Ranch Dressing Was Invented In The Alaskan Bush In 1949
By Megan McDonald|Published April 08, 2021
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Megan McDonald
Author
Megan McDonald is a writer, photographer, and owner of humu media, an Alaska-based digital media agency. She spends her free time traveling with her husband and daughter around the US and the world.
Alaska is famous for some pretty incredible things. You’ll find stunning landscapes, mountains that soar higher than any other on our continent, and a midnight sun that never seems to set. And there’s one fun fact about this great state that many people don’t know: ranch dressing was invented in Alaska! That quintessential American flavor you love so much had a birthplace right here in the Last Frontier.
Alaska is filled with plenty of things that will stun and amaze you.
Towering mountains, glaciers larger than some states in America, and turquoise streams run through this wild land. The state is famous for many things, but many people don’t realize its unique claim to fame as the birthplace of ranch dressing!
The owner and creator of Hidden Valley Ranch created and perfected his recipe in Alaska.
In the Alaska bush, to be more specific. Steve Henson was a contract plumber in Anchorage before getting a job that would bring him out to the Alaska bush.
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While he was working on the job, he also doubled as chef for his coworkers.
"It's tough to feed men up in those bush jobs. If they don't like something, they're as likely to throw it at the cook as they are to walk out cursing. I had to come up with something to keep them happy," Henson explained to Los Angeles Times’ Sergio Ortiz during an interview in 1999.
They bought a ranch and renamed it Hidden Valley Ranch. Soon his buttermilk dressing that he served to employees and guests at the ranch was becoming more famous than the ranch itself!
Clorox ended up purchasing the rights and recipe to Hidden Valley Ranch in 1972.
It’s also become a favorite for pizza lovers, providing a nice acidic cut to the grease from cheese and pepperoni. This beloved dip is a staple in many Americans’ homes’, and it all started in Alaska!
So now you know another great reason to love Alaska.
Along with tasty and nutritious berry powerhouses like blueberries and salmonberries, and iconic seafoods like salmon and King Crab, there’s also the delicious and addictive ranch dressing to credit to the Last Frontier.
Did you know that ranch dressing was invented in Alaska? What did you think about this piece of news? Is there anything else cool about Alaska that you want to share? Let us know in the comments below!
