Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond's best-ever cooking tips
Tried and tested advice
Chill your cinnamon roll dough
Drummond says she’s often asked how to make cinnamon rolls firm enough to hold their shape and create a perfect spiral. Her secret? Chill the dough overnight in the fridge before rolling and baking. Keep in mind that the rolls will need to rise for a little longer before they're put in the oven.
Add barbecue sauce to ribs after cooking
Making barbecue ribs in the slow cooker is the best way to ensure the meat is tender and falls off the bone. But Drummond suggests adding the sauce after the meat has cooked. Ribs release liquid during cooking which can water down the sauce and prevent it from sticking. Instead, strain off the cooking liquid from the slow cooker then pour in the sticky sauce, making sure all the ribs are evenly coated.
Remove cookies from the oven before they’re done
“The secret to cookies is not to overbake them," says Drummond in her recipe for triple chocolate cookies. Her trick is to take them out of the oven before you think they're done as they'll continue to cook a little from the residual heat and turn out perfectly.
Jazz up frozen bread rolls
No time to make your own bread rolls? Buy frozen unbaked ones and add your own twist for extra flavor. Drummond recommends placing the rolls in a lightly buttered skillet and covering for a few hours, allowing them to rise, before brushing with melted butter, chopped rosemary and sea salt. Then they're ready to bake.
Soak fries overnight and fry them twice
It might take a bit of effort but Drummond’s tips for making the perfect fries are worth following. After slicing the potatoes into thin sticks for a crispier texture, she soaks them in water overnight and then, when fully dried, fries them twice.
Stick to the rice pudding rules
Drummond follows two important rules when making rice pudding. Firstly, she always uses medium-grain rice. She says: "It’s in the rule book. I’ve made it with long-grain and it just isn’t the same at all." Secondly, she always uses the same pan. "Overwhelmingly, my rice pudding always turns out better if I use a non-stick saucepan."
Give pancakes extra zest
Give pancakes a citrussy lift by adding both lemon juice and zest to the batter before frying – the lemon juice will also have a fluffy buttermilk effect on the batter. And, of course, always cook your pancakes in melted butter.
Add oats to meatballs
In her popular recipe for BBQ meatballs, Drummond adds quick-cook oats and milk to the ground beef, giving them some extra bulk. "They're almost like little 'meatloaf balls'," she says.
Add liquid smoke to beef brisket
To infuse slow-cooked beef brisket with a slight hickory flavor, Drummond recommends adding a few tablespoons of liquid smoke to the marinade – along with beef consommé, lemon juice, chopped garlic and soy sauce. Make sure to leave the marinated meat in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours to ensure all the flavors are absorbed.
Don’t cook potatoes in a pot roast
It might save on time but Drummond advises against throwing potatoes in the pan while slow-cooking a pot roast as they can turn mealy. Instead, she recommends mashed potatoes as the perfect accompaniment.
Swap butter for vegetable shortening when making pie crust
As most of her followers know, Drummond loves full-fat butter but when it comes to making the perfect pie crust, it's not on the ingredients list. Instead, she recommends vegetable shortening such as Crisco. Drummond explains: “For once in my life, I’m going to say this…and then it will never happen again: You must use Crisco, not butter. Butter simply will not work.”
Cook the perfect sunny-side up eggs
For the best sunny-side up eggs, Drummond recommends cooking them in a non-stick skillet with a small amount of canola oil (vegetable oil) on a medium heat so that the egg whites stay clear for a few seconds once they're in the pan. When the eggs have started to firm, baste the whites only with the hot oil to ensure they get cooked through. After a couple of minutes, baste the yolks. When they're done, remove from the skillet and drain any excess oil on a paper towel.
Be patient with risotto
Making risotto is a tricky business as it can easily become too soggy or get stuck to the pan. Drummond recommends adding in one ladle of stock or broth at a time while stirring constantly. Once the liquid has been absorbed, add the next and don't forget to keep stirring.
Let pizza dough rest
Patience is a virtue when it comes to making your own pizza dough. While you could set it aside to rest for one to two hours, Drummond says that to really amp up the flavor and texture, leave it in the fridge for a few days in a sealed plastic bag.
Make hollandaise sauce in a blender
Think making hollandaise sauce is all about whisking? Think again. To make a cheat's version that tastes just as good, Drummond's tip is to use a blender. Place egg yolks into the blender jug, turn it on low then slowly but steadily pour in melted butter while it's still on. Then add lemon juice and a generous shake of cayenne pepper.
Twists on macaroni cheese
Drummond has several recipes for macaroni cheese up her sleeve and most have a few extra ingredients to give them an indulgent twist or extra flavor. One of our favorites is butternut mac 'n' cheese with roasted and mashed butternut squash, caramelized onions and sharp Cheddar.
Add a splash of vanilla to cinnamon toast
For the perfect cinnamon toast, Drummond likes to mix butter, sugar and cinnamon with a few teaspoons of her magic ingredient – vanilla extract. Once the mixture is spread on bread, place the slices in the oven for 10 minutes until golden brown then finish off under the broiler (grill). Perfect.
Coat chicken strips with sugary cereal
Give homemade chicken strips a delicious caramelized edge by adding crushed sugary cereal to their coating. Drummond prefers to use Cap’n Crunch with flour, seasoning and egg to bread the meat. Add a sprinkling of salt once the strips are fried and drained to balance out the sweetness.
Fry rosemary and garlic with potatoes
When deep-frying potatoes, throw a few sprigs of rosemary and sliced garlic into the oil towards the end of cooking each batch. It won't infuse the oil too much but will firm up the herbs and garlic, making them perfect for sprinkling over the potatoes afterwards for extra decoration and flavor.
Try oven-baked omelet
Drummond has got you covered if you want to sleep in and wake up to a delicious ready-made brunch. Prepare an omelet in a baking tray the day before and bake the next morning. Tear up bread rolls, layer in a buttered dish and cover with whisked eggs, cheese, mustard and chives, and leave in the refrigerator until you’re ready to face the day.
Make bread and butter pudding better with whiskey
Inspired by cowboy cook Tom Perini, Drummond makes bread and butter pudding even better (and vows to convert those who think they don't like the dessert) by serving it with whiskey sauce. Cream, butter, sugar and a splash of Jack Daniels are warmed on a low heat and poured over individual portions.
Add ready-made mix for the perfect dump cake
A dump cake is, by its very definition, all about throwing whatever ingredients you have together. Drummond gives her canned fruit concoction an extra edge by using ready-made cake mix and she’s not ashamed to say so.
Brown butter before cooking steak
Drummond promises her technique for cooking the perfect steak is so good, it could result in a marriage proposal. Her trick? Butter the grill pan and let it brown before adding the steak, and press the meat down firmly for neat grill marks.
Cook hash browns in a waffle maker
For super-quick hash browns with extra crunch, cook them in a waffle maker. Drummond recommends layering the shredded potato mixture with cheese and chopped ham for a tasty weekend brunch.
Find out how to make perfect regular waffles and more variations here
Experiment with cold-brew coffee
Drummond is a big fan of the cold-brew method to make iced coffee. Steep a large batch of ground coffee in cold water for at least 12 hours before straining to create a coffee concentrate. Pour over ice with a splash of milk and sugar.
Froth up milk with a glass jar
Love frothy coffee but don't have a fancy espresso maker? No problem. Drummond says you can pour warmed milk into a jar, screw the lid on tightly and shake. Just make sure the lid is on very tight and hold the jar with a dish towel if it's too hot.
Invest in a flat whisk
“A flat whisk, without question, is one of my favorite tools in the history of tools,” advises Drummond. She says that the piece of kitchen kit is great for deglazing, making gravy and sauces, and scraping the pan.
The secret of a perfect poached egg and other cooking questions solved
Prep ahead and don't stress when you entertain
According to Drummond, preparation and keeping calm is key when it comes to hosting friends and family for big cooking events like Thanksgiving and Easter. She advised in an Instagram post: “My top three Thanksgiving tips for a successful meal: 1) Start prepping Monday! Chop veggies, make pie crust, chop nuts, anything that can be done ahead. 2) Watch The Godfather as you prep/cook. This is essential. 3.) Don't stress. Family will remember the good times most of all.”
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