A Turkey Slub Sandwich hails from a now-closed restaurant in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Featuring turkey, bbq sauce, coleslaw and onion rings, this hearty sandwich packs tons of flavor!
Update: This recipe was originally shared in June 2016 as part of an event called #CookoutWeek and the recipe was made using BBQ sauce made from an event sponsor, True Made Foods. This recipe was updated for content and photography and republished in December 2020.
As a kid, my husband's family would go to the Outer Banks in North Carolina on vacation. They would frequently stop at a restaurant called Bubba's, a barbeque place. The sandwich my husband would always get was called a Slub. I was lucky enough to be able to go there once and have a sandwich before they closed and I think this recreation would do it justice.
What is a turkey slub sandwich?
I wish I knew where the name came from, or even the history behind it, but I've been unable to find any information. The slub sandwich is made of turkey, bbq sauce, onion rings and coleslaw, served on a roll toasted with provolone cheese. It is one messy sandwich, so make sure you have lots of napkins on hand! But boy oh boy is it delicious and filling too!
🥘 Ingredients for this recipe
- shredded turkey breast
- BBQ sauce, preferably a North Carolina style one
- onion rings, cooked
- coleslaw, homemade or store-bought
- provolone cheese
- sub rolls
🔪Instructions for this recipe
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Layer cheese slices on sub rolls and cook until the cheese is just melted.
- Meanwhile, mix turkey and bbq sauce together.
- Then layer turkey and onion rings on the toasted roll and return to the oven for a few minutes.
- Remove and top each sub roll with a generous amount of coleslaw. Slice in half and serve!
Substitutions and Serving Suggestions
- Turkey: I believe they used a thinly shaved smoked turkey seeing as they were a BBQ place. Originally I made this sandwich using deli turkey (you'll need 1.5-2 lbs for hearty sandwiches) and remade the recipe using leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. Shredded chicken would also work well in this recipe.
- BBQ Sauce: NC style BBQ sauce is a vinegar based sauce with some heat. It's the preferred choice for this sandwich, and this Eastern NC sauce seems about right, but your favorite sauce can be used in its place.
- Coleslaw: a creamy coleslaw is perfect for this sandwich as you already have the tang from the bbq sauce. I have a homemade coleslaw recipe that you could try.
- Onion Rings: Buy the frozen ones from the store and cook them in your air fryer or oven. The skinny small ones are best for this sandwich.
- Serve with: chips and a pickle would be the most classic, but fries, or more onion rings or coleslaw would be a great option as well!
Check out some of my other favorite sandwiches:
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Recipe
Turkey Slub Sandwich
Ingredients
- 3 cups turkey breast cooked and shredded (see notes)
- ½ cups barbecue sauce your favorite one
- 1 ½ cups coleslaw homemade or store-bought
- 16 oz onion rings cooked (from frozen or homemade)
- 1 lb provolone cheese slices
- 6 sub rolls 8-12 inches each
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with foil.
- Slice each sub roll in half and place 2-3 pieces of cheese on each. Cook for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Combine shredded turkey with BBQ sauce and toss until fully coated.
- Divide the turkey onto each sub roll. Top with the cooked onion rings and return to the oven for 5 minutes.
- Divide the coleslaw on top, add another drizzle of BBQ sauce if desired, slice each sandwich in half and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Comments
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Kimberly
Love that this is called a slub ... so cute! Our go-to vacation destination each year is St. George Island ... can't wait to head there in a few weeks!
Wendy Klik
We will be in the outer banks area in August. Can't wait. I love it there as well. And I love this True Made BBQ sauce, I am sure it was delicious on that slub.