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Marinated Tri-Tip Sliders with Gorgonzola and Fig

Tri-Tip Sliders with Gorgonzola and Fig

I’ve been bitten by the slider bug. Last weekend I had the most delectable sliders when I was in Seattle:

  • Cod BLT’s by Chef Jason Wilson of Crush and Alaska Seafood.   I don’t know what was in those sliders besides the obvious ingredients by the title, but those sliders were amazing.   I shamelessly when back for seconds and felt beastly to go back for thirds.    Paired with a glass Cabernet Sauvignon and I was good to go for the evening.
  • Seattle based Skillet sliders with their signature bacon spread – aka bacon jam.   Wow!  One bite and not only did my eyes widen, my senses went into red alert.   The bacon jam was the ticket and my plans are to have a couple of jars sent home so I can try to recreate that experience for Hubby too.

I don’t attend many happy hours these days or dine at restaurants serving sliders, so the slider fascination is new to me.   Maybe the two I tried were the exception and not to be confused that all sliders are that good, but I appreciate the planned out explosion of synchronized flavors neatly stacked between mini-buns.    They are portion controlled bites packed with thoughtful flavor combinations.

I happened upon a pack of smaller sized bread buns at a local market and have read that Trader Joe’s also carries slider buns. I’ll be checking out Trader Joe’s tomorrow to see what’s available, but I haven’t been able to find good quality artisan style mini-slider buns. The bread really does have to be exceptional to make these extra special.

So, inspired by my slider experiences, I created my own sliders.    Hubby grilled up a Morton’s of Omaha Steakhouse Classic Marinated Tri-Tip that we brought home from Costco and we assembled a combination of ingredients that gave us bites of succulent Tri-tip that is slightly salty with a slice or two of fresh, sweet figs. Top those two ingredients with a slice of tomato, pungent crumbled Gorgonzola and 4-5 leaves of fresh spinach…WALLA! (There you have it!)

Teenie Notes

  • If fresh figs are not in season or attainable, a good fig or plum jam would work! Spread it under the crown.
  • You will have plenty of Tri-Tip leftover.  This may be a good little something to make with leftover Tri-Tip or will make you enough little sliders for the following evenings (depending on how many you’re making/serving).  Please Note: Like most Costco items/products – the Marinated Tri-Tip may be subject to availability in your area and season.

Tri-Tip Sliders with Gorgonzola and Fig

Marinated Tri-Tip Sliders with Gorgonzola and Fig
source Cristina from TeenieCakes.com

Servings 4 (2 sliders a person)

Ingredients

8 Slider buns
Morton’s Marinated Tri-Tip from Costco
mayonnaise
2 – 3 fresh figs, sliced lengthwise
2 large tomatoes, stems removed and thinly sliced
Gorgonzola cheese
40 fresh baby spinach leaves, stems removed

Directions

Prepare Marinated Tri-Tip

Preheat grill to 400 degrees.  Prepare marinated Tri-Tip according to packaged directions.  Use a probe thermometer to gauge for medium rare to medium cooking time or 138 degrees.    Pull off grill and let the meat sit for at least 15 minutes before slicing (let meat rest before slicing or you will lose all the juices).

Toast Slider Buns

Set oven to broil.   Place slider buns on baking sheet, separating the buns so that they are open-faced upwards.   Broil until light toasty (watch the buns in the oven, don’t leave them unattended!).  This should take about 1-2 minutes.

Assemble Sliders

Start with the heels of the buns (bottoms).  Spread mayonnaise on heels, follow with a sliced piece of Tri-Tip.   Place 1-2 slices of fresh figs on Tri-Tip followed by a slice of tomato.   Crumble or slice Gorgonzola and place on top of tomato, followed by 5 fanned out leaves of spinach.

Serve immediately while the Tri-Tip is warm and juicy!      Pair it with a 2007 Blackstone Cabernet Sauvignon or a frosty glass of Blue Moon, Belgian White Ale, garnished with an orange slice.    Good eats, indeed!

