Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman, is a culinary icon, celebrated for her approachable recipes and hearty, home-style cooking. Like many, I’ve been intrigued by her promise of delicious, family-friendly meals, and decided to dive into her cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl. My mission? To conquer her chicken-fried steak recipe, often known as cube steak, and document the journey. Armed with a well-loved, slightly battered copy of her book, I set out to recreate this classic dish, complete with “PW’s” creamy mashed potatoes. Could a self-proclaimed mediocre cook like myself succeed in bringing a taste of the ranch to my own kitchen?
Ingredients for Pioneer Woman Cube Steak and Mashed Potatoes
Choosing the Recipe: Pioneer Woman’s Chicken Fried Steak (Cube Steak) and Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Flipping through the pages, I sought a recipe that embodied the Pioneer Woman’s style and Oklahoma’s culinary spirit. Chicken fried steak, using readily available cube steak, immediately stood out. It’s comfort food at its finest, promising crispy, savory steak and rich, creamy potatoes – a true taste of the heartland. The recipe seemed straightforward enough, even for my limited cooking skills. The ingredient list was manageable, and the steps appeared uncomplicated. Or so I thought.
The Cooking Process: From Prep to (Almost) Pioneer Woman Perfection
To ensure a focused cooking environment, I opted to prepare this Pioneer Woman feast at a friend’s house, a sanctuary of culinary calm compared to my own chaotic kitchen. The first step was the mashed potatoes. Ree Drummond’s recipe is famous for its creaminess, so I knew these couldn’t be an afterthought.
Boiling Potatoes for Pioneer Woman Mashed Potatoes
Creamy Dreamy Mashed Potatoes
I started by boiling unpeeled potatoes – skin-on for extra nutrients and, admittedly, to avoid the tedious peeling process. While the potatoes bubbled away, I turned my attention to the star of the show: the cube steak. Preparing the steak involved setting up a breading station: tenderized cube steak, a mixture of egg whites and milk, and seasoned flour. I generously spiced the flour with cayenne and smoked paprika, aiming for a flavorful crust.
Preparing Cube Steak Breading Station with Flour, Egg Wash, and Cube Steak
Seasoned Flour for Breading Pioneer Woman Cube Steak
Frying the Cube Steak: A Crispy Challenge
With olive oil heating in a cast iron skillet (a substitution for the recommended canola or vegetable oil), it was time to fry the cube steak. Carefully placing each breaded steak into the hot oil, I listened to the satisfying sizzle, reminiscent of classic chicken fried steak preparation. Memories of a past frybread mishap flashed through my mind, urging extra caution to avoid any hot oil incidents. As the cube steaks browned, I drained the potatoes and began mashing them with gusto.
Frying Breaded Cube Steak in Cast Iron Skillet
The Secret to Creaminess: Butter and Cream Cheese (and Maybe Guilt?)
Following the Pioneer Woman’s instructions, I incorporated what felt like an astonishing amount of butter – two sticks – and an entire block of Neufchâtel cream cheese (a slightly lighter alternative, according to the recipe). Half and half was poured in as I jokingly recited Ree’s directive to “feel guilty” if you skimp on the richness. Her playful, guilt-tripping approach to decadent ingredients is part of her charm, though my arteries might have disagreed later.
Adding Butter and Cream Cheese to Mashed Potatoes
Almost There: Gravy and Plating
Flipping the cube steaks revealed a golden-brown crust, though some of the crispy breading detached in the process, creating flavorful, browned bits in the skillet. Retrieving the steaks, I placed them on paper towels to drain, salvaging the crispy remnants to sprinkle back on top later. The mashed potatoes achieved a wonderfully thick and creamy texture, perhaps bordering on clumpy, but undeniably rich. The final hurdle was the cream gravy, made with the leftover frying oil. Unfortunately, this is where my culinary attempt faltered slightly. The gravy turned out thick, almost as dense as the potatoes, lacking the smooth, pourable consistency I had hoped for.
Plating the Pioneer Woman Cube Steak and Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Pioneer Woman Inspired Cube Steak Dish
The Verdict: Pioneer Woman 1, Home Cook 0 (But Still Delicious)
Despite the gravy mishap, I plated the cube steak and mashed potatoes for myself and my friend. Her polite comment of “it’s alright for a first try” was generous. My own assessment was similar. The cube steak, while perhaps resembling a “skinned knee” in appearance, was crispy and flavorful. The mashed potatoes were undeniably decadent, the cream cheese adding a distinct tang. The gravy, well, we’ll politely overlook the gravy.
While Ree Drummond likely wouldn’t be dethroned by my rendition of her cube steak recipe anytime soon, the meal was satisfying and a fun culinary experiment. I might not have achieved Pioneer Woman perfection, but I certainly enjoyed the process and the comforting, hearty meal. Perhaps round two with the Pioneer Woman’s recipes is in order – and maybe, just maybe, I’ll conquer that cream gravy next time.
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