These delicious grilled steak pinwheels are one of my favorite ways to enjoy skirt steak! Juicy steak stuffed with herby pesto, salty prosciutto, and nutty provolone cheese all rolled up in a pinwheel shape, these bite-sized treats won’t last long at your next gathering. It’s extremely easy to make yet incredibly flavorful and pretty when served, so you definitely won’t regret giving this one a try.
Ingredients you need to make grilled steak pinwheels
Skirt steak
Pesto (Store bought)
Provolone cheese
Prosciutto
Salt
Black pepper
Garlic powder
What is skirt steak?
A skirt steak is a long, thin, and fatty cut of beef that comes from the plate, just below the rib. This naturally tough cut is widely known for its strong flavor, but it requires a bit of attention when cooked. It’s best cooked quickly over high heat, such as in a hot pan or on a grill, and usually rare to medium-rare so it doesn’t become tough and chewy.
Since it’s a long, thin cut, skirt steak is great for stuffing and rolling up into pinwheels. It is also much cheaper compared to other cuts of steak like rib-eye or sirloin, making them an excellent choice for whipping up a budget-friendly yet impressive dish like this one. Perfect for folks looking to try out new recipes!
Preparing skirt steak pinwheels
Since skirt steak is a thinner cut of meat, we won’t need to do much in terms of prepping the steak. Unroll the steak on a flat surface like a cutting board, place a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper on top, and use a meat mallet or even a big frying pan to pound the steak to a flat and even thickness.
Don’t skip this because flattening out the steak gives us a more evenly cooked meat and makes rolling it up later easier! Feel free to make flank steak roll-ups instead if that’s what you have on hand. But make sure to use butterflied flank steak to achieve the same thickness.
Next, it’s time to stuff your pinwheels! Start by spreading an even layer of pesto and then adding several strips of prosciutto and slices of provolone cheese on top of the steak.
Carefully roll the steak up into a tight log and secure it with butcher twine on both ends. If you’re having trouble keeping it together, use some wooden skewers to hold it in place in addition to the pieces of string.
Slice the log into 2-3″ thick pinwheels using a sharp knife, season everything with salt, pepper, and garlic, and you’re ready to start grilling.
How to grill skirt steak pinwheels
To end up with a nicely seared yet still juicy steak, we’ll cook these chunky grilled steak pinwheels in two stages. First, reverse sear or smoke the pinwheels over medium heat (250 degrees) to slowly cook and tenderize the beef.
If smoking I like to use hickory wood but if you are reverse searing, just grill them over indirect heat until they reach an internal temperature of 115 degrees.
Since skirt steak is relatively thin compared to other cuts of beef, you don’t want to overcook it as it can quickly become dry and tough. I like using my Thermopro Tempspike to get the most accurate internal temperature reading every time, but you use any instant read thermometer.
Finally, crank up the grill to medium-high heat to finish off the pinwheels with a beautiful sear. Take them off the hot grill when the internal temp reaches 130 degrees. This gives me a medium rare finish but feel free to grill them for longer if you like the inside more done.
Resting your meat
Very important step! Let the pinwheels rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing them against the grain of the meat.
This short rest period allows the meat to redistribute and retain the juices and absorb all the good flavors, making them even more juicy and tasty.
Sides that go with skirt steak pinwheels
Creamy mashed potatoes
Smoked bacon mac and cheese
Grilled buffalo wings with ranch
Cornbread cupcakes with mashed potatoes
Variations
Different fillings: Swap out the fillings for other ingredients like fresh spinach, tomato, bacon, salami, mushrooms, mozzarella, fontina, and parmesan cheese.
Sauces: Drizzle finished pinwheels with a sauce of your choice like my chimichurri sauce and Alabama white sauce.
Extra savory: Upgrade this already delicious recipe by finishing off the pinwheels with a generous serving of cowboy butter.
FAQs
What is steak pinwheel made of?
Steak pinwheel is a delicious roll-up wrap usually made with a skirt or flank steak, some type of meat like bacon or prosciutto, cheese like provolone or fontina, and a sauce of your choice. After the steak is pounded thin, it’s layered with the stuffing mixture before being rolled up in a pinwheel shape. You can also add veggies and herbs like chopped spinach and fresh basil.
Is skirt steak the same as flank steak?
No. Although skirt steak is used interchangeably with flank steak in recipes, they don’t have the same flavor or texture. Skirt steak is considered more flavorful and lighter while flank steak is known for being leaner. I used skirt in this recipe, but feel free to make some flank steak pinwheels instead!
How do you wrap pinwheels?
Before filling the beef pinwheels, pound the steak as thin as possible to make rolling seamless. Once flattened, spread your desired fillings onto the steak and roll it up tightly like a burrito. Secure both ends with butcher’s twine and use some wooden skewers if you’re struggling to hold the roll in place.