Tri-Tip Sliders with Gorgonzola and Fig

More recipes and ideas using figs:
Sophisticated Lemon Fig Cake with Pine Nuts Sophisticated Lemon Fig Cake with Pine Nuts
Ginger-Garlic Chicken with Fresh Fig Pan Sauce Ginger-Garlic Chicken with Fresh Fig Pan Sauce
Broiled Pancetta Wrapped Figs with Feta Broiled Pancetta Wrapped Figs with Feta
Fettucine with Figs, Brown Butter and Hazelnuts Fettucine with Figs, Brown Butter and Hazelnuts
Crostini with Gorgonzola and Figs Crostini with Gorgonzola, Caramelized Onions and Fig Jam
California Fresh Figs – Delicious Summer Fare Ideas
Disclaimer: The California Fig Advisory Board shared with me and the Teenie Cakes site, California Fresh and Dried Figs. I am under no obligation to write or share specific details about the shipment or their produce/product.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. bunkycooks says

    Do you ship these? Oh, my! These are making me hungry at a very early hour! 🙂 Wish you were coming to FBF this weekend! Would love to see you again!!

  5. Joy says

    Cristina your pictures just keep getting better and better — I LOVE BURGERS and I’ve realized I like sliders even more because I can eat more of them and not feel too bad about it…excuse my faulty reasoning somehow it makes much more sense in my head 🙂

    These look delicious I can only imagine the flavors of the gorgonzola with the sweet figs — beautifuL!

  11. Sortachef says

    OMG, girl. How are you ever going to stay skinny making fabulous little sandwiches like these? Tri-tip figs aaand gorgonzola? Okay, maybe just one little taste!
    Great photos, too. As usual!

  12. Evan @swEEts says

    Sliders are a regular around our place.. we just call ’em mini burgers 🙂 and we use the Hawaiian bread rolls you can find in grocery stores.. they’re the perfect size! We’re always looking for new ingredients and creations though and I love the use of figs!

    • Cristina - Teenie Cakes says

      Thanks Evan: I’ve been thinking about those Hawaiian bread rolls..luv those! Those rolls are like bacon – I think they’d go good with anything.

      Also, thx for the msg – I took care of your request. 😉

  16. The Rowdy Chowgirl says

    Be still my heart! I love mini anything, but especially sliders. And gorgonzola and fig sounds brilliant.

    I loved those Cod BLTs too, btw. I wanted to hide a bunch of them in my purse!

    • Cristina - Teenie Cakes says

      {LOL!} Christina, weren’t they though…I felt the same way too about those Cod BLTs.

      I was feeling a bit embarrassed how many times I went back to linger around the Crush platters. I tried photographing them and Chef even helped set up the shot, but to no avail. If my hands weren’t so tied up with little plates of various deliciousness, trying to handle a dslr camera and glass of wine, I would’ve plopped several more on a plate, and either run to find a private corner or run back to my room to enjoy them more! 😉

  18. Kim (Liv Life) says

    I’m loving this recent Tapa’s craze. Sliders totally fit the bill! TJ’s does indeed sell the mini burger buns, I haven’t used them though, so I can’t vouch for how good they are, but they are darn cute. I’m really liking your addition of the gorgonzola! Nicely done!

  19. Julie M. says

    These look really good! I love the combination of fig and gorgonzola. Let me know if you find slider buns at Trader Joes. I may have to try to put some together.

  23. Liren says

    Mmm, you already had me at fig and gorgonzola, but tri-tip too??? Do you realize what slider nirvana you have reached with these? I’ll take a half dozen, please 🙂

  33. FOODESSA says

    Cristina…you pegged this one just right. One can never go wrong with the pairing of gorgonzola and figs…yummy.

    Flavourful wishes,
    Claudia

  36. Victoria says

    (pouting) Am I the only one who didn’t get the bacon jam on her slider? I swear mine was without. I would have noticed. These look fabulous and great photos.

    • Cristina - Teenie Cakes says

      {LOL!!!} Whaaaat? You didn’t get the bacon jam on your slider? I don’t know what to say…it really was good {still laughing}. Thanks Victoria. Since you are fortunate to have Skillet so close, you must track them down and have a taste of that slider w/that bacon spread. When you do, will you send a couple my way FEDEX? 😉

  38. The Cilantropist says

    OH oh oh, I am totally drooling! I know what you mean about being ‘new’ to sliders but completely loving them. I had some awesome bacon cheeseburger sliders at a Trulucks a few months ago and could not stop thinking about them afterwards. Yours look amazing, and I love the photos!

  41. Monet says

    I love all things mini (including your cute name…teenie cakes!) and so of course I’m a huge fan of sliders. I can only imagine how great this must taste with the figs and the gorgonzola cheese. They look stunning and I’m sure they taste even better!

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