Beef Pinwheels

Beef pinwheels are very similar to pizza rolls, just imagine if you were having a hamburger helper pizza roll, without the pasta of course. Who can say no to delicious ground beef with cheese, rolled up into a brioche log, then topped with more cheese?

Guyanese-Style Beef Pinwheels

Beef pinwheels were one of my favorite lunches during high school. My friends and I often snuck out of school at lunchtime to buy these from Arapaima. At that time they cost about $60 Guyana dollars (less than US $.50). The lines at the restaurant were long but it was totally worth it!

Check out these Gluten Free Pinwheels next.

Why You’ll Love This Pinwheels Recipe

• Kid-Friendly: Children love this cheesy bite-sized treat.
• Great for Gatherings: Beef pinwheels are great as a party appetizer. Use them for Super Bowl parties, holiday gatherings, and potlucks.
• Easy to Customize: Feel free to switch up the filling, make them vegan, and swap ingredients.

Ingredients for Beef Pinwheels

This recipe isn’t your traditional pinwheels recipe. We swap turkey for ground beef, tortillas for fluffy dough, and it’s hot instead of cold.

• Milk: Dairy provides moisture and richness to the dough, aiding in its soft and tender texture.
• Brown sugar: Sugar provides the yeast with the necessary fuel to undergo fermentation, leading to the leavening of the dough and the development of its soft and fluffy texture.
• Shortening: Contributes fat to the dough, improving its tenderness and providing a rich flavor.
• Egg: Whisked eggs act as a binding agent, adding structure to the dough.
• Dry active yeast: This leavens the dough, causing it to rise and become airy during the resting period. You may also use rapid rising yeast.
• Flour: The main structure of the dough provides the necessary structure for the pinwheels.
• Salt: Salt enhances the overall flavor, balancing sweetness, and adding depth to both the dough and filling.

Filling

• Ground beef: Use lean ground beef as the savory filling for your pinwheels.
• Onion: Sauté finely diced onions as a foundation of flavor. It also adds texture.
• Cloves garlic: Garlic flavor makes everything taste better.
• Brown sugar: This adds a sweet depth to the meat that enhances the overall taste.
• Cassareep: This thick, dark-brown sauce made from cassava root has a unique sweet and savory taste, with a slightly bitter undertone. You may substitute it with soy sauce or skip it.
• Dried thyme: This herb infuses the filling with earthy and herby notes.
• Spicy brown mustard: Use this for a tangy and spicy kick, enhancing the overall flavor profile.
• Iodized sea salt: This enhances the other flavors.
• Avocado oil: Use this neutral cooking oil to sauté the onions and beef.
• Ketchup: Ketchup is the secret ingredient in these pinwheels; similar to how it is the secret ingredient for meatloaf.
• Extra sharp white cheddar cheese: My favorite cheese for these pinwheels is aged white cheddar. If you can find Australian cheddar even better. You may also use, extra sharp or even Vermont cheddar.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Beef Pinwheels

For the Dough

Start by preparing a soft dough. Warm the milk (about 110 °F), dissolve sugar, and add yeast to bloom. This should take about 5 minutes.

Then, combine the bloomed yeast with flour, salt, melted shortening, and egg to form the dough. Do not be intimidated by making this bread dough by hand. I love to use a whisk to start off the dough. I whisk in the wet ingredients in the center of the dry ingredients to form a thick batter. Then I continue to mix the rest of the dry ingredients in with my hands until it forms a dough.

You can also make this dough in a stand mixer using a dough attachment. Simply add the bloomed yeast and milk to the bowl of the stand mixer. Then add the melted shortening and egg followed by the dry ingredients. The mixer will do all the kneading for you!

Whichever method you choose, knead until smooth (another 5 minutes), then let it rest in a greased bowl until it doubles in size.

Prepare the Beef Filling

Meanwhile, create a flavorful filling by sautéing onions, cooking ground beef with garlic, thyme, salt, ketchup, spicy brown mustard, brown sugar, and cassareep.

Make the Pinwheels

Once the dough has risen, roll it out, spread the cool beef filling and shredded cheese.

Then roll it into a log. Cut into pieces, place on a baking sheet, and top with a ketchup swirl and more cheese.

Let the pinwheels rest before baking at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. After baking, allow them to rest for 5 minutes before serving these delightful pinwheels warm. Finally, enjoy the savory goodness!

Step by Step Video Instructions

Storage

Cool leftovers to room temperature and refrigerate the beef pinwheels in an airtight container. Consume within 3-4 days. For reheating, preheat the oven to 350°F, place pinwheels on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and bake for 10-15 minutes. Alternatively, use a microwave-safe plate, cover with a damp paper towel, and microwave in short intervals until warmed through. Monitor the reheating process to maintain flavor and texture.

Filling Options

In Guyana, pinwheels are typically made with ground beef or shredded chicken breasts. But honestly, you can stuff them with anything.

• Beef: Ground Beef or even shredded steak works
• Chicken: I’ve done ground chicken and shredded chicken breasts. I prefer the ground chicken because it’s less work.
• Vegetables: Green peas, carrots, broccoli, and mushrooms sautéed together with onions, garlic, and all the other ingredients work really well.
• Breakfast Sausage: I used breakfast sausage instead of ground beef for an easy grab-and-go breakfast. They were a hit!

Recipe Substitutions & Variations

• Seasoning: You can swap the brown sugar and cassareep for coconut aminos.
• Fat: You can use any fat in place of the shortening. I love using melted extra virgin coconut oil. Melted butter works too.
• Vegan Pinwheels: You can skip the egg in this recipe and use coconut milk instead of milk and the results are amazing. Then use the vegetable filling suggested above and vegan cheese style shreds. Daiya makes a cheddar cheese-style shreds that I quite like. I’ve used them in Mac and “cheese” for my daughter who has a mild dairy allergy and she didn’t notice the difference in taste.

Tips for the Best Pinwheels

• Allow the beef filling to cool down before adding it to the dough.
• When adding the ground beef to the dough, be sure to leave space around the edges to make rolling easier.
• Add the cheese in an even layer.
• You can use a greased baking sheet or a muffin pan to bake the beef pinwheels.

Frequently Asked Questions