Ranch Dressing

[Turd Ferguson]

I live in the South. Where I live, people love, and I mean LOVE Ranch dressing. I work in a restaurant in the South. So I see a lot of Ranch being used. Day in, day out. Ranch, Ranch, Ranch, Ranch, and more Ranch. People dip fries in Ranch. People dip bread in Ranch. I've seen salads floating in seas of Ranch. I've seen people take 2 oz. ramekins and slurp them down like somebody shooting shots of Fireball or Jim Beam.

I used to like Ranch. But, working in restaurants, I found out just how much mayonnaise is used in the making of Ranch, and how much people overuse it day in and day out, it's just become disgusting to me.

Now, my question is, is Ranch dressing this popular everywhere? Or is it just a Southeastern Kentucky thing?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

It's also a Midwest thing.

We dip ranch in MORE RANCH!

 

[scotpens]

Personally, I don't care for the flavor of Ranch dressing. I prefer blue cheese dressing -- or for a healthier alternative, salsa or chutney.

Why do they call it "Ranch" dressing anyway? Sounds like it should taste like dirt roads, old wooden buildings and horse manure.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Ranch and French are the only two salad dressings I like. Plus whatever is usually on a Caesar salad (it it isn't ranch).

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Ranch and French are the only two salad dressings I like. Plus whatever is usually on a Caesar salad (it it isn't ranch).

When the restaurant I work at used to carry Caesar salads, I couldn't tell you how many times this conversation happened:

Customer: What comes on a Caesar salad?

Me: Romaine lettuce, parmesan cheese and croutons.

Customer: ...

Me: ...

Customer: Anything else?

Me: And Caesar dressing.

Customer: OK, give me that. But with RAY-NCH!!!!!!!

 

[Amaris]

I live in the South. Where I live, people love, and I mean LOVE Ranch dressing. I work in a restaurant in the South. So I see a lot of Ranch being used. Day in, day out. Ranch, Ranch, Ranch, Ranch, and more Ranch. People dip fries in Ranch. People dip bread in Ranch. I've seen salads floating in seas of Ranch. I've seen people take 2 oz. ramekins and slurp them down like somebody shooting shots of Fireball or Jim Beam.

I used to like Ranch. But, working in restaurants, I found out just how much mayonnaise is used in the making of Ranch, and how much people overuse it day in and day out, it's just become disgusting to me.

Now, my question is, is Ranch dressing this popular everywhere? Or is it just a Southeastern Kentucky thing?

I think it's generally a Midwestern thing. In Ohio it's absurdly popular. Our grocery store will have two dozen different kinds of dressing, but a full 7ft by 10ft space will be dedicated JUST to ranch dressing of every brand.

I like ranch, especially buttermilk ranch, but it's not my favorite dressing. That would be Newman's Own "Family Recipe Italian."

 

[trekkiedane]

I my experience it's almost the same, but only just quite like 'remoulade': https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remoulade#Danish_remoulade -which we buy by the liter- and use (especially) for dipping french fries in (and for any sort of breaded lightly fried fish fillets).

And, yes, I rarely don't have an industrial version of in the fridge.

 

[auntiehill]

I prefer Creamy Caesar dressing, like the Ken's Steakhouse brand.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

I went through a ranch phase. Now I'm all about balsamic vinaigrette. My fallback is Italian.

 

[trekkiedane]

I went through a ranch phase. Now I'm all about balsamic vinaigrette. My fallback is Italian.

A vinaigrette (be it balsamic or not) is my fall-back home made dressing for a salad! -it's the only reason I have dijon mustard around!

 

[Kirby]

My kids love ranch, and while it's ok, I much prefer blue cheese. I've also been getting into just using a good quality olive oil with a squeeze of lemon.

 

[Aragorn]

As a kid It was Thousand Island only on my salad, then eventually I switched over to Ranch. Don't use it for anything else though.

 

[Velocity]

I like the Original Hidden Valley Ranch dressing and also some of the other flavors like buttermilk because I truly dislike sweet salad dressings. I like blue cheese dressing also, but often it's too salty, depending on the brand. A restaurant I used to frequent with my family back in Illinois, had an excellent Creamy Garlic dressing. Here in NC, it isn't as popular, but I have no trouble getting it at restaurants.

 

[Kor]

I would say that the tangy buttermilk flavor is the defining aspect of this style of dressing. If it doesn't have that buttermilk taste, then it's something else and not ranch.

...
Why do they call it "Ranch" dressing anyway? Sounds like it should taste like dirt roads, old wooden buildings and horse manure.

It became popular when it was served at the kitchen on a ranch property in Southern California called Hidden Valley Ranch (the grocery store brand with that name was originally started by the owner of the ranch).
Some history here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranch_dressing

There have been trademark disputes when other companies made something similar and called it "Ranch" or "Ranch style" dressing. There's one fast food place that labels their packets as "Buttermilk House Sauce A.K.A. Ranch." But everyone just calls it "ranch" when they mention it.

.... Plus whatever is usually on a Caesar salad (it it isn't ranch).

It's a mixture of egg, lemon juice, olive oil, mashed anchovy, parmesan cheese and a couple other things. It's fun to go to a restaurant that prepares the salad from scratch by your table.

Kor