The Kitchen Gadget Ree Drummond Thinks Is Totally Useless

It's no secret that Ree Drummond knows a thing or two about working smart, not hard, when it comes to the kitchen. The Pioneer Woman is famous for her hearty, "just like Mama made it" dishes and classic comfort food staples that come together easily for cooks of all levels. In her years cooking for herself, her family, and her fans, she's found the kitchen utensils and gadgets she loves the most when whipping up her signature food — and the ones she doesn't. According to a blog post, some of Drummond's favorite kitchen tools include flat whisks, stainless steel tongs, slotted spoons, boar's bristle pastry brushes, and aluminum pie pans. The Pioneer Woman also swears by sheet pans as the one kitchen item she couldn't live without.

However, for all the things Drummond enjoys using in her kitchen, there are also some items of which she isn't a fan. In an interview with Delish, the Food Network star hinted that there's one item she believes is completely overrated and therefore won't ever add to her culinary arsenal. 

A meat mallet, also known as a meat tenderizer, is a hammer-like tool used to flatten thicker cuts of meat or make them more tender for cooking. You're likely to find one in almost every home chef's kitchen — except Ree Drummond's. She simply doesn't see the need for the common utensil. "I don't think I've ever owned a mallet," she confessed to Delish, explaining, "I just use everything else in my kitchen instead." As for what that "everything else" actually includes? Drummond said she often uses a cast iron skillet, a rolling pin, or even aluminum cans to "flatten and tenderize round steak."

The Pioneer Woman isn't the only one who swears by substituting a skillet for a meat mallet. According to the blogger behind Food Is in the House, a cast iron skillet is so effective at tenderizing meat because of its durability and heavy weight. "You should use both hands to apply more pressure and flatten your meat quicker," they recommend.