As we’ve established – I love corned beef! We’ve also established that I also love a good leftover makeover. So, having leftovers after making a good corned beef is icing on the cake. It lets me stretch my creative wings and come up with deliciousness such as these Reuben Pinwheels.
A couple of days after we’d had Quick Kraut Reubens for supper, I was rummaging through the fridge looking for something for lunch when I saw the leftover corned beef and kraut. I got to thinking about ways I could transform those ingredients with similar flavors, but a little lighter and way more fun to eat.
And then it hit me…
I’d mix the Thousand Island dressing with some cream cheese to make a spread. I’d chop some of the corned beef. Then I’d spread the dressing on a tortilla, sprinkle on some corned beef and kraut, roll it up, and slice it into bite sized pieces.
The end result was a fun little lunch that wasn’t quite as filling as the sandwich would have been. Bonus – my son, who won’t even try a Reuben sandwich, devoured the pinwheels! Bigger bonus – not only are these Reuben Pinwheels a great way to use up leftover corned beef, they are also a fantastic option to serve as an appetizer at a party or take to the next potluck!
Don’t forget the rules of food safety! Here is the short list:
- Always wash your hands before and after handling raw meat.
- Never thaw meat on the counter – instead thaw in the refrigerator, microwave or cool water bath.
- Always wash cutting boards and plates after having been in contact with raw meat.
- Always cook to appropriate internal temperatures. Safe internal temperatures vary based on cut. Hamburger must reach a safe and savory 160 degrees, while steak is safe at 145 degrees.
Reuben Pinwheels
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: Depends
Description
This delicious appetizer is the perfect way to use up leftover corned beef and satisfy your taste buds.
Ingredients
1/2 cup Thousand Island Dressing
Flour tortillas
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups chopped leftover corned beef
2 cups sauerkraut
Instructions
In a small bowl, mix the Thousand Island and the cream cheese until smooth and spreadable.
Spread the cream cheese dressing mixture onto a tortilla clear to the edges. Sprinkle on the corned beef and kraut, leaving a little bit of one side of the tortilla corned beef and kraut free to help seal the pinwheel. Roll it up, ending with the corned beef and kraut free side.
Cut a small bit off both ends of the tortilla and eat it… because it’s delish even if it’s not pretty. And because throwing it away is wasting food and that’s not cool. Then cut the remaining roll-up into pieces 3/4 of an inch to 1 inch thick, roughly 6 to 8 pieces. Rinse and repeat as long as your ingredients last. Enjoy!
Notes
When I make this recipe I can usually get 7 roll-ups (or 42 ish pieces) out the ingredient amounts listed above. That’s not a hard and fast rule. Feel free to play around with the amounts, adding more or less of any ingredient to fit your flavor preferences. 😉
Hello! I’m Terryn – the wife, mother, food safety enthusiast, Stormy Kromer fanatic who has slightly (okay, a lot) random tendencies, dabbles in photography, and shares (maybe a little too much) here at FFB.