I built these pork sliders around goat cheese and blackberries instead of the usual barbecue sauce, since the tangy, sweet combination does more work than sauce ever could. These work equally well with roasted pork or pulled pork, depending on what you are in the mood to make.
Why You Will Love These Pork Sliders with Goat Cheese and Blackberries
- No Sauce Needed. Blackberry goat cheese brings the sweet and tangy contrast a slider needs, without reaching for a bottle of barbecue sauce.
- Flexible Cut of Pork. Works with tenderloin, loin, or boneless western ribs for a pulled version, depending on what you have or how much time you want to spend.
- Make Ahead Friendly. Both the pork and the blackberry goat cheese can be made ahead and assembled just before serving.
- Real Textural Contrast. Crisping the pork exterior for the last few minutes plays well against the smooth goat cheese and fresh greens.
- Party Ready. This recipe makes a full dozen sliders, sized right for a gathering rather than a single dinner.
Ingredients for the Best Pork Sliders with Goat Cheese and Blackberries
- Pork tenderloin, loin, or boneless western ribs, forms the base of the slider, and any of the three works depending on your time and preference.
- Black pepper and sea salt season the pork simply, letting the goat cheese and blackberries carry most of the flavor.
- Onion powder and garlic powder round out the pork's seasoning with a savory backbone.
- Goat cheese, softened to room temperature, blends smoothly with blackberry juice into a tangy, sweet spread.
- Blackberries do double duty, half get pressed for their juice to flavor the goat cheese, and the rest get cut and folded in for texture and bursts of real fruit.
- Mixed greens add a fresh, slightly bitter contrast to the richness of the pork and cheese.
- Slider buns, brioche in particular, hold up well to the moisture from both the pork and the goat cheese mixture.
Equipment Recommendations for the Pork Sliders
- Fine mesh strainer. Used to press the juice out of half the blackberries while discarding the seeds.
- Meat thermometer. Confirms the pork has reached a safe internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
- Roasting pan or baking sheet. Holds the pork while it cooks.
Making the Pork Sliders with Blackberry Goat Cheese
- Season the pork with the sea salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Roast according to the package directions, or cook a tenderloin at 375 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
- While the pork cooks, press half of the blackberries through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, discarding the seeds left behind.
- In a bowl, mix the goat cheese with the blackberry juice until well combined. It may look thin at this stage, which is normal, it firms back up once chilled.
- Cut the remaining blackberries in half and fold them into the goat cheese mixture. Cover and refrigerate.
- Once the pork is cool enough to handle, cut it into portions sized to fit the slider buns.
- Spread a teaspoon to a tablespoon of the blackberry goat cheese on each side of the bun, then layer the pork and greens on top.
Tips on Making the Pork Sliders with Goat Cheese and Blackberries
- If using a cut like pork loin, wrap it for most of the cooking time and unwrap it for the last 15 minutes. That last stretch uncovered is what gives the exterior some crispness, which contrasts nicely against the sweetness of the blackberries.
- Look for unseasoned pork tenderloin specifically, since pre-flavored versions are common at the store and will throw off the seasoning balance in this recipe.
- Goat cheese is a genuinely strong pairing with blackberries, the tang of the cheese plays well against the fruit's sweetness. If blackberries are out of season, raspberries or blueberries both make a reasonable substitute using the same method.
Troubleshooting the Blackberry Goat Cheese Pork Sliders
- Goat cheese mixture is too runny to spread. This is normal right after mixing in the blackberry juice. Refrigerate it, and it will firm back up within an hour or so.
- Pork exterior isn't crisping up. Make sure it is fully unwrapped for the last 15 minutes of cooking, and increase the oven temperature slightly for just that stretch if it still isn't browning.
- Sliders are falling apart when assembled. Cut the pork into thinner portions rather than thick chunks, and don't overload the buns with too much goat cheese mixture, which can make them slide apart.
Try my queso sliders or my pulled pork for more great appetizer recipes. Also try my pickled red onions for added flavor.
Please visit my appetizer page for more ideas.
FAQ's:
You have many options, including pork tenderloin, pork loin, or boneless western ribs. Pork loin is great for flavor due to its fat cap, while tenderloin is often the quickest and most tender.
Soften goat cheese at room temperature. Press half of the blackberries through a fine-mesh strainer to get juice, discard seeds. Mix the juice with the goat cheese, then fold in the remaining cut blackberries.
Yes, you can prepare the seasoned roasted pork and the blackberry goat cheese mixture ahead of time. Store them separately in the fridge and assemble the sliders just before serving.
Join My Email List!
Get no-fuss recipes and real-world kitchen skills sent straight to your inbox.
If using a cut like pork loin, try wrapping it for most of the cooking time and then unwrapping it for the last 15 minutes to allow the exterior to crisp up.
No, the blackberry goat cheese takes the place of a sauce here, providing the sweet and tangy contrast a slider usually gets from barbecue sauce instead.
Stored in an airtight container, it keeps well for about 3 days, since the fresh blackberries mixed in start to break down a bit after that.
What makes these sliders worth making again is how little they lean on anything from a bottle. The blackberry goat cheese does the work a barbecue sauce usually would, and it holds up whether the pork underneath is a quick roasted tenderloin or a slower pulled cut. Either way, this is one that looks like more effort than it actually takes for a party spread.
Recipe
Salty, Sweet Pork Sliders with Goat Cheese and Blackberries
Ingredients
- 3 pound pork tenderloin or other pork roast
- ½ teaspoon each of sea salt and black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 6 ounces of blackberries
- Mixed greens
- 12 Slider buns of your choice
Method
- Cover the pork with the Sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Roast the pork according to package directions. Or cook the tenderloin at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until it reaches an internal temp of 145 degrees F.
- While the pork is cooking, press half of the blackberries through a sieve. Mix the juices with the goat cheese. Discard the seeds remaining in the sieve.
- Cut the remaining blackberries in half and combine with the goat cheese mixture. Cover and place in the fridge.
- After the pork is done cooking and cool enough to handle, divide the pork into potions to fit on sliders.
- Place between a teaspoon and a tablespoon of goat cheese mixture on each side of the slider, place pork on next, then greens.
Nutrition
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Like my recipes? Click below to favorite Cleveland Cooking on Google so my posts pop up first when you search!
+ Favorite on Google Search
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.