Add a Packet of Ranch Seasoning Mix to Your Pickles

For as long as I can remember, even when I was very small, I have always loved pickles. Quick pickles, lacto pickles, sour pickles, sweet pickles, fried pickles—all are good in my eyes (and mouth). I like the big pickles you can grab out of the bin at theme parks, and the half sours they place on your table at reputable delis. I love drinking pickle brine.

I also appreciate pickle innovation—grilled pickles are a recent discovery that morphed into an obsession, and I’ve never been afraid of trying “out there” pickle pairings and presentations. This is all to say that I was not alarmed, not even a little bit, when I saw the clever woman you see in the above video add a packet of ranch seasoning mix to a jar of pickles.

Much like my love for pickles, I have never been ashamed of my love for ranch. It tastes good and has its applications, and I refuse to temper my enthusiasm for the mixture of buttermilk powder, MSG, and herbs and spices for the classist reactions a lot of “serious” food people seem to have when presented with a bottle of the store-bought dressing.

My point is that pickles taste good, and ranch tastes good, and I thought the combination of the two would also taste good. Plus, I had already added ranch seasoning to the batter of some fried pickles, and that had worked out really well, so I had some empirical data to back my position.

It turned out that I was ultimately correct, but the pickles didn’t turn out quite like I thought they would. You’ll have to watch the video for my nuanced review, but if you’re short on time, know this: Pickles are good. Ranch is good. And ranch pickles are also good. (They’re exceptionally good grilled, too—the sugar and dehydrated buttermilk promote browning in the most wonderful way.)