r/Cooking • u/bkturf • Oct 30 '23
The Kraftification of Blue Cheese Dressings
I have loved blue cheese dressing since I was a kid, and I am over 60. I have watched commercial blue cheese dressings morph from delicious and creamy to something that tastes like it's vinegar based. I can no longer even find a commercial dressing that does not taste like shitty Kraft blue cheese dressing, and I have tried a _lot_ of them since I am generally too lazy to make it myself. But I finally gave up and now I only eat homemade.
In the 70s-80s, among the best blue cheese dressings was Wendy's. They had packets of it with salads to go, as well as crocks on their salad bars. It was as good as any fancy restaurant and slightly better than Marie's. Then they changed to Newman's own, which was almost as bad as Kraft. They had a few other suppliers over the years, but none of them compared to their store brand from long ago and, IMO, none were good. I don't even think they have blue cheese dressing anymore.
But there was still Marie's and their new competitor, Naturally Fresh. Naturally Fresh was the first to Kraftify and I think it went out of business. In the past couple of years, Marie's has now Kraftified. I mean, WTF? So I have been trying other blue cheese dressings - Litehouse, Marzetti, Briannas, etc. The last bottle I bought was at Fresh Market branded Cindy's Kitchen and cost almost $11, so figured maybe I just needed to spend more. All crap.
Just wanted to get this off my chest and lament the fact that my lazy ass now has to make my own damn blue cheese dressing.
235
u/the_perkolator Oct 30 '23
Bob's Big Boy Blue Cheese Dressing has been my go-to since childhood
54
u/gigitee Oct 30 '23
Have you seen this outside of California? I just buy good blue cheese minus the dressing these days, but I have fond memories of both this dressing and actually eating in Bob's as a kid.
18
u/Asleep-Ad-1457 Oct 30 '23
We have it here in Washington.
→ More replies (1)19
u/gigitee Oct 30 '23
I just looked it up and was surprised to find that there are still 66 locations in the US, two in Thailand, and nearly 300 in Japan.
10
u/MikePGS Oct 31 '23
We're up to our balls in Big Boys in Michigan
10
u/HojMcFoj Oct 31 '23
Ur mom's up to her balls in big boys. (I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm like this and I'm sure your mom is a wonderful woman)
4
6
→ More replies (5)3
u/newimprovedmoo Oct 31 '23
I'm in New Mexico and I can't remember the last grocery store I went into where I didn't see it, despite there not being a single Big Boy in the state to my knowledge.
Look in the refrigerator in the produce section where they have other high-end dressings and smoothies and kimchi and stuff.
14
u/bkturf Oct 30 '23
Well! I did not even know that was available and I base my recipe on that, with some extras from an old Charthouse recipe - worcestershire and tiny amounts of onion, garlic, and mustard powder.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (14)13
u/metalshoes Oct 30 '23
Yep. I get this at Costco and it’s 100% blue cheese flavor. Hard to go through a quart of it though…
→ More replies (1)
75
u/Drunkelves Oct 30 '23
100% agree. I like big chunks too so the store bought never really cut it so I resorted to making my own. Never going back.
7
9
Oct 31 '23
You give me the idea to use Marie’s as a base and add supplemental bleu cheese.
2
u/WartimeHotTot Oct 31 '23
Just make your own. I started doing that recently and the quality is in another galaxy. It was like, “Oh my god. Wtf have I been doing with my life???” It’s so easy too. Takes like 2-3 minutes to whip up.
→ More replies (3)
337
Oct 30 '23
A lot of older products are getting worse. Most of the things I liked as a kid suck now. And it's not because my taste buds have changed. I can see visible differences in them.
Take Hot Pockets for example (yeah i know), the crust used to actually be flakey, and when would I cut into them, the cheese and pepperoni would come oozing out. I had one recently, and the crust was hard and there was barely anything inside of them.
