Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce is a beloved food in America, second only to perhaps ranch. We take great pride in smothering as many foods as possible in ranch. Plenty of people claim that ranch makes everything better, and while how vehemently you agree may vary, ranch does pair beautifully with everything from salads and sandwiches to barbecued meats. In fact, ranch and barbecue sauce complement each other in perfect harmony. Mix Sweet Baby Ray’s Original Barbecue Sauce with a good ranch and you’ll be seeing the light, too. It’s easy: Just whisk together equal parts Sweet Baby Ray’s and your favorite ranch (and we’ve taken some of the work out for you by ranking the best and worst store-bought ranch you can buy) and use it as a brand new sauce.
Ranch and BBQ sauce work well together because of the flavor contrast. Ranch is usually fresh, creamy, a little zesty, and overall light in flavor. Meanwhile, barbecue sauce is usually rich, deep, savory, and tangy. When paired together, the ranch cuts through some of that heaviness, while the BBQ sauce provides nuance and depth of flavor that ranch alone just can’t reach. It’s a win-win combo and a versatile one to boot.
Food combos where your BBQ ranch will really shine
Ranch is a powerhouse sauce that goes well with a plethora of meats, veggies, and other foods (pizza dipped in ranch, anyone?). Meanwhile, the barbecue sauce in question hit the top of our Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce ranking list, proving its versatility and quality. When mixed together, they make a particularly stunning sauce or dip for chicken. Baked, fried, grilled; you can dunk in your chicken nuggets, dip your fried chicken, or even barbecue some wings in Sweet Baby Ray’s and serve it with a side of BBQ sauce and ranch. Pork and other white meat tend to be a real hit with this combo, too. Of course, you can also get creative and try other dippable foods like mozzarella sticks, corn dogs, or veggie trays.
It even makes for a delicious salad dressing. You can mix the ranch and Sweet Baby Ray’s together and pour it over a salad made with your favorite greens, grilled chicken, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, mushrooms, and shredded cheese for a take on a Southwest chicken salad. You can also pour the ranch and BBQ sauce separately to get the perfect amount of creaminess and vinegar-y tang from the barbecue sauce for your taste buds. Whatever you go for, ranch and Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce will make it even tastier, no question about it.
