Nothing’s better than easy dinners that pack a whole lot of flavor! This week, I used Cowboy Charcoal to make another insanely good steak pinwheels recipe. This time we are drawing inspiration from Calabrian Chili Oil with some Italian flair to make Spicy Italian Steak Pinwheels. Loaded with cheese, prosciutto, salami and Calabrian chili oil these Italian Beef Pinwheels pack an extra kick. Top with pesto and you have a winner!
If you’re hosting a dinner party or simply cooking up a meal for your family, all you need is 30 minutes for prep and 45 minutes of cooking time and you’ll be ready to serve up to four people!
Sponsored by Cowboy Charcoal.
Why You’ll Love Italian Beef Pinwheels
This great recipe is a twist on my Spicy Italian Sliders and my Cheesy Steak Pinwheels. It’s an easy appetizer that’s super simple, but also has lots of flavor and spice. I used skirt steak that I found at the meat counter at my local grocery store, but you could also use tender flank steak to make flank steak pinwheels instead.
Ingredients for Italian Beef Pinwheels
This beef pinwheel recipe is one of those easy recipes you’ll keep coming back to. You’ll start out with some whole skirt steaks, like we did with French Onion Steak Pinwheels, Grilled Steak Pinwheels, and Skirt Steak Pizza Pinwheels.
To complete your pinwheels, you’ll need shredded mozzarella cheese, prosciutto slices, salami slices, Calabrian pepper oil, kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
Then, you’ll make some homemade pesto out of basil leaves (without stems), grated parmesan cheese, olive oil, pine nuts, and fresh garlic cloves. Now let’s get cooking!
How to Make Pinwheel Steaks
To start this tasty recipe, lay your skirt steak out on a cutting board, slice it in half with a sharp knife, and cover it with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Using a heavy mallet or food mallet, hammer the skirt steak until it is less than ½” thick.
Next, add an even layer of shredded mozzarella cheese, prosciutto, salami and Calabrian chili oil to one side of the skirt steak. Carefully roll the skirt steak up lengthwise to create the Italian Beef Pinwheels.
Secure the roll with two strings of kitchen twine and slice between them to make two separate pinwheels. Season the top with salt, pepper and garlic. Repeat this with the rest of the skirt steak for all of the pinwheels.
Pro Tip
Don’t forget to trim the opposite side of the pinwheel so that it lays flat on both sides. You’ll be flipping them during the cooking process, so this will allow them to lay flat and cook evenly.
Now things get a little more interesting. In a blender or food processor, add all the ingredients for the pesto except the olive oil and pulse to chop it up a bit. Then add your olive oil and fully blend until well incorporated but still chunky. Pour into a small bowl and set to the side until ready to use.
Fire up your grill using Cowboy Lump Charcoal for a two zone high heat temperature (around 400F). Once it’s ready, add your pinwheels to the hot side of the grill to sear each side for 1 minute per side or until they have developed a nice crust.
Once they have a nice crust on the outside, pull the pinwheels over to the cool side of the grill to finish cooking, checking with a meat thermometer until the internal temperature reaches 125F (about 10-15 minutes more).
When the Italian Beef Pinwheels are done, pull them off and let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. After resting, use a basting brush to add a thin layer of pesto to the top of each pinwheel. Torch or broil the crust on the top of the steak until it’s caramelized.
Slice, serve and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
Keep in mind, this homemade Italian meal is extremely spicy! That Calabrian chili oil is no joke. Make sure your guests are down for spice.
You absolutely have to use Cowboy Charcoal’s lump charcoal for this recipe! It burns longer and hotter. You truly cannot go wrong with these options! It truly made my steak deliciously smoky.
Or, if you’re feeling wild, they have different flavors of briquets for different takes on the same cut of meat: you can choose from BBQ, Garlic and Onion, Mesquite, and more.
How to Store Leftovers & Reheat
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep pesto in its own small jar or Tupperware container to avoid mushiness. Reheat in the oven at 250-300F for about 20 minutes. Check on it periodically and pull from the oven once warm.
What to Serve with Italian Beef Pinwheels
Serve with some freshly-baked crescent rolls, a fresh salad made with romaine lettuce, cream cheese stuffed bell peppers, or mashed potatoes.
Recipe FAQ’s
You could sub the skirt steak for flap steak, or some other thin cut of beef. However, make sure the cut is thin and able to be rolled into a pinwheel.
Of course! If you have different meats or cheeses you’d like to layer inside the pinwheels, go for it! My best recommendation is to pick three to four fillings, but no more. You’ve already got a lot of flavors merging together here, so pick your top three and go from there.
While we made our own pesto for this recipe, you can save time by using store-bought pesto. I do recommend making your own pesto for the best flavor possible, but I know what it’s like to be on a time crunch while you cook!
Either way, it will be the perfect topping for your savory pinwheels.
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Italian Beef Pinwheels
Ingredients
Steak Pinwheels:
- 2 Whole Skirt Steaks
- 4 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- 8-10 Prosciutto Slices
- 16-20 Salami Slices
- 4 tbsp Calabrian Pepper Oil
- 1.5 tbsp Kosher Salt
- 1.5 tbsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- Canola Oil as needed
Homemade Pesto:
- 2 cups Basil Leaves no stems
- ¾ cups Grated Parmesan
- ½ cup Olive Oil
- ¼ cup Pine Nuts
- 5-6 Garlic Cloves
Instructions
- Lay your skirt steak out on a cutting board, slice it in half.
- Cover it with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Using a heavy mallet or food mallet, hammer the skirt steak until it is less than ½” thick.
- Mix together your salt, pepper and garlic then lather your steak with oil and season both sides.
- Next, add a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese, prosciutto, salami and Calabrian chili oil.
- Carefully roll the skirt steak up lengthwise to create the pinwheel. Secure the roll with two strings of butcher twine and slice between them to make two separate pinwheels.
- Season the top with salt, pepper and garlic. Repeat this with the rest of the skirt steak for all of the pinwheels.
- In a blender, add all the ingredients for the pesto except the olive oil and pulse to chop it up a bit.
- Then add your olive oil and fully blend until well incorporated but still chunky.
- Set to the side until ready to use.
- Preheat your grill using Cowboy Lump Charcoal for a two zone high heat temperature (around 400F).
- Add your pinwheels to the hot side of the grill to sear each side for 1 minute per side or until they have developed a nice crust.
- Once they have a nice crust on the outside, pull the pinwheels over to the cool side of the grill to cook until they reach 125F internal (about 10-15 minutes more).
- When the steaks are done, pull them off and let rest for 10 minutes.
- After resting, add some pesto to the top of each pinwheel.
- Torch or broil the crust till it's caramelized. Slice, serve and enjoy!
