Tri-Tip Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions

5 from 6 votes

Leftover smoked tri-tip is used to make tasty tri-tip sliders with caramelized onions and pepper jack cheese.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Appetizer, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: sliders

Calories: 319kcal

Line a 9"×13" pan with aluminum foil; set aside. Place tri-tip roast onto a cutting board and slice thinly against the grain.
Slice onions then saute in olive oil until caramelized.
While the onions are sautéing, use a serrated bread knife to slice the bread rolls without separating them. You should end up with 2 slabs of bread.
Place the bottom slab into the prepared pan. Layer with sliced tri-tip, caramelized onions, and cheese. If you have a lot of tri-tip leftovers, you can do multiple layers of meat and cheese. Add the top bread layer.
Whisk melted butter, crushed garlic, and ranch seasoning in a small bowl. Brush the tops and sides of the rolls. At this point, you can either cover and refrigerate the rolls or bake them immediately.
When you're ready to bake the tri-tip sliders, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover the pan with foil and bake the sandwiches for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Use a sharp knife to slice into individual portions and serve the steak sandwiches while hot.

Although tri-tip sliders are amazing as-is, adding your favorite sauce takes them to a whole new level. I love adding BBQ sauce to my individual tri-tip sliders. However, you may prefer mustard, horseradish, chipotle aioli, or plain mayonnaise. If you want to push the envelope a bit, add some huckleberry chutney or Chimichurri sauce.
If you love mushrooms, they would be delicious in these sandwiches. Just sauté some at the same time you sauté the onions.
Pickles, sliced tomatoes, and lettuce are all great options as well but I would add them just before serving.