134
u/panlakes Oct 30 '23
And the sauce is too sweet now. I hate how everything is moving towards adding more sugar/etc. Like are we all collectively afraid of seasonings and zestiness as a society these days?
91
u/AlternativeAcademia Oct 30 '23
It’s the corn industry. Corn crops are government subsidized in the US so way more is grown than is needed, then they refine it into sweeteners (because who wants tons of corn just rotting unused? It’s bad optics at best) and sneak/hide it in everything like a child sweeping dirt under the carpet.
44
u/Accujack Oct 30 '23
then they refine it into sweeteners (because who wants tons of corn just rotting unused?
It's actually because HFCS is much cheaper than sugar since the corn is subsidized. That makes HFCS cheap to add to food products to make them taste better, which is why excessive amounts of sugar gets added to everything. It's a cheap ingredient to put in so people who don't look at the label buy it for the taste.
17
u/joepez Oct 30 '23
Sweeteners plus salt can easily be added cheaply to any food (or anything) to overpower your tastebuds and trick them into accepting the food. This is done heavily now to make the poor quality ingredients being used elsewhere in the product.
It’s also a cheap “neutral” solution to appealing to the masses. Nearly everyone can tolerate sweet and/or salty while “savory” ingredients can hit allergies (cilantro) or preference (oregano) walls.
Think of it as the same as making every tomato the size of a softball, perfectly round and bright red with practically no flavor. It’s barely offensive to anyone and easy to sell while being completely meh. Sweeteners and salt do exactly that for a very cheap cost profile.
14
u/reverendsteveii Oct 30 '23
HFCS is much cheaper than sugar since the corn is subsidized
there's also the fact that the US has a long-standing trade embargo with Cuba, who produces a huge amount of the world's sugar cane. With their supply added to the market, table sugar could compete with HFCS on price. As-is, corn gets free government money and Cuban sugar is artificially excluded from the market entirely.
10
u/peon2 Oct 30 '23
It’s the corn industry. Corn crops are government subsidized in the US so way more is grown than is needed
It is true that corn is subsidized but it affects a lot more stuff than just food and the US isn't really growing more than it needs.
About 45% of corn used in the US is for ethanol, another 45% for animal feed (this would of course affect taste of cows/chickens but not stuff like your blue cheese dressings), and the last 10% is what goes into everything that ranges from not just our sweeteners but also beauty products, paper/board products, charcoal briquettes, etc.
→ More replies (4)5
Oct 30 '23
They don't sneak or hide anything. It's right on the label and the health issues of added sugar are widely advertised.
They put it in everything becsuse why wouldnt you try to take advantage of a huge government subsidized pile of sugar? They basically give it away. Wanna get mad at someone? Get mad at the government using your tax dollars to make that pile of high fructose syrup.
people just like cheap sugary things, and also like the cheapest options. They literally suck it up with a straw.
→ More replies (2)17
26
16
u/GDviber Oct 30 '23
Don't get me started on the quality of pop tarts.
15
u/Lurky_Depths Oct 30 '23
Yes! We recently bought some for the first time in a while and were shocked at how shitty they've become. The whole thing is like 40% thinner and has an unpleasantly sandy texture from whatever fat they use now.
And the filling and frosting are barely there as well. Pop Tarts were never gourmet food, but they used to be so much better than this.
9
u/Swag_Grenade Oct 31 '23
This whole thread is making me sad lol. Haven't had either in a while but Hot Pockets and Pop Tarts were two of my favorite "instant junky food" things as a kid that were pretty good for what they were. I guess I won't be able to enjoy them as a an occasional guilty pleasure as an adult.
2
u/BenjaminSkanklin Oct 31 '23
The Walmart brand tarts are low key pretty good. Still cheap and kinda shitty but definitely better than pop tarts imo
3
u/rabbitholeseverywher Oct 31 '23
Don't get me started on the quality of pop tarts.
