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    Home » Kitchen Laughter Recipes Blog » Game

    Grilled Ground Elk Taco Pinwheels

    Published: Jun 19, 2021 · Modified: Feb 2, 2023 by Ginny C · This post may contain affiliate links ·

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    Every bite of the Grilled Ground Elk Taco Pinwheels will make you want more. The soft flaky puff pastry wrapped around taco infused elk meat dipped in Sour Cream Salsa Verde Sauce is Cinco de Mayo/Taco Tuesday in every bite.

    pile of ground elk pinwheels with puff pastry bread and sprinkled with cilantro.
    Simple and Amazing Grilled Elk Pinwheels
    Contents hide
    1 🍽️ Why This Works
    2 🦌 Ingredients
    3 🔥 Instructions
    4 ❗ Expert Tips
    5 Recipe FAQ
    6 Grilled Ground Elk Pinwheels

    🍽️ Why This Works

    Very Simple | This is a simple recipe that just “looks” complicated. Don’t worry – it is really easy!

    Flexible | Make these with any of your favorite ground chuck or game meats. Substitute your favorite salsa and cheese to customize the recipe every time you make it.

    Basic Ingredients | These ingredients are easy to come by and are easily found in the grocery store. The only one that you may not have used is the puff pastry but it is so easy to use for non-bakers.

    Fast | We always say we love making up fast, yet amazing dishes and this is no different.

    🦌 Ingredients

    all of the ingredients on a sheet pan with labels.
    Just a Few Ingredients

    Ground Elk | Who doesn’t love cooking with their favorite game meat? Ground Elk is a healthy and affordable protein option that is easily substituted for any ground beef recipe when you are grilling. This doesn’t have a gamey taste to it, so you won’t need to worry about serving it up to friends and family who may not have experience eating a lot of elk. Substitute Ground Beef or Ground Chuck in place of the elk.

    Puff Pastry | This is found in the frozen food section of the grocery store next to the pies. This is a flaky pastry with dough and butter.

    Salsa Verde | This is the green sauce that is made with green tomatoes or tomatillos. It still has cilantro, peppers and lime like the traditional red salsa.

    🔥 Instructions

    This recipe has two phases. We will make the pinwheels and then whip up the dipping sauce.

    Ground Elk Pinwheels

    process photos showing browning the elk meat, rolling the puff pastry filled with the meat and cheese, cutting them into pinwheels, and grilling.
    Simple Preparation and Grilling Instructions

    Step One: Defrost the puff pastry for about 30-40 minutes before you use it.

    Step Two: Cook the elk on the grill or stove top at medium high heat. Combine the taco seasoning packet and water, stir and then combine with the cooked meat. Let it simmer to reduce the liquids.

    Step Three: Lay out the puff pastry on the counter and roll out all the uneven edges.

    Step Four: Spread half of the meat mixture on ONE of the puff pastry dough and spread evenly all over. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the meat.

    Step Five: Start at one end and begin rolling the dough into a cylindrical tube as seen in the photos. Once it is formed to shape, cut it into 1″ pieces. The end pieces may not have enough taco meat and it’s up to you if you want to grill them. Repeat for the second piece of dough and remaining taco meat and cheese.

    Step Six: Heat the grill to a medium heat around 350 degrees. Place the pinwheels on a copper grilling mat and place straight on the grill grate. Let them cook for 8-12 minutes. Check early to make sure the bottoms are browned nicely.

    ⚠️ Warning: Be careful when handling copper mats. I placed one on the grill for just a second and grabbed it to move it and burned my finger. These things heat up FAST! The copper mats are very hot and can burn the puff pastry if you aren’t watching it. If you are worried, use parchment or a sheet pan instead.

    Sour Cream Salsa Verde Dipping Sauce

    three photos showing how to add the salsa verde to the sour cream, mix, and serve.
    This Sour Cream and Salsa Verde Dipping Sauce is Easy to Make!

    Step One: Measure out the sour cream and then add the salsa verde.

