If Ree Drummond Had to Choose a Last Meal, This Would Be It

Updated: Dec. 12, 2023

Lots of Southern classics—plus some unexpected choices—fill the Pioneer Woman's last meal menu.

We had a chance to sit down with Ree Drummond and chat about all things food. She talked about how to meal prep and shared surprising thoughts on canned pumpkin. Toward the end of the conversation, we just had to ask Ree what she would put together for her last meal.

Her response was, “Oh, I love that question!”

This Is Ree Drummond’s Last Meal

The first thing Ree thought of was beef tenderloin. She didn’t specify how she’d cook it, but a last meal qualifies as a special occasion. We imagine something like this elegant (but easy) preparation is what she had in mind.

For sides, she went classic with creamed spinach and “sauteed mushrooms, like mushrooms cooked in red wine.” Then she said, “Red wine, to drink.” Of course, every last meal needs a wine pairing.

Ree also said she’d want mac and cheese, and knew exactly how she would want her helping to be served: “With bacon and caramelized onions. Kind of like my fancy mac and cheese.”

That dish has a whopping 10 slices of bacon in it, making for a perfectly indulgent last meal side dish. We’re not shocked to see something cheesy in the lineup—many of her favorite comfort foods have at least a sprinkle of cheese.

Here’s What She’d Eat for Dessert

So far, Ree’s last meal sounds like The Pioneer Woman’s fave craves. So we were surprised by her choice of dessert: creme brulee. Since her favorite holiday desserts include classic Southern dishes like chocolate pecan pie, we were expecting some down-home flavor for dessert.

Instead, she went with slightly fussy and French creme brulee. We can’t blame her! It’s creamy and rich with a touch of crunch from that bruleed sugar. This dessert is an ideal way to end an exceptional meal. This is our Test Kitchen-approved recipe for making creme brulee.

“I think that’s it,” Ree said. “Some beautiful beef, creamed spinach, mac and cheese, mushrooms and creme brulee”

That’s perfect. We’d like to eat that right now!

This isn’t the only special meal we’ve asked Ree about; she told us about her most nostalgic childhood meal, too.

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