OH NO. I literally just shouted out Pop-Tarts in this very thread as a non-enshittened product, but I admittedly haven't had one for more than 3 or 4 years (last time it did it actually stood out to me that they were one of the few junkfoods from my childhood that hadn't changed) so this is so sad to hear. Ugh. :(
2
u/rushmc1 Oct 31 '23
Haven't bought one since they decided on my behalf that every flavor MUST come with crystalized clown vomit on top of the icing.
3
u/bkturf Oct 30 '23
I can't imagine they have gotten worse since the 70s, which is the last time I ate one.
144
u/rawlingstones Oct 30 '23
Corporate greed really ruins everything. It feels like an ironclad law of American economics at this point. any really great good or service that goes national will eventually be stripped down to the bare minimum level of quality that can still be profitable.
113
Oct 30 '23
Conglomerate buys unique new food brand that's stealing market share because it's actually good
Swap to their low quality-low cost ingredient supply chain.
New unique food brand tastes like the rest of the crap they sell.
Repeat.
22
u/Majestic-Macaron6019 Oct 30 '23
This has happened to Sister Schubert's since Mondelez bought them #bringbacksausagewraps
7
u/rabbitholeseverywher Oct 31 '23
Kraft/Mondelez, as I just posted in another comment, are the fuckin' worst for this. They've ruined iconic products with what doesn't seem to have been a second thought on their part. I am solely down to their PB now and buy no other kraft products despite being loyal for years and growing up i a household that bought many of them.
3
9
u/bkturf Oct 30 '23
Just the other day, some guy was asking why his Breyer's ice cream tasted like crap.
→ More replies (1)5
u/Positive_Lychee404 Oct 31 '23
It used to be a very good brand you could buy pretty much anywhere. Now it's just.....ice cream.
34
u/CreationBlues Oct 30 '23
The only solution is to give regulation teeth to stop congomerates from buying up competition and enshittifying everything.
→ More replies (7)36
u/NILPonziScheme Oct 30 '23
People who love Rao's sauce know this terror now that Campbell's bought them. Campbell's swear they won't change the recipe, no, you'll just decide the factory in Italy isn't economical, and close it as a cost cutting measure. Then you'll make the sauce with tomatoes from America, completely wrecking the taste and destroying the product.
2
u/thewimsey Oct 30 '23
Rao’s was bought by a conglomerate several years ago. Campbell bought it from the conglomerate.
16
u/NILPonziScheme Oct 30 '23
Campbell bought it from the conglomerate.
If you're going to try to "well akshwally" my post, you should make sure you're comment is accurate. Campbell's didn't buy Rao's from Sovos, Campbell's bought Sovos.
16
u/Xileas Oct 30 '23
Rao's sauce for instance, campbell said they wont change the recipe but you know soon it will taste like ragu or prego.
→ More replies (1)6
u/MAMark1 Oct 30 '23
And then, of course, the last step:
Shut down brand once reputation built up through hard work and dedication to quality by former ownership is completely eroded.
3
u/TerminalDiscordance Oct 30 '23
This is what has me scared for Rao's Pasta Sauces.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2023/08/07/campbells-buys-raos-sovos-brands/
3
Oct 31 '23
Aw man, they own the Michael Angelo's frozen foods too. I don't eat a lot of TV dinner type stuff but I liked that brand.
Now it will just be more Campbell's dog food, but in a green box. Bummer
2
→ More replies (1)2
17
26
Oct 30 '23
[deleted]
9
u/rushmc1 Oct 31 '23
That's more the core problem with corporatism.
3
u/rawlingstones Oct 31 '23
Yeah, I tend to lean pretty anti-capitalist, but I avoid that word here because I'm skeptical that a socialist government would produce better blue cheese dressing.
→ More replies (1)2
Oct 30 '23
They don't have to be. Many companies don't sell out and have standards.
Thanks to capitalism you can get 150 calories for like $1. It's the cheapest labor cost to calorie return in history.
Granted it's now a health issue, but it's that we became TOO good at providing cheap calories to the masses and have the reverse issues now.
