While some form of barbecue sandwich is popular in most southern states, Alabama has a unique take in the form of a pulled chicken sandwich with white sauce.
White Barbecue Sauce, widely used in Alabama-style barbecue, is known for its vinegary taste and its use of mayonnaise as its base, rather than the usual tomato sauce. To make the sauce ahead of time, combine all the ingredients, store it in the refrigerator, and bring it to room temperature before serving.
Alabama Chicken Sandwiches with White Sauce
Ingrédients
Ingredients to Make Burger Buns !
- 3 tablespoons warm whole milk
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) instant yeast
- 2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups (382 grams) bread flour (do not substitute this)
- 1/3 cup (43 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
- 3 tablespoons (43 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon waterSesame seeds, optional
Ingredients for Alabama Chicken Sandwiches with White Sauce
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- 1⁄2 cup prepared horseradish
- 1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tbsp ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1⁄2 tsp . cayenne
- 2 1⁄4 tsp. sweet paprika
- 1 1⁄2 tsp . garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp . celery seeds
- 1⁄4 tsp . ground cumin
- 1⁄4 tsp . ground coriander
- 1 (4-lb.) chicken, spatchcocked
- 8 white hamburger buns Dill pickle chips, for serving(you can brought or prepare )
Instructions
How to Make Burger Buns !
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the milk, water, yeast, sugar, and egg. If using active dry yeast, let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, until frothy, before continuing. Add the flour to the bowl, and mix until incorporated. Mix in the salt and butter. Knead on medium low speed for about 10 minutes, or until the dough comes together into a soft yet tacky dough (should not be unbearably sticky). Avoid adding too much extra flour because it will create tough buns, it’s better to be sticky than dense I promise!
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts. Gently roll each portion of dough into a ball and place on baking sheet, 2 to 3 inches apart. Cover with a clean towel and let rise again until puffy and almost doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Brush the tops of the buns lightly with the egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake the buns about 15 minutes, rotating halfway through baking, until the tops are golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Serve or store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one month. Let defrost at room temperature before reheating in a 350°F oven until warmed or toasting.
How to made Alabama Chicken Sandwiches with White Sauce
- In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, horseradish, vinegar, sugar, 3 tsp. salt, 1½ tsp. pepper, and cayenne. Place half sauce in another bowl; set one aside for basting and one for serving. Mix remaining salt and pepper with paprika, garlic powder, celery seeds, cumin, and coriander in a bowl; set rub aside.
- Prepare your grill using the kettle grill, bullet smoker, or gas grill method, (see links for instructions) using apple wood chunks or chips (see Fuel and Flavor). Season chicken with the rub mixture, and place it, skin side up, on grill grate. Maintaining a temperature of 225°-250° (if using a kettle grill or bullet smoker, replenish fire with unlit coals, as needed, to maintain temperature; see instructions), cook, turning once and basting chicken with sauce every 20 minutes, until a thermometer inserted in the thigh (not touching the bone) reads 175°, about 1½ hours. Remove chicken from grill; let rest, covered loosely with foil, for 10 minutes.
- Shred the chicken meat with forks and discard bones and skin. Divide chicken among buns and top with remaining sauce and pickle chips.
Notes
Note: If you don’t have a slow cooker, combine the meat and seasonings in a covered Dutch oven or foil pan tightly covered with foil and cook it in the oven at 300 degrees for four hours or until pull-apart tender. Serve as above.