What foods can I make with ~4 cups of homemade ranch dressing?
March 29, 2015 9:13 AM Subscribe
Last night I made 4 cups of ranch dressing out of 2 cups of buttermilk, 2 cups of sour cream, and 2 packets of Hidden Valley dressing mix. It'll probably spoil within a week, so unless I start eating it in bowls like soup I need ways to use it up besides condiment use. I think it would work fine as the liquid in my trusty buttermilk biscuit recipe, and be great in mashed potatoes. What else could I make with it?
I just got over a bout with the flu that had me eating mashed potatoes and crackers for a week, so ways to make them less boring would be welcome; ooh, maybe shepherd's pie?
Or, holy shit, I can marinate fried chicken in it right? I know there's more stuff I'm not thinking of. Help me!
If you're wondering why I made THIS MUCH RANCH DRESSING, I had a frozen pizza party and I don't fuck around.
I just got over a bout with the flu that had me eating mashed potatoes and crackers for a week, so ways to make them less boring would be welcome; ooh, maybe shepherd's pie?
Or, holy shit, I can marinate fried chicken in it right? I know there's more stuff I'm not thinking of. Help me!
If you're wondering why I made THIS MUCH RANCH DRESSING, I had a frozen pizza party and I don't fuck around.
A dip for hot wings!
posted by AnOrigamiLife at 9:23 AM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by AnOrigamiLife at 9:23 AM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Savory pancakes or waffles to eat with your fried chicken.
posted by phunniemee at 9:27 AM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by phunniemee at 9:27 AM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
I often sub in buttermilk or sour cream for plain milk in bread recipes.
You might try a buttermilk white loaf, subbing your ranch for the straight buttermilk. You might want to thin it with water to get the right consistency. If you've made a lot of bread before you will probably be able to guess some of this out, but if you've never made bread you might not get a good moisture ratio. But it's worth a try as you are just risking a couple cups of flour and this might be the best sandwich bread ever.
Savory pancakes, like potato pancakes, would be another interesting thing to try. And more ranch on the side!
Good luck!
posted by littlewater at 9:29 AM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
You might try a buttermilk white loaf, subbing your ranch for the straight buttermilk. You might want to thin it with water to get the right consistency. If you've made a lot of bread before you will probably be able to guess some of this out, but if you've never made bread you might not get a good moisture ratio. But it's worth a try as you are just risking a couple cups of flour and this might be the best sandwich bread ever.
Savory pancakes, like potato pancakes, would be another interesting thing to try. And more ranch on the side!
Good luck!
posted by littlewater at 9:29 AM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
You could use it as a dressing for a bean or pasta salad.
posted by metasarah at 9:34 AM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by metasarah at 9:34 AM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Since you have some to spare, I would try freezing some overnight and thawing it tomorrow to see if it survives the process relatively intact. If so, freeze more.
The Hidden Valley website has a number of interesting recipes, including a mac and cheese, and a couple of slow-cooker recipes. That in particular intrigues me because slow cookers tend to mute the hell out of whatever flavors you put in, so I think the resulting product would have a creamy flavor but not like ranch-in-your-face. (That might also be a good use for ranch that's been frozen and thawed, since the slow cooker is going to break any creamy sauce you put in there anyway.)
posted by Lyn Never at 9:41 AM on March 29, 2015 [2 favorites]
The Hidden Valley website has a number of interesting recipes, including a mac and cheese, and a couple of slow-cooker recipes. That in particular intrigues me because slow cookers tend to mute the hell out of whatever flavors you put in, so I think the resulting product would have a creamy flavor but not like ranch-in-your-face. (That might also be a good use for ranch that's been frozen and thawed, since the slow cooker is going to break any creamy sauce you put in there anyway.)
posted by Lyn Never at 9:41 AM on March 29, 2015 [2 favorites]
You could adapt a whole roasted cauliflower recipe pretty easily.
I don't know if you get down with meatloaf, but that's another place you could substitute it for milk.
posted by box at 9:44 AM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
I don't know if you get down with meatloaf, but that's another place you could substitute it for milk.
posted by box at 9:44 AM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Or, holy shit, I can marinate fried chicken in it right?
YES DO THIS TRUST ME. (Might want to thin it a little bit). I'll be over for dinner.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 10:04 AM on March 29, 2015 [7 favorites]
YES DO THIS TRUST ME. (Might want to thin it a little bit). I'll be over for dinner.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 10:04 AM on March 29, 2015 [7 favorites]
Buffalo chicken dip!
posted by Aquifer at 10:13 AM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Aquifer at 10:13 AM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Or, holy shit, I can marinate fried chicken in it right?
