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These bacon wrapped venison pinwheels are a savory, hearty appetizer that’s incredibly easy to make! They’re the perfect addition to any party, game day spread, or holiday gathering.
I love this time of year! We always have plenty of venison in our freezer, and I love cooking recipes with it, as do all of my boys!
Whether it’s a hearty venison main dish or a snack like venison nuggets or these pinwheels, my family never gets sick of fresh venison.
We make this pinwheel recipe a lot for game nights and Sunday night football. It’s a great snack because it’s easy to make, deliciously flavorful, and it actually fills you up!
I’ve been working on a different variation from my usual BBQ style, adding a cream cheese filling so I can bring it as a side dish for the holidays.
I think it turned out amazing, and I can’t wait to share it with everyone!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy appetizer: They might look complicated, but bacon wrapped venison pinwheels are so simple to make. They’re ready for the oven in just 20 minutes!
- Perfect for gatherings: These pinwheels look so fun, and they’re always a crowd-pleaser! They are elegant enough for a holiday party while still being hearty enough for a game day spread.
- Filling: I love a party snack that actually leaves you satiated rather than counting down the minutes until dinner. With venison and bacon as the primary ingredients in these pinwheels, they are just the right amount of filling!
Ingredients
- Ground venison: I love a good ground venison recipe! Ground elk is also delicious in these pinwheels if that’s what you have.
- Bacon: There’s a reason bacon-wrapped anything is so popular — it tastes really, really good! I prefer regular-cut bacon for this recipe, but you can use thin-cut or thick-cut if that’s what you have.
- Cream cheese: This addition takes the pinwheels to the next level! It adds a creamy texture and tangy flavor that is so much tastier than just venison for the filling.
The full recipe with ingredient measurements can be found at the bottom of this page!
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Venison Pinwheels
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cook the bacon in batches in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat, about 5 minutes total, until partially cooked but still pliable. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Pour off most of the grease, leaving a thin coating in the skillet.
Step 2. In a medium bowl, combine the ground venison, cream cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Mix until well blended.
Step 3. Lay the bacon strips out flat. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture evenly over each strip, leaving about 1/2 inch uncovered at one end.
Step 4. Starting at the meat-covered end, roll each strip into a tight pinwheel. Secure the loose end with a toothpick.
Step 5. Place the pinwheels flat in two 12-inch cast iron skillets or a 9×13 baking dish, spaced slightly apart. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the center reaches 160°F.
Step 6. Let rest for 5 minutes. Remove the toothpicks and serve.
Expert Tips
- Take a look at the picture of the partially cooked bacon, because that’s about how I like it before it goes in the oven. That way it comes out nice and crispy when it’s all done baking, not soft or chewy.
- Don’t worry about the venison overcooking. The bacon does such a good job of keeping it juicy!
Notes
- Yield: I get about 20 pinwheels out of 1 pound of meat, but it really depends on how wide your bacon is and how much filling you scoop on. Either way, you’ll have plenty to go around!
- Variations: For a little kick, you can stir a finely diced jalapeño or a pinch of Cajun seasoning into the meat mixture. Brushing the tops with BBQ sauce or mixing in a handful of shredded cheddar is delicious, too!
- Storage: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. I like to reheat them in the oven or air fryer so the bacon gets crispy again!
Recipe FAQs
Pre-cooking the bacon ensures it is the perfect crispy texture rather than soft and chewy after it comes out of the oven. I would recommend this extra step; the effort is well worth it once you taste these pinwheels!
These definitely don’t need a dipping sauce, but you can add one if you’d like! A side of barbecue sauce, aioli, steak sauce, or homemade ranch dressing is a great option.
You can, just remember that beef has a lot more fat than venison, so the dish is going to be overall richer and more oily. Use a lean ground beef, like 90/10 or leaner, to get as close to venison as you can. If you have elk or moose, those would be more similar substitutes!
Related Recipes
- Venison Sliders With Hawaiian Rolls
- Best Ground Venison Jerky
- Ground Venison Tacos
- Venison Meatballs with Bacon and Brown Gravy
If you tried these Bacon Wrapped Venison Pinwheels or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Bacon Wrapped Venison Pinwheels
Equipment
- 2 12-inch cast iron skillets or a 9×13 baking dish
Ingredients
- About 20 slices regular-cut bacon
- 1 pound ground venison or ground elk
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cook the bacon in batches in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat, about 5 minutes total, until partially cooked but still pliable. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Pour off most of the grease, leaving a thin coating in the skillet.
- In a medium bowl, combine the ground venison, cream cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Mix until well blended.
- Lay the bacon strips out flat. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture evenly over each strip, leaving about 1/2 inch uncovered at one end.
- Starting at the meat-covered end, roll each strip into a tight pinwheel. Secure the loose end with a toothpick.
- Place the pinwheels flat in two 12-inch cast iron skillets or a 9×13 baking dish, spaced slightly apart. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the center reaches 160°F.
- Let rest for 5 minutes. Remove the toothpicks and serve.
Notes
- Take a look at the picture of the partially cooked bacon in the post above, because that’s about how I like it before it goes in the oven. That way, it comes out nice and crispy when it’s all done baking, not soft or chewy.
- Don’t worry about the venison overcooking. The bacon does such a good job of keeping it juicy!
- Yield: I get about 20 pinwheels out of 1 pound of meat, but it really depends on how wide your bacon is and how much filling you scoop on. Either way, you’ll have plenty to go around!
- Variations: For a little kick, you can stir a finely diced jalapeño or a pinch of Cajun seasoning into the meat mixture. Brushing the tops with BBQ sauce or mixing in a handful of shredded cheddar is delicious, too!
- Storage: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. I like to reheat them in the oven or air fryer so the bacon gets crispy again!
- Meat options: I use ground venison, but ground elk works perfectly too, so grab whichever one you have in the freezer!
- Bacon: I prefer regular-cut bacon over thin-cut or thick-cut, but really any bacon will work.