    Step Two: Stir with a spatula or fork to combine and chill in the refrigerator. You can’t get much easier than this!

    ❗ Expert Tips

    Don’t cook this in a cast iron skillet on the grill, as much as it’s tempting to do so. The cast iron holds the heat very well and can burn the bottom of the dough easily.

    Substitute the meat with your favorite protein source. Bison, ground chuck, sirloin or venison are great options. The recipe is versatile to use any of these choices.

    Mix up the toppings. Consider making the Avocado Dressing like we did in the Grilled Foil Pack Shrimp to drizzle on top or make a batch of your favorite Pico de Gallo like we did in our photos.

    Elk cooks faster and the meat will be red once it is fully cooked.

    puff pastry filled with ground meat and cheese and topped with fresh pico de gallo.
    Add Your Favorite Toppings and Dipping Sauces

    Recipe FAQ

    Can I use Phyllo dough instead?

    No, the two are not interchangeable.

    What is the best options to grill these?

    Although we used the copper mat, most people don’t have them so I would suggest cooking them on a sheet pan, a flat aluminum pan or a pan that you can add parchment paper to the top. Don’t use cast iron as it will heat up and retain that heat too much which will result in a burnt end product.

    Related Recipes

    • Grilled Bison Steaks
    • Bacon Wrapped Grilled Bison Meatballs
    • Grilled Kobe Beef Cheeseburger Kebabs

    Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

    pile of ground elk pinwheels with puff pastry bread and sprinkled with cilantro.

    Grilled Ground Elk Pinwheels

    This quick recipe is perfect for a creative BBQ. Add some taco seasoning for a delicious grilled dinner.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Total Time: 22 minutes
    Servings: 8 people
    Calories: 503kcal
    Author: Jason

    Equipment

    • Sheet Pan
    • Grill
    • Rolling Pin or glass

    Ingredients

    Grilled Ground Elk Taco Pinwheels

    • 1 lb Ground Elk
    • 1 packet Taco Seasoning
    • 1 cup Salsa
    • 1 cup Mexican Cheese shredded
    • 1 package Puff Pastry

    Sour Cream Salsa Verde

    • 1 cup Sour Cream
    • 1 cloves Garlic
    • ¼ cup Salsa Verde

    Instructions

    Grilled Elk Taco Pinwheels

    • Defrost the puff pastry about 30-40 minutes before you plan to use.
    • Cook elk on grill or stove top at medium high heat. Combine taco seasoning packet and water, stir and then combine with the cooked ground elk.
    • Lay out the puff pastry on the counter and roll out all the uneven edges.
    • Spread half of the meat mixture on ONE of the puff pastry dough and spread evenly all over. Starting on one end, start rolling up and then once there is a tube, cut into 1" thick pieces. The end pieces may not have enough taco meat and it's up to you if you want to grill them. Repeat for the second piece of dough and remaining taco meat.
    • Heat grill up to 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes. It will all depend on what you are setting this on. The copper mat grills faster as it retains so much heat so I went with a lower temp so they wouldn't burn. If you are cooking puff pastry pinwheels in the oven, the temperature is at 400 for 10-12 minutes.

    Notes

    Cooking Base: Use an aluminum pan that is flat or a sheet pan that you can put a sheet of parchment on top of. I don’t suggest cooking these straight on the grill. 
    Meal Prep Options: Make the meat ahead of time and place in the refrigerator. Simply remove the puff pastry 40 minutes before you plan to cook and spread the elk meat on top and grill. 
    Substitutions for Dough: You can’t substitute Phyllo dough for the Puff Pastry. 
    Substitutions for Meat: Choose any ground meat of your choice here. 
    Substitutions for Salsa Verde: Substitute red salsa or a jarred pico for the verde version. 
     
     
    Inspired by Wild Game Cuisine 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 503kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 877mg | Potassium: 324mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 659IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 4mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @kitchenlaughter or tag #kitchenlaughter!
    Grilled Ground Elk Taco PinwheelsGrilled Ground Elk Taco Pinwheels
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