Our “Secret” Grilled Flank Steak Roll

Grilled Flank Steak From Field To Table

As soon as the temperatures start to warm here in Ohio, there’s only one thing we are thinking about – a delicious, juicy smoked flank steak roll sizzled up on our XL Big Green Egg. This is one of our absolute favorite things to make and share with our friends and family, and it makes for a stunning presentation, too. One of the most fun things about making a flank steak roll is selecting the fillings. It’s possible to use just about anything, so don’t let our ingredients today limit you. Choosing the fillings is a great way to get the whole family involved in making a meal.

Flank Steak – What it is and Where it Comes From

You will likely find flank steak in your local grocery store. Flank steak is a thin-cut piece of beef. The best cut for this recipe is a whole flank steak. Ask your butcher if you can’t find what you are looking for on the shelf.

At Whitefeather Meats, when we want a flank, we go into the cold storage and cut one out. The flank steak is located inside the underbelly of the cow. The muscle is a long, lean piece of meat. When we remove the flank, we start by using our favorite knife, the Victorinox 6” boning knife to separate the membrane from the steak. With the membrane removed, simply use the knife and your fingers to pull the steak out. A little more knife work is needed toward the bottom. Once we have the flank out, it’s off to the processing room to trim it and get it ready to cook.

Preparing the Flank Steak

The first thing we do is trim off the excess fat from the flank. We are using these disposable cutting boards because they are an excellent way to keep our area clean. Make sure to hone your knife before the next step. A sharp knife is essential. Starting at the top, we are going to cut with the grain and butterfly the flank. Take your time on this step. What you want to avoid is poking or cutting holes through the steak. When the cut starts to get close to the edge, be careful not to cut all the way through. With the steak butterflied, we can move on to flavoring and filling.

Fillings and Fun

The recipe we are sharing with you today is one of our family's personal favorites, but please use your imagination when it comes to filling. The trick is to have cheese and other vegetables and spices to compliment the strong, beef flavor of the flank steak.

For our fillings, we are using feta cheese. Feta is a crumbly cheese that will melt. It has a tangy flavor and is often found in Mediteranean dishes. We are going to compliment the strong cheese with yellow and red bell peppers that have a sweet, mild peppery flavor. We are going to dice up a white onion also. Again, use your imagination. There are lots of excellent and interesting filling combinations out there.

Flavoring and Wrapping

We are using the Bearded Butcher Chipotle Spice Blend. Chipotle is a perfect compliment to our fillings. It’s smoky, a touch sweet, and just a mere hint of peppery spice. It’s quite mild, even the kids and friends sensitive to spicy food won’t have a problem with it.

We are going to get a good layer of spice on the flank, then add the cheese and diced vegetables. Use enough fillings to cover the steak. You can make the fillings as thick or thin as you like. Next, simply roll the steak up with the grain so the fillings make a pinwheel.

Use butcher’s twine to tie up the steak. Pull the strings tight, but not so tight that they cut through the flank. The best way to do this is to tie a few strings in the middle, then move from the outsides back in. The goal is to tie the roll so it is as nearly even in diameter as possible. Doing so ensures it cooks evenly.

Smoking and Searing Your Flank Steak on the Big Green Egg

We are going to start out by smoking the flank steak roll on our XL Big Green Egg. We are using our favorite charcoal, Rockwood. This is a great charcoal that burns nicely. Once the coals are started burning, we are adding a few chunks of hickory to get the smoky wood flavor on our flank roll. We want the temperature somewhere around 225 degrees to about 250 degrees. It’s okay if the temperature comes up a little higher, but too hot and the flank roll will dry out. Sprinkle Chipotle seasoning liberally on each side of the roll.

When the internal temperature reaches the mid-120s, we are going to pull the flank roll off and remove the convector plate. We are then going to raise the temperature to around 400 degrees and sear the flank roll. Roll the flank around on the grill to get a nice even color. When the internal temperature is 130 to 140 degrees, your flank roll is ready. If you're looking for a good wireless meat thermometer for grilling, we've rounded up a few of our favorite suggestions. 

Cutting and Serving the Flank Roll

Remove the twine from the roll before cutting and serving. The best way to cut the flank roll is to make one inch or so slices. I like to use my larger, 8” knife from Victorinox for cutting flank rolls. Once the roll is cut against the grain, you can cut the roll down the center for a better serving size and a beautiful presentation.

Bearded Butchers Secret Sauce

This is a neat little trick we want to share with you. It’s a different way to use our seasonings you should try. Take a few tablespoons of mayonnaise and add Bearded Butcher seasonings. We are using Chipotle today, so we will mix that in and make a nice aioli dipping sauce for the flank steak roll.

Grilled Flank Steak Roll – Ingredients

• Flank Steak
• ¾ lb. Feta Cheese
• 1 White Onion
• 2-3 Bell Peppers
• Bearded Butchers Chipotle Seasoning Blend
• Butcher’s Twine

Directions for Cooking Flank Steak Roll

1. Trim any fat and butterfly the flank steak.
2. Coat the flank with Bearded Butcher Chipotle Blend Seasonings.
3. Fill with cheese, vegetables, and other fillings
4. Roll the flank with the grain and tie into a cylinder with butcher’s twine. Cover in Bearded Butcher Blend Chipotle Seasoning.
5. Place on the Big Green Egg to smoke at 250 degrees until internal temperature is about 125 degrees.
6. Remove the convector and place the grill back on the Big Green Egg.
7. Sear the Flank Roll on all sides until internal temperature is around 135 degrees. 
8. Remove the Flank Roll from the heat and take off the butcher’s twine.
9. Slice the roll against the grain in 1-inch sections, then cut down the center for serving.

Tip: Don’t forget to try our seasoning blends mixed in mayo for a wonderful dipping sauce.

This recipe produces a juicy, smoky, creamy meal that is impossible not to love. The flank will cook to a perfect medium and the cheese will be completely melted. The veggies will have just a touch of crunch. Try dipping you fork in the dipping sauce, then getting a piece of the flank roll for the ultimate bite.

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