Pickle Wrap Pinwheels with Beef or Pastrami

Of course, I have a few opinions on the best way to make these little babies… so let’s dive in.

Pickle Wraps – The Name Game

We’ve always simply called these “pickle wraps.”

But when I sat down to share with you, I realized the word wrap kind of sounds like a sandwich… and that’s not really what these are. Pinwheel feels much more descriptive.

Depending on where you look, they go by all kinds of names:

• Pickle Pinwheels
• Pickle Roll-Ups
• Dill Pickle Wheels
• Ham and Cream Cheese Pinwheels
• Ham Roll-Ups
• Ham and Pickle Pinwheels
• Classic Pickle Wraps

You name it.

Here’s the thing, though: we don’t use ham.

You absolutely can use cold ham or turkey if that’s what you have on hand, but we think they’re way more flavorful with Buddig Beef.

Recently, I discovered that thinly sliced pastrami is even better, adding deeper flavor and a very subtle peppery kick.

So skip the ham and go for the beef or pastrami

Trust me on this one.

Pickle Wrap Pinwheels – 4 Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 6 (8-inch) soft taco flour tortillas
• 1 (24 oz) jar kosher dill pickle spears
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 (2 oz) packages Buddig beef or thinly sliced pastrami
• Toothpicks (optional)

Use either Buddig Beef or Pastrami (or mix and match if you’d like).

The Buddig Beef packages have about 9 slices each. I use 3 slices per tortilla, which makes two packages just right for 6 tortillas.

If you’re using thinly sliced pastrami (like the 7-oz package you see here from Hillshire Farms), you might run a little short. That means you won’t fold three pieces in half as I demonstrate below; you might cut a slice in half and do one layer of meat instead of doubling it over.

You can also grab pastrami from the deli counter. Just ask them to slice it very thin—one step thicker than shaved is perfect.

These are truly so easy to make. Maybe a tiny bit tedious with the assembly, but totally worth it. They disappear fast!

Prep the Ingredients

Cut the block of cream cheese in half, then cut each half into thirds so you end up with 6 pieces. Any less and you barely notice the cream cheese in the finished pinwheels.

Lay the pickles out on a paper towel and blot them dry. Each wrap takes about 1 1/2 pickle spears, so I like to trim off the little tapered ends so the spears fit together neatly from end to end.

If you’re using pastrami, give that a quick blot with a paper towel as well to remove excess moisture (the Buddig Beef doesn’t usually need it). In the photo, the beef is on the left and the pastrami on the right.

Layer and Roll

Spread the cream cheese all the way to the edges of the tortilla. This is important because once you roll them up, the cream cheese is what holds the pinwheels together.

Fold 3 slices of meat in half across the bottom half of the tortilla. (If your meat is thicker, you may not need to fold it.)

Lay the pickles on top and trim them to fit the length of the tortilla. You will use the cut pieces on another tortilla.

Roll everything up tightly, then secure it with a toothpick—just enough to get to the inside fold and hold the end piece closed.

The ends of the tortilla will be cut about 1″ wide, twice the size of the rest of the pinwheels.

For the middle sections, I use my knife as a depth guide and slice every 1/2 inch. That should give you 8 even pieces, plus the two larger ends.

You can add toothpicks to every piece or skip them altogether. Personally, I prefer toothpicking only the two larger end pieces to keep them secure.

Leaving the tootpick out lets you lay the pinwheels flat on the platter, which looks a little prettier than standing them upright with toothpicks.

See what I mean?

What Makes These Unique

Besides using Buddig beef or pastrami, there are two more little things that make this version stand out.

First, many recipes suggest wrapping the rolls tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerating them before slicing so the cream cheese can firm back up. I’ve tried that, but find it can make the tortillas soggy.

In my experience, these are best made and eaten fairly fresh. You can absolutely prep them ahead and store them in a container, but skipping the plastic wrap helps keep the tortillas from getting damp.

Second, I use dill pickle spears instead of whole baby dills.

Many recipes call for whole baby dill pickles, but I’m not a fan. They’re bulkier than you think and tend to throw off the balance of each bite.

I didn’t start with a full jar of pickle spears when I did this post, so I ran out.

It was perfect, though, because it gave me a chance to show you why I DON’T like using the whole baby dill’s. You wouldn’t think they are that big, but once you cut them, they’re bigger than you might think sliced.

Pickle spears make for a much better balanced bite—you get that bright, tangy pickle flavor without it taking over every bite.

Just my two cents!

What to Do with Those Ugly Ends

Oh, and remember those 1-inch end pieces we cut off? They never really turn out pretty — even with a toothpick.

They’re perfect for the hawks in your family who can’t possibly watch you make these without sneaking a bite along the way. You know… quality control.

More Briney Goodness

If you are a lover of all things briney like pickles and olives, check out one of my other favorite appetizers:

Olive & Pecan Spread