Yes, but you can also use it as a marinade for oven-roasted or grilled chicken as well. My sister makes shish kebabs with chicken, peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes, etc. with a creamy peppercorn dressing marinade that are surprisingly good.
posted by Ufez Jones at 10:23 AM on March 29, 2015
Yes, but you can also use it as a marinade for oven-roasted or grilled chicken as well. My sister makes shish kebabs with chicken, peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes, etc. with a creamy peppercorn dressing marinade that are surprisingly good.
posted by Ufez Jones at 10:23 AM on March 29, 2015
Spread a little on top of chicken or pork and top with bread crumbs. I do this with Parmesan cheese and mayo, and it makes it very juicy and tasty.
posted by xingcat at 10:54 AM on March 29, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by xingcat at 10:54 AM on March 29, 2015 [2 favorites]
I love ranch dressing as a dip for oven zucchini fries.
posted by Blitz at 11:34 AM on March 29, 2015
posted by Blitz at 11:34 AM on March 29, 2015
Best answer: FWIW I've found mixed ranch dressing to last at least two weeks in the fridge. There are some stabilizers in the mix that extend the shelf life.
posted by rossination at 1:29 PM on March 29, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by rossination at 1:29 PM on March 29, 2015 [3 favorites]
You could do a twist on raita and soak cucumbers and onions in it. Serve with some spicy dal.
posted by topophilia at 2:02 PM on March 29, 2015
posted by topophilia at 2:02 PM on March 29, 2015
Best answer: Sub it for the buttermilk in this recipe. Add some grated cheese. Bam!
posted by zorseshoes at 2:14 PM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by zorseshoes at 2:14 PM on March 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
There are a lot of different ways to make Ranch Oyster Crackers and they are good party nibbling food.
posted by jessamyn at 3:35 PM on March 29, 2015
posted by jessamyn at 3:35 PM on March 29, 2015
I use ranch dressing in the place of mayo for deviled eggs and it is sooo good!
posted by Zarya at 10:44 PM on March 29, 2015
posted by Zarya at 10:44 PM on March 29, 2015
mix ranch into mashed potatoes
use in place of sour cream in stroganoff
mix with eggs for scrambled eggs or omelets
posted by irisclara at 12:21 AM on March 30, 2015
use in place of sour cream in stroganoff
mix with eggs for scrambled eggs or omelets
posted by irisclara at 12:21 AM on March 30, 2015
Response by poster: Holy guacamole. I cut up a fryer last night, marinated the chicken pieces in ranch and hot sauce for a few hours, then dredged the thickly-coated pieces in a combination of flour, panko, corn flour, and some ozark seasoning. IT WAS THE BEST FRIED CHICKEN I EVER MADE.
I usually just marinate in buttermilk, but the thickness of the sour cream made a thicker, crunchier crust that was less delicate and likely to flake off or absorb moisture than my usual fried chicken. Plus the chicken really absorbed the ranch flavor. Wow.
I also made some cornbread with my leftover buttermilk, and I can't wait to try the buttermilk quickbread zorseshoes linked. I might try a few other ideas as well! Thank you so much, everyone.
posted by Juliet Banana at 7:38 AM on March 30, 2015 [5 favorites]
I usually just marinate in buttermilk, but the thickness of the sour cream made a thicker, crunchier crust that was less delicate and likely to flake off or absorb moisture than my usual fried chicken. Plus the chicken really absorbed the ranch flavor. Wow.
I also made some cornbread with my leftover buttermilk, and I can't wait to try the buttermilk quickbread zorseshoes linked. I might try a few other ideas as well! Thank you so much, everyone.
posted by Juliet Banana at 7:38 AM on March 30, 2015 [5 favorites]
Response by poster: Wait. What if I let some shredded cabbage soak in the ranch dressing, then served it on a tortilla with leftover fried chicken, hot sauce, and quick-pickled jalapenos. FRIED CHICKEN TACOS.
posted by Juliet Banana at 7:44 AM on March 30, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by Juliet Banana at 7:44 AM on March 30, 2015 [6 favorites]
Buttermilk also freezes really well for later use in baking, if you've got any leftover.
Also! Try making a pizza with some of that leftover chicken and ranch dressing. Use ranch dressing instead of sauce, top with chicken, bacon, cheddar and possibly tomato or green onion? That sounds divine. It would also be amazing on fries/baked potatoes. Or nachos.
posted by PearlRose at 1:07 PM on March 30, 2015
Also! Try making a pizza with some of that leftover chicken and ranch dressing. Use ranch dressing instead of sauce, top with chicken, bacon, cheddar and possibly tomato or green onion? That sounds divine. It would also be amazing on fries/baked potatoes. Or nachos.
posted by PearlRose at 1:07 PM on March 30, 2015
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posted by Juliet Banana at 9:19 AM on March 29, 2015