The Best Way To Prep Steak When Making Pinwheels

You've probably seen those viral recipes for steak pinwheels making rounds on TikTok and Instagram. It makes sense why everyone loves this cooking method because you get tender steak rolled with cheese and vegetables for deliciousness in every bite. The pinwheels also look appealing for an Instagram-worthy shot. But before you can start stuffing the steak with your go-to ingredients, you have to prepare the steak. What's the best way for pinwheels? It's all in the butterflying technique.

The go-to cut for these pinwheels is usually flank steak because it's long and flat, which is ideal for stuffing and rolling. Even though it's thin, you still need to butterfly it and flatten it with a mallet. This ensures you have equal amounts of steak and fillings in every bite. It's also important so you can cook the steak to your desired temperature while making sure the ingredients inside are cooked and melted thoroughly.

To butterfly a flank steak, you need your sharpest knife. If you have a boning knife in your block, then that's the one to pull out for this technique. Make sure you cut the steak as evenly as possible so it cooks properly. Before butterflying, cut off any excess fat from the meat so you don't have chewy parts after it's cooked. When you're ready, cut the steak horizontally and fold the top back as you slice through, without cutting all the way through. Once you've reached the middle, you'll be left with a flatter piece of steak. Then you should cover it in plastic wrap and flatten it with a mallet to about a quarter of an inch in thickness.

Now it's time to fill it with spinach, onions, mozzarella, a cheese spread, or whatever fillings you have in the kitchen. After the steak is filled, roll it tightly while making sure that all of the ingredients stay in place. Now you'll need bamboo skewers (soaked in water to prevent burning), toothpicks, or kitchen twine to hold your flank steak pinwheels together while they cook. You can make this on the grill, in a pan on the stovetop, or in the oven. Follow your recipe for exact cooking times, but generally, your meat should reach an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit for medium-cooked steak and 155 degrees Fahrenheit if you prefer well done.