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Red Ranch Sauce

145K views 38 replies 30 participants last post by  Ginny20175 
#1 ·
Does anyone out there have a recipe for Red Ranch Sauce. I'm looking for something like the red ranch sauce they use at Arby's. (Not their BBQ sauce.) Would really appreciate it!
 
#8 ·
Who eats at Arbys its fake roast beef.(pressed and formed)
 
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#12 ·
U G H ..pressed and formed RB I remember when it used to be real.
 
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#13 ·
A friend of mine loves Arby's Red Ranch Sauce, and I've tried numerous times to find a recipe online with no success. There is though an online pdf file that contains Arby's nutritional information and actual ingredients for Arby's offerings. The ingredients for Red Ranch Sauce are:

High Fructose Corn Syrup, Soybean Oil, Corn-Cider Vinegar, Tomato Paste, Distilled Vinegar, Water, Salt, Paprika, Spice, Beet Juice (for color), Onion (dehydrated), Natural Flavor, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol Alginate, Garlic (dehydrated).

I believe the rule is that ingredient labels must list ingredients by highest amount first to lowest amount of an ingredient last. So Red Ranch Sauce is mostly corn syrup!! I suppose with some playing around in the kitchen one could come close to recreating the sauce.

The URL for the pdf file is:

http://cds.arbys.com/pdfs/nutrition/ingredient-allergens.pdf
 
#14 ·
I've eaten at Arby's lots over the years and never heard of Red Ranch Sauce - is it the same things as "Arby's Sauce?"  If so, I would suggest starting with something like catalina dressing and adjusting from there.  In DC there is something called "mumbo sauce."  It is found mostly (if not exclusively) at greasy Chinese carry-outs and served with fries, wings, on fried rice, etc.  At any rate, mumbo sauce has a similar flavor profile though it tends to be sweeter than Arby's sauce.  The good part is that there are lots and lots of recipes for mumbo sauce to be found on the web, so you could start with one of those recipes and adjust to increase the acidity and bite, and reduce the sweetness.  
 
#16 · (Edited)
This was years ago but I discovered that another fast food restaurant's salad dressing tasted EXACTLY like Arby's Red Ranch. It was Burger King's French dressing. I chose it on a whim for my salad and noticed it tasted just like that sauce Arby uses on their Beef 'n' Cheddars. I haven't eaten at BK for years so I don't know if they still carry French dressing or the same French dressing but it made me ask for packets of their dressing everytime I used to eat there.

So I would guess French dressing is what we're after. But there seem to be many variations of French dressing. There's like an orange color kind Wishbone and Kraft sell and then I think there's a French vinaigrette that's more oil and herbs. I think what we're looking for is the basic red or amber red color. Oh and that Kraft Catalina dressing tastes NOTHING like Red Ranch. I bought it on the off chance that it would but it is disgusting. It's like some weird sweet & sour ketchup. Ecch.
 
#18 ·
Just an FYI about Red Ranch Sauce.

Arby's website does indeed list it as an ingredient on the Beef and Cheddar on its website, but there are several regions in the US where it does not come on that sandwich by default.  It's similar to how McDonald's cheeseburgers lack Ketchup in the NY area or how you might have difficulty ordering biscuits and gravy at a McDonalds in Oregon.
 
#19 ·
... I believe the rule is that ingredient labels must list ingredients by highest amount first to lowest amount of an ingredient last. So Red Ranch Sauce is mostly corn syrup!! I suppose with some playing around in the kitchen one could come close to recreating the sauce ...
Ingredients are listed in order by weight. It means that there is more high fructose corn syrup than soybean oil. It doesn't necessarily mean that HFCS makes up half or more of the product (although that could be true ... I don't eat at Arby's). Ingredient lists only tell you how much there is of each ingredient in relationship to the others.
 
#20 ·
I didn't realize there was so much confusion about this sauce. It's not Arby's sauce as I've seen some people claim.
Arby's red ranch sauce is simply sweet French dressing. Honey French dressing I've seen it called. I know this because back when Arby's used to have side salads I got one with their honey French dressing in a packet. As soon as I tasted it I knew that was what they put on the Beef 'n Cheddar sandwich.
 
#21 ·
@Rob Klossner I wasn't confused before, but now I am! I've eaten at plenty of Arby's but never seen or heard of Red Ranch sauce. On the other hand, I would describe Arby's sauce as being at least in the same family as French dressing, whereas you seem to draw a sharp distinction between Arby's sauce and Red Ranch sauce. As a person who has experience with both, can you help clear things up by describing the differences? Thanks!!
 
#22 ·
@Rob Klossner I wasn't confused before, but now I am! I've eaten at plenty of Arby's but never seen or heard of Red Ranch sauce. On the other hand, I would describe Arby's sauce as being at least in the same family as French dressing, whereas you seem to draw a sharp distinction between Arby's sauce and Red Ranch sauce. As a person who has experience with both, can you help clear things up by describing the differences? Thanks!!
Haha no problem. As far as I know the "red ranch" as they call it only comes on the beef 'n cheddar sandwich. I'm not sure if it's on any regular roast beef sandwich. So if you haven't eaten the beef 'n cheddar you probably would never have had it. It is a sweet red sauce, like I said it was called honey French dressing when I got it with a salad. Arby's sauce is not sweet at all (at least to me) but is tangy; pretty much just a mild barbecue sauce. Next time you're at Arby's ask for a cup of red ranch - it doesn't come in packets - and compare it to the Arby's sauce. Do the Arby's you've been to have the "spicy 3-pepper" sauce? I love dipping fries in that. Let me know if I can help further.
 
#24 ·
For being a retired chef, you are not very knowledgeable in what actually goes in Arby's roast beef. At the location in our area actually buy their beef locally from the butcher and pay on average 170 dollars for their beef. You may want to do research before slamming a restaurant, even if it is a fast food chain or not. I highly dislike it when people fail to do research on products before opening their mouth or writing garbage.
 
#25 ·
Easy there, @Faeriena! No need for personal attacks. You are new here; perhaps a little time seeing how we productively (and constructively) offer insight. You response is not so clearly articulated, either. Take it easy.
 
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#26 ·
Im not trying to deny what your saying, but where are you that an Arbys restaurant purchases meat from a local butcher? And when you say "they pay an average of $170 for thier beef," is this weekly, daily, just one type of meat? Who gave you that info, it seems vague. Again, im not trying to agitate anyone, just seems odd to hear of a such a large chain buying meat from a local butcher.
 
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