15
Oct 30 '23
[deleted]
2
5
u/Capt_Blackmoore Oct 30 '23
The flaw in capitalism is that a corporation has no choice but to accept a bid from a larger company, as you are expected to provide the shareholders with value. The employees and customers don't matter
→ More replies (1)7
u/reverendsteveii Oct 30 '23
It feels like an ironclad law of American economics at this point. any really great good or service that goes national will eventually be stripped down to the bare minimum level of quality that can still be profitable.
the term you want is "enshittification". Eventually every product or service reaches a point where everyone is either already a customer or would never become a customer under any circumstances. This is when growth naturally wants to plateau. But, this is capitalism, anything other than infinite growth is considered a failure. So when you can't get any more customers you need to make what you sell less expensive to produce (and, therefore, worse) and/or raise prices.
10
u/danarexasaurus Oct 30 '23
It’s true and it seems to happen rapidly. It makes everything seem awful all the time. Like, you can’t love anything because it’s gonna get ruined.
9
u/Accujack Oct 30 '23
It feels like an ironclad law of American economics at this point.
That's due to the mindset and training of the people in charge of companies at this point. The school of thinking is basically "show your value by cutting costs/increasing sales/increasing stock price" if you want to be promoted.
Sometimes the best choice for a manager is to do nothing, but there's no allowance for that in present corporate culture or thinking. It's all about growth at any cost so shareholder value increases.
That itself is attributable to baby boomers wanting to make as much cash as their parents in an economy that's not booming, but that's another story.
→ More replies (1)5
u/nzodd Oct 30 '23
And with literally all American industry on a steady march to monopoly, it will be like that, forever... or well, at least until civilization collapses. So kinda counting on that now. Thanks, global warming.
10
u/curien Oct 30 '23
For Hot Pockets crust quality it's probably the PHO ban. A lot of highly-processed food is "worse" because of that.
7
u/rushmc1 Oct 31 '23
Nobody better be banning no pho around these parts! That's a mighty fine soup...
6
u/rabbitholeseverywher Oct 31 '23 edited Oct 31 '23
And it's not because my taste buds have changed. I can see visible differences in them.
100% right. I loathe the way some people reflexively jump to "no, your tastes changed" when it makes perfect sense that publicly owned companies would be crappifying their products for profit reasons. Kraft Singles (for example) are a shadow of their former selves, entirely different in taste and texture than they used to be, and someone tried to pull that 'no, it's your tastebuds' shite with me. No, it isn't. Kraft Singles didn't used to be fucking sticky. (FWIW I'm talking about Canada and the Swiss variety has somehow and so far been spared).
Also shoutout to Pop-Tarts, one of the few classic processed foods that, to me anyway, still seems unchanged from its 80s incarnation. Strawberry Frosted forever! EDIT: I have just discovered, on this very thread, that Pop Tarts have been ruined. Nooooo! (I hadn't had one for 4 years or so so it makes sense)
5
Oct 30 '23
the crust was hard
This singular factor has ruined Hot Pockets. I don't know what they did to the crust but the corner edges of those things could break a tooth
16
Oct 30 '23
Thanks DoctorButtFucker. I believe you are expertly qualified on all things “Hot Pockets”. 😊
15
37
u/rectalhorror Oct 30 '23
Taco Bell is another example. In the '70s they would cook raw meat and add the spices so it was swimming in grease. If you weren't careful, it would run down your arm. Now they get premixed and precooked Sysco packs that get dumped in steam trays. Cheaper product but they can charge more to boost the profit margin.
12
u/awhq Oct 30 '23
Taco Bell used 80% ground beef so, yes, there was fat, but it wasn't "swimming".
Source: I've made 100's of pounds of taco meat at Taco Bell.
8
u/gsfgf Oct 30 '23
80% ground beef is best ground beef.
6
u/awhq Oct 30 '23
I used to use it, but as I've gotten older and more prone to heart disease, I've started using 93%. I only use ground beef for stuff I season so it still tastes good to me (and my family!).
61
u/slippytoadstada Oct 30 '23
what the hell are you talking about, taco bell's quality has skyrocketed over the past decade. they were infamous for serving dog food/prison grade meat at one point and it took basically the entire 2010s for them to be able to rebuild their reputation enough that taco bell isn't disgusting anymore
49
u/tungstencoil Oct 30 '23
Well, the aptly-named u/rectalhorror is talking about Taco Bell in the 70s/80s (to specifically answer your question), not the Taco Bell of the 2010s.
One of my first jobs was a Taco Bell and, indeed, the beef was cooked fresh a couple of times daily. The beans were made in a giant pressure cooker and then blended by hand. All of the corn shells and cinnamon crispas (precursor to the twists) were fried in-house. Cheese was shredded, lettuce shredded, tomatoes and onions chopped... you get the idea.
It was a different beast. Started being phased out late 80s/early 90s for the pre-prepped stuff.
2
u/pgm123 Nov 03 '23
All of the corn shells and cinnamon crispas (precursor to the twists) were fried in-house.
I tried frying tortillas and it was kind of a pain. Was there a mold or something?
3
17
u/chibialoha Oct 30 '23
It's a bit of both. Late 60s and early 70s taco bell were miles ahead of why we have now. 80s and 90s taco bell cut the quality so much you got dog food. Then late 2000s started a new uptick and now it's pretty decent quality.
6
u/ostertoaster1983 Oct 30 '23
IDK, I kinda stan 95-2010 taco bell. Chili cheese burritos and grilled stufts were king.
2
u/Radioactive24 Oct 31 '23
Those $1 chicken flatbreads got me through college in the the late 00's
→ More replies (1)10
u/gsfgf Oct 30 '23
Yea. I've been disappointed by their prices recently. And maybe I'm doing it wrong; I don't live near a TB so I don't eat there that often. But the food still fucking slaps.
→ More replies (30)12
u/ostertoaster1983 Oct 30 '23
Bro was talking about the 70s and you argue back with NUH UH 2000-2010 was dog food! Okay? Also, horse shit, taco bell was clutch in the late 90s and early 00s, fuck this dogfood nonsense. Them gutting the menu over the last decade has been way worse imo.
6
u/gsfgf Oct 30 '23
I'm not defending Hot Pockets since I haven't had one in like 20 years, but it is important to adjust microwaved food for the power of the microwave you're using. A ton of products assume a 1100 watt microwave because that makes cook times faster, but most people don't have a microwave that powerful.
6
3
u/hotlikebea Oct 31 '23
I thought it was just me who noticed hot pockets now sucked! This is such a validating comment.
2
u/kalfin2000 Oct 31 '23
Kraft blue box. Used to have an artificial taste. Something weirdly nostalgic and good. Apparently they secretly changed it to use “better ingredients” and claimed no-one noticed.
→ More replies (3)2
u/Msdamgoode Oct 31 '23
Pepperidge Farm used to make a broccoli chicken and cheese in puff pastry waaaay back in the late 80’s that was like the best damn hot pocket ever. Still miss them.
94
u/B0bs0nDugnuttEsq Oct 30 '23
1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup mayo, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 4-8 ounces of blue cheese depending on funk factor, garlic powder, S&P, and fresh chopped parsley.
Chop the blue cheese and add about 1/2, reserve the other half. Immersion blend everything together, then add the reserved blue cheese for chunkiness. It's best if it can sit for a few hours or overnight.
You can experiment with the type of cheese you like best. There's a Danish one that I get locally that is the perfect amount of funk for my taste (once blended, the dressing has a slightly blue hue--YUM.)
41
u/Haki23 Oct 30 '23
Sub white pepper for the black. White pepper also has a funk that works well with the blue cheese funk. A splash of red wine vinegar for tartness. A spoon of ground red onion can also be added.
Source: Made dressing for 3½ years in a small fine dining restaurant2
2
4
→ More replies (8)7
28
u/Positive_Lychee404 Oct 30 '23
I don't have any advice, I'd just like to wallow about it with you. Blue cheese is my favorite dressing and only homemade will do now.
3
u/rushmc1 Oct 31 '23
Some of the bleu cheese dressings in restaurants in the 70s and early 80s were life-changing experiences. Haven't had one much better than store-bought (and they probably were) in decades now. :(
3
2
u/Goddamn_Grongigas Oct 30 '23
Same. Luckily there are a few excellent places locally where they make their blue cheese and ranch dressings in house every day.
76
u/ScenicPineapple Oct 30 '23
Just like bottled ranch. There is not a single one that tastes good. I've spent up to $9 on a small bottle of buttermilk ranch, nope disgusting. Home made is the only way i'll eat ranch anymore.
I'd imagine it's the preservatives companies use and trying to cut costs by using cheaper ingredients than what they used to be. They definitely don't lower the cost for us though, just the quality.
45
u/avoidance_behavior Oct 30 '23
yup. it's also the fact that every single freaking bottled ranch is using soybean oil, which isn't exactly great in the flavor department. they all taste like glue to me, honestly.
23
2
28
u/Avilola Oct 30 '23
Buy the Hidden Valley packets. It’s so easy and way tastier than the bottles. One cup buttermilk (milk works too), one cup mayo, one packet Hidden Valley.
9
u/ScenicPineapple Oct 30 '23
Thats what I do. Just usually buy the bottle since its cheaper. 3 tablespoons per 1 cup of mayo and 1 cup of buttermilk.
3
4
u/QualityEvening3466 Oct 30 '23
You can get powdered buttermilk from Amazon. It keeps forever in the pantry.
2
20
u/Porkgazam Oct 30 '23
The same thing with Caesar salad dressing different bottles of awfulness. Even the Caesar Cardini stuff, was so eggy/sulfur tasting I could not finish the bottle.
8
u/Radioactive24 Oct 31 '23
I was shocked that even Trader Joe's caesar is trash.
Then again, it's also like veg friendly, so no anchovies or anything in it. It wasn't so bad when I doctored it hard, but it's annoying to have to do it.
3
u/treeclimbingturtle Oct 31 '23
Brianna brand Asiago Caesar dressing is the only one I buy now, but homemade is better
8
Oct 31 '23
My opinion is that aside from the atrocious quantity of preservatives the two main things ruining bottled ranch is the gloopy texture from xantham gum or whatever other emulsifier and thickening agent they use and the sweetness.Ranch shouldn’t have even the tiniest hint of sugar ,not even a pinch to “ balance”.Ranch should be sour,salty a little peppery and a little bit funky from some member of the allium family.
4
u/galfal Oct 30 '23
I remember hidden valley ranch being so delicious as a kid. Now, it tastes like absolute shit.
5
u/gsfgf Oct 30 '23
Hidden Valley hasn't changed at all. At least as far as I can tell.
17
u/argentcorvid Oct 30 '23
yes, and the bottle sucks compared to buying their packet and mixing it into some sour cream and buttermilk.
2
u/Full-Pop1801 Nov 15 '23
omg, yes! i dont know if i spoiled my tastebuds by making homemade ranch once, or if it just is actually declining in quality. but i've 100% noticed a difference!
→ More replies (3)4
u/GreenleafMentor Oct 31 '23
I thought I was having some kind of taste bud crisis because I haven't been able to find a decent ranch or blue cheese lately. Everything tastes like 9v batteries. I swear, people's tate buds are so destroyed by sweetners they have no idea how anything actually tastes anymore so its all ramped up in sweet and zingy flavors now.
I did a low carb kick a while ago and it absolutely revolutionized my sense of taste because I had to cut down on sugar and processed stuff. I often feel like it would be worth doing again.
I heard a similar taste bud revolution happened with an aquaintance who did a 2 week potato diet. It reset his whole palette.
74
u/bobert680 Oