The Pioneer Woman's Best Cowboy Food Recipes

You don't have to live on a ranch to enjoy Ree Drummond's stick-to-your-ribs dishes. Learn her secrets to making these hearty favorites.

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Photo By: Armando Rafael

Chicken-Fried Steak with Gravy

The ultimate in country comfort, Ree's fried steak features tender cube steak thick coated in a paprika-flour dredge and fried until golden brown. With just a few ingredients, she makes a smooth gravy with which to blanket the steak and a hearty scoop of mashed potatoes on the side.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy

Chicken Enchilasagna

Ree fuses the bold flavors of chicken enchiladas with the layered style of a classic lasagna, guaranteeing super-cheesy results.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Enchilasagna

Cheesy Refried Bean Casserole

To boost the flavor of canned refried beans, Ree warms them in a bold mixture of garlic and jalapenos. After that, it's all about the layering. She starts with a base of beans, then stacks on it a duo of creamy cheeses, more beans and finally a gooey cheese topping.

Get the Recipe: Cheesy Refried Bean Casserole

Pawhuska Cheesesteaks

Layered with savory roast beef, sweet, tender butter-cooked peppers and onions and, of course, spiced processed cheese, Ree's Oklahoma-inspired cheesesteaks are the ultimate in between-the-bread indulgence.

Get the Recipe: Pawhuska Cheese Steaks

Comfort Meatballs

Ree quickly browns the meatballs to achieve a slight crust on the outside before finishing them in the oven with her sweet-tangy ketchup-based sauce.

Get the Recipe: Comfort Meatballs

Cowboy Breakfast Sandwiches

Fluffy eggs: check. Breakfast sausage: check. Gooey cheese: check. Thick-cut toast: check. This quick-fix morning staple has all the makings of a hearty, comforting meal.

Get the Recipe: Cowboy Breakfast Sandwiches

Sticky Spicy Slow-Cooked Ribs

While the ketchup and sweet apricot preserves deliver the welcome sticky factor to Ree's fuss-free sauce, it's the chipotle peppers and fresh ginger that offer a subtly spicy bite. Bonus: By cooking the ribs in the slow cooker, you can enjoy hours of hands-off meal prep while the machine does the work.

Get the Recipe: Sticky Spicy Slow-Cooked Ribs

Twice-Baked Potatoes

Ree made these over-the-top spuds, brimming with a rich mixture of sour cream, gooey cheddar cheese and crispy bacon bits, for a local rancher's dinner, and sure enough, they were a shining feature of the spread.

Get the Recipe: Twice-Baked Potatoes

Pan-Fried Pork Chops

Follow Ree's lead and fry the chops in a combination of butter and oil to make sure they achieve an enviable golden-brown color and crispy crust on the outside.

Get the Recipe: Pan Fried Pork Chops

Chicken Spaghetti

An all-in-one casserole featuring shredded chicken, a duo of bell peppers and heavy-handed blankets of cheddar cheese, Ree's big-batch supper gets its signature creamy texture from two cans of cream of mushroom soup.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Spaghetti

Spicy Pop Pulled Pork

For full-flavored pulled pork that turns out fall-apart tender every time, cook the meat over low heat for at least six hours in a bold spicy-sweet sauce laced with a few cans of pop (Ree says you can pick which flavor you want to use).

Get the Recipe: Spicy Pop Pulled Pork

Spicy Baby Back Ribs

Ree uses the same "spicy pop" technique from her pulled pork when creating a succulent sauce for her ribs. That sticky-savory mixture will both marinate the meat and be brushed onto it as it cooks.

Get the Recipe: Spicy Baby Back Ribs

Beef and Bean Burritos

It's all about building layers of flavor in Ree's top-rated burritos. First rolled around cheesy refried beans and ground beef cooked with a cumin-chili powder spice blend, the tortillas are finished with Mexican tomato sauce and cheese before serving.

Get the Recipe: Beef and Bean Burritos

Baked Ziti

From-scratch meat sauce is the star of Ree's big-batch (12 servings, really!) pasta bake, blanketed with a layer of creamy mozzarella. Be sure to let the dish rest for a few minutes once you've taken it out of the oven; this will help to prevent excess oozing when you cut it.

Get the Recipe: Baked Ziti

Chicken Pot Pie

A classic take on a tried-and-true dinner, Ree's five-star pot pie features a creamy filling of fresh vegetables and moist chicken. For the signature crust, she opts for a buttery pastry made savory with fresh thyme.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie

Macaroni and Cheese

The choice is yours: Will you serve Ree's super-creamy mac and cheese straight from the stove, or will you top it with a final layer of cheese and bake it for even bubblier, cheesy indulgence? (Hint: You won't be sorry either way.)

Get the Recipe: Macaroni and Cheese

Beef Stew with Root Vegetables

Ree makes sure the beef becomes tender and rich with flavor by slowly simmering the meat in a spiced beer-spiked broth. In the last half-hour of cooking, add carrots, parsnips and a turnip to round out the meal.

Get the Recipe: Beef Stew with Root Vegetables

Chipotle Chicken Chili

Once you've prepared Ree's chicken-and-three-bean chili, set up a toppings bar of grated cheese, cool sour cream, fresh tomatoes and lime wedges, and let the diners doctor up their preferred bowls.

Get the Recipe: Chipotle Chicken Chili

Fried Chicken

Ree's secret to getting chicken that's fried to golden-brown perfection and cooked through on the inside is starting the thigh and breast pieces in the oil, then letting them finish in the oven (the legs should be able to cook completely in the oil).

Get the Recipe: Fried Chicken

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