10 Hidden Ingredients We’re Borrowing from Ree Drummond

Known in pretty much every corner of the globe as “The Pioneer Woman” through her successful blog, Food Network show, and a slew of successful books, celebrity chef and restaurateur Ree Drummond has been sharing her recipes, expertise, and “pioneer” lifestyle from her Pawhuska, Oklahoma ranch across multiple platforms for nearly two decades. We’re not only talking about delicious, accessible comfort cooking and baking here, but also the affable mother of five’s insights on raising children, ranch life, and home design. 

For our purposes, Drummond often relies on pantry staples for her quick and easy meals — but she’s also not afraid to throw in some surprising, unconventional, or even controversial ingredients. Unfortunately, not all of these recipes are big hits among viewers; take her salsa roja, for instance, which some fans have called bland, too time consuming, and even disappointing online. Then again, Drummond’s unexpected use of umami-packed anchovy paste in her tortellini puttanesca — which she admittedly called “a very weird ingredient” on her show — drew praise from intrigued viewers and home cooks.

All of this is to say, it’s no wonder, then, that this longtime television personality has inspired so many foodies and aspiring chefs to get creative in the kitchen. Behold the surprising ingredients Ree Drummond uses to elevate some of her tastiest dishes, desserts, and drinks.

You can incorporate so many ingredients into brownies to elevate their taste and guarantee their decadent fudginess. Espresso powder, for instance, will appeal to strong-coffee lovers, while creamy peanut butter will balance out the depth and sweetness of that plain chocolate base. In her recipe for hidden secret brownies, which yields about nine pieces, Ree Drummond recommends adding beetroots. Simply bake eight ounces of beets in foil, peel the exterior layer once they’ve cooled down, chop them up into chunks, and then puree them in a food processor. 

For those who can’t stand the messy stains and smell that result from preparing and cooking that brightly colored veggie, substituting it with the canned, pre-cooked version may be the easier and quicker choice. Either way, you won’t taste the beets in the dessert; they’re meant to make the brownies fudgier and velvetier, as well as — bonus point — provide you with more fiber.

In 2016, Ree Drummond bought the 1910 Osage Mercantile building on Pawhuska’s Main Street and turned it into a restaurant, bakery, and coffee shop called — no surprise there — The Pioneer Woman Mercantile. The Merc’s menu offers hearty classics, from biscuits and gravy to French toast and chicken fried steak. There’s also a large selection of coffee drinks like cappuccino, iced latte, and frappé, with the option of adding common flavors such as vanilla and caramel — but also intriguing ones like lavender and Mexican chile. That’s because Drummond loves imbuing her brews with bolder and spicier notes.

In a 2019 interview with PureWow about her Purina dog treats line (after all, our canine friends are entitled to their own version of “pioneer” goodness, too), Drummond admits to regularly spiking the iced coffee drinks at the Merc with some cayenne pepper. She’s even shared a recipe on her show that she cheekily dubbed the Spicy Cowgirl; that unique cold brew includes vanilla whipped cream, chocolate sauce, ground cinnamon, and, of course, an ounce of chile syrup and half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper for a failsafe pick-me-up.

Mac and cheese may trace its origin to 18th-century Northern Europe, but it was developed and popularized in the U.S. after being introduced to the nation by none other than President Thomas Jefferson. Then, during the Great Depression, Kraft came up with a boxed option that was met with nationwide approval because it was perceived as an affordable and hearty solution for hungry families. Suffice to say that mac and cheese is a dish steeped in American tradition, and over the years, people have gotten creative by upgrading it with ingredients like lobster, broccoli, chicken, mushroom, or bacon. As for Ree Drummond, she thought she’d simply make that gooey cheesy sauce even velvetier, creamier, smoother, and more complex by adding two teaspoons of mustard powder. 

Per her The Pioneer Woman blog, “This ingredient adds a perfect tangy bite that really balances out all the richness in the sauce.” Still, Drummond recommends starting with one teaspoon of powder and then adding as many as you’d like until you reach your preferred level of tang. In case you’re out of dry mustard, though, you could always substitute it with the Dijon kind, but also horseradish powder, wasabi powder, or turmeric.

Some people may not realize the large difference between tomato sauce and tomato paste. The former is made with strained, skinned, deseeded, and cooked tomatoes. It’s then watered down and enhanced with salt, onion powder, crushed garlic, and herbs like oregano and basil. As for the paste, it’s much more concentrated and consists of thick and condensed tomato puree. In many cuisines, a single tablespoon of tomato paste is usually sufficient to thicken any sauce, broth, or stew and deepen their flavor. Based on that reasoning, Ree Drummond specifically recommends mixing tomato paste with her short rib stew for a heartier dish. 

As she states on “The Pioneer Woman” show, “Just add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste, and it doesn’t really give it a tomato sauce or base, but it just adds depth, and interest, and passion.” Though it’s optional, Drummund also suggests incorporating the tomato paste into her marinara sauce recipe, especially on pasta.

Designed to be smaller than a hamburger so it can fit into one hand and easily “slide into” your mouth, a slider typically consists of a soft bun, a patty, and as many slices of cooked onions as you can handle. In her recipe for mushroom-and-Swiss sliders with spicy fry sauce, Ree Drummond has opted for a bizarre ingredient that doesn’t typically belong in this type of savory dish: heavy whipping cream. What’s more, the cream isn’t meant for the sauce, as one would first assume. It’s actually incorporated by hand into her ground beef patty, along with Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Only four tablespoons are needed for two pounds of meat, but they will carry the sliders to the next level.

As Drummond explains it on her Food Network show, “With sliders, you only have a couple of bites for the flavor to shine through, and it just makes for a really rich experience.” She also sassily adds on her blog, “It’ll give it a yummy richness and make you feel extra naughty.”

Perhaps no dish or snack is as comforting, gooey, stretchy, and easy to prepare as a grilled cheese sandwich, preferably butter-toasted on both sides for a golden and crispy finish. Even better, there are so many great boosters you can add to grilled cheeses for a restaurant-level result and extra bite, from bacon to pesto sauce, dill pickles, jam, mushroom, and cranberry sauce. For her part, Ree Drummond has shared a standout recipe that she confidently calls the best grilled cheese ever. It consists of rye bread, provolone, cheddar, charred poblano chiles, and thinly sliced red onions marinated in white vinegar. 

This elaborate combination is enhanced with a super-easy-to-make sauce consisting of equal parts Dijon mustard and mayonnaise, which Drummond then slathers on each slice of bread. That’s because, as she states on “The Pioneer Woman” show, “It just adds a little bit of tang, a little bit of moisture. It’s really good.” Indeed, it’s the simple things that will make you go for seconds.

Just like she’s come up with the best grilled cheese ever, Ree Drummond has also shared a fool-proof formula for what she’s dubbed the best lasagna ever. Lasagna is a classic Italian dish that may look intimidating to newbie cooks, but it’s actually really easy to prepare and typically consists of layers of pasta sheets, some diced veggies, a protein (typically ground beef and/or slices of ham or turkey), cheese, and either white or red sauce. Drummond’s ultimate lasagna recipe only includes easy-to-find ingredients, such as ground beef, canned tomatoes, cottage cheese, eggs, and mozzarella. She does, however, suggest an unusual addition that will spice the dish up: a pound of hot breakfast sausage. Those who’d prefer a milder flavor could always substitute it with plain Italian sausage, though.

“The Pioneer Woman” insists that this lasagna would make the perfect hearty addition to potlucks (and other joyful gatherings). Plus, in case there are any leftovers, you can freeze them up to three months.

Juicy, golden crispy, and perfectly seasoned fried chicken is a staple in many cuisines, but especially in southern U.S. states like Louisiana and Georgia. Some foodies and chefs choose to coat their chicken with breadcrumbs, panko, or cornstarch for a crunchier result. Others, like Ree Drummond, prefer a bolder, thicker, and slightly sweeter batter. In her Cap’n Crunch chicken strips recipe, inspired by a once-popular Planet Hollywood item, Drummond uses two cups of that beloved sugary, corn-and-oat cereal. She dips the strips in flour and then eggs, before coating them with Cap’n Crunch pieces and frying them until golden brown. A simple sprinkle of salt after draining the chicken on a paper towel is enough to balance out the sweetness.

Drummund might label those extra crispy, slightly caramelized strips “crazy chicken” on her blog, but she’s clearly proud of them and recommends dipping them in plain ketchup. Should you shy away from attempting this recipe, though, you could always sample those strips at Drummond’s Merc restaurant. It can be found on the deli menu under apps and snacks, and it’s served with ranch, BBQ, and/or honey mustard.

Gastronomies all over the world mix various types of ingredients with their eggs for a heartier and more colorful result. Some of the most filling and tastiest egg dishes in Spain, for instance, include potato omelet, eggs with Serrano ham and fries, and eggs with stewed zucchini. When it comes to creamy and fluffy scrambled eggs on toast, specifically, the possibilities are also numerous. That easy and simple dish is beloved worldwide, especially at breakfast or brunch. While some people elevate their scrambled eggs with bacon, chives, soy sauce, cheddar, or avocado, Ree Drummond chooses to toss some smoked salmon with her curdled eggs instead. 

This is perhaps because smoked salmon doesn’t require any cooking or prepping — just a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and some chopped fresh chives, and you’re good to go. It’s no wonder that Drummond’s eggy breakfast dish, which is typically served on toasted bagels, is called — you’ve guessed it — the best scrambled eggs ever.

Slow cookers are a lifesaving invention in the kitchen, especially when you’re preparing a meal for a large party. They’re essential for tenderizing even the hardest meats, allowing them to simmer unattended for several hours as you go about your other chores. Pulled pork, for one, is an excellent candidate for the slow cooker, resulting in a juicy, melt-in-your-mouth meat if the right measures are taken. Ree Drummond’s pop pulled pork may need more than six hours before it’s ready for spreading on a sandwich, but she promises that it will come out “fork-tender,” not to mention “dark and weird and wonderful.” 

The reason? Letting the pork simmer in a mixture that includes a quarter cup of brown sugar and a can of soda pop — she specifically recommends Dr. Pepper. The sugar and soda not only help tenderize the meat, but they also add a deeper color and a hint of caramelized sweetness.