss. Let stand 30 minutes. , For burgers, in a large bowl, combine lamb, lemon zest, 2 garlic cloves, oregano, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Shape into ten 1/2-in.-thick patties. Refrigerate 30 minutes., For sauce, remove yogurt from cheesecloth to a bowl; discard strained liquid. Squeeze cucumber and blot dry with paper towels. Add cucumber, lemon juice, dill, remaining 2 garlic cloves, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper to yogurt, stirring until combined., Grill burgers, covered, over medium heat 3-4 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 160°. Grill buns over medium heat, cut sides down, for 30-60 seconds or until toasted. Serve burgers on buns with lettuce, red onion, feta and sauce.

SHREDDED LAMB SLIDERS

Steps:

• Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; brown meat. Transfer meat to a 6- or 7-qt. slow cooker. In the same skillet, cook and stir carrots, shallots and garlic until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add stock, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Pour over lamb. Cook, covered, on low until lamb is tender, 6-8 hours., Meanwhile for pesto, place mint, basil, pine nuts and salt in a food processor; pulse until chopped. Continue processing while gradually adding oil in a steady stream. Add Parmesan and Asiago cheeses; pulse just until blended., When cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones; discard bones. Shred meat with 2 forks. Strain cooking juices, adding vegetables to shredded meat; skim fat. Return cooking juices and meat to slow cooker. Heat through. Serve on buns with pesto and feta.

SAVORY LAMB SLIDERS

Steps:

• Form the lamb sliders: In a large bowl, add the lamb, shallots, mint, parsley, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika and garlic. Gently combine, making sure not to overmix. Divide the mixture into 9 equal portions. Using a ring mold about 3 inches in diameter, press each portion into the mold to form a slider, or just form the patties with your hands. Transfer the patties to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the patties for about 30 minutes.
• Make the tzatziki: In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, cucumber, dill, mint, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until serving time.
• Cook the lamb sliders: Heat a grill pan or grill to high heat and cook the slider patties, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the patties, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and continue to grill until cooked through (130 to 135 degrees F), another 2 to 3 minutes.
• To serve: Top the bun bottoms with lettuce, tzatziki and feta. Top the bun tops with the tzatziki and Pickled Onions. Place the slider patties on the bun bottoms. Place the tops of the buns on the sliders and serve.
• Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, pickling spice and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the onions to the pan and stir to combine. Bring back to a simmer, then turn off the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer to a resealable container and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 weeks.

PULLED LAMB SHOULDER

Steps:

• Place the lamb on a rimmed sheet pan and set aside.
• For the dry rub, combine the sugar, salt, ground espresso beans, black pepper, garlic powder, cinnamon, cumin and cayenne in a mixing bowl and stir well to combine. You should have approximately 2 cups.
• Use half of the dry rub to coat all sides of the lamb, making sure to rub it into all the cracks and crevices in the meat. Reserve the remaining dry rub.
• Heat a smoker to 225 degrees, or set up a grill for smoking, leaving half of the grill area free of coals for wood, or one of the burners off for gas.
• Place the lamb into the smoker or onto the grill and cook, maintaining a temperature between 225 and 250 degrees, replenishing wood chips or chunks as needed.
• After approximately 4 hours, begin to check on the lamb every 20 minutes or so. You're looking to be able to tear off a chunk of the meat easily, beneath a thick crust of what's called "bark." The interior temperature of the meat, measured in a thick part not touching bone, will be approximately 185 degrees. The process can take up to 6 hours.
• Remove the lamb to a clean rimmed sheet pan and set aside to rest.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a medium sauce pan set over medium heat, combine 1 1/2 cups of water with the rest of the ingredients and stir well to combine. Allow the sauce to come to a boil, then reduce heat and let thicken slightly, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Using tongs or two forks, begin to pull the lamb apart into pieces, discarding any large pieces of fat. When all the lamb has been pulled, taste it, add extra dry rub to taste, and stir to combine. Serve with potato rolls or hamburger buns, with the sauce on the side.

PULLED LAMB SHOULDER WITH STICKY POMEGRANATE GLAZE

Steps:

• Put the garlic, cinnamon, cumin, oregano and lemon in a blender with 1 tsp salt and 2 tsp black pepper. Blend until smooth. Put the lamb in a large roasting tin and tip the marinade over the top. Massage all over the lamb and leave for 24 hrs in the fridge, or up to 2 days.
• Remove lamb from the fridge 1 hr before cooking. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/ gas 3. Scatter the onions around the lamb, tucking some underneath, then pour over the pomegranate juice. Cover the lamb with foil and cook for 4 hrs.
• Remove the foil, carefully pour the meaty pomegranate juices from the tin into a large saucepan and add the honey. Increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7, re-cover the lamb and continue cooking for 30 mins. Meanwhile, bubble the cooking liquid over a high heat until reduced, thick and syrupy - this may take up to 30 mins.
• Pour the sticky pomegranate glaze over the lamb and onions and return to the oven for another 30 mins, uncovered, until the glaze is bubbling and just starting to char, and the lamb is really tender. Mix the yogurt, most of the pomegranate seeds and mint leaves in a small bowl. Shred the lamb at the table and serve with the sticky onions and the minty pomegranate yogurt. Scatter over the remaining pomegranate seeds.