Entrées

Pulled Lamb Sandwiches (Seasoned like Shwarma)

Posted by Juliana on

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I lived in Germany for about 2 years when I was in my early 20s. Back then, after a night of drinking at the pub, there was really nothing better than a döner kebab.  I don’t know a lot about the origin of the döner kebab, but the website I linked to shows sandwiches that look super similar to the ones I ate on the streets of Kaiserslautern.

The-HARP

I found this pic of the bar my sister and I went to a couple of times.  I tried to find the source for the pic.  But if you click here you can see where I found the photo.

Since I have a freezer half full of lamb I thought I’d try to build a sandwich similarly seasoned to the döner kebab. But, instead of roasting the pressed meat on a spit,  I braised and then pulled the lamb like pork.  I ended up with what you see here.  Totally different in texture but very similar in flavor.  Probably a lot less effort for the home cook but equally as good for the end result.  I’m sure you could use chicken, beef, or pork in place of the lamb.

I know it seems like a lot of work and ingredients.  But if you needed to feed a crowd it would be perfect because you could make the slaw and the sauce the day before.  It’s really a lot easier than it looks at first glance, I PROMISE! I ate four of them and I’m not even kidding!

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Pulled Lamb Sandwiches (Seasoned like Shwarma)

Ingredients

  • RUB:
  • 2 Tbsp. ground cumin
  • 2 Tbsp. ground coriander
  • 2 Tbsp. garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp. paprika
  • 2 tsp. turmeric
  • 1 tsp. ground cloves
  • 2 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp. dried lemon peel
  • 2 Tbsp. Greek Seasoning
  • Yogurt Dill Sauce:
  • 14 oz. plain Greek yogurt I used FAGE 2%
  • 1 large English cucumber peeled and shredded
  • 2 tsp. dried dill weed
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. white pepper
  • Slaw Adapted from Smitten Kitchen Cookbook:
  • 4 c. shredded green cabbage
  • 1 large English cucumber thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp. dried dill weed
  • 1/2 cup 120 ml white wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. water
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • Odds & Ends:
  • 2 to 3 lb. Leg of lamb
  • Buns
  • Lettuce I used bib
  • Grape seed oil
  • 1 cup 120 ml water
  • kosher salt to taste

Instructions

  1. For RUB and Lamb:
  2. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl or container, shake (if container has a lid) or whisk to combine. Liberally coat lamb with mixture and rub onto meat exterior.
  3. Place seasoned lamb in leak-proof container, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
  4. Heat oven to 400°F.
  5. Heat oil to medium high in a large cast iron skillet. Brown lamb on all sides (about 2 to 3 minutes per side).
  6. Remove lamb from skillet and deglaze skillet with 1 cup (120 ml) of water.
  7. Place lamb back into the skillet.
  8. Transfer lamb (in the skillet) to the oven.
  9. Roast at 400°F for one hour. Reduce heat to 200°F, cover with foil, and roast for another 2.5 to 3 hours.
  10. Remove lamb from oven. Shred lamb in pan juices with two forks.
  11. Sprinkle with kosher salt to taste.
  12. Assemble sandwiches and EAT!!!
  13. For Yogurt Dill Sauce:
  14. After the cucumber is peeled and shredded, lay it out on a paper towel. Sprinkle it with a little kosher salt. Wait five minutes. After five minutes roll the cucumber up in the paper towels and squeeze over the sink to remove the excess water.
  15. Shake the cucumber off of the paper towel into a medium bowl and add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl. Stir to combine all ingredients and then place in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the sandwiches.
  16. For Slaw (Adapted from Smitten Kitchen Cookbook):
  17. Combine cabbage and cucumber in a large bowl.
  18. Place dill weed, vinegar, water, sugar, and salt into a small jar or container with a tight fitting lid. Shake mixture until sugar and salt are dissolved.
  19. Pour vinegar mixture over cabbage and cucumber and toss to combine.
  20. Store mixture in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the sandwiches.
  21. To Assemble Sandwiches:
  22. Cut buns in half.
  23. On bottom bun pile on shredded lamb.
  24. Next, pile on cabbage/cucumber slaw.
  25. Smear top bun with yogurt sauce. Place on top of slaw. EAT!!!
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2 Comments

  1. Bonnie Banters says:
    October 29, 2013 at 2:26 am

    These are unique and fantastic…thanks for sharing!

    1. Juliana Walters says:
      October 29, 2013 at 4:39 am

      Thank You for stopping by!

Comments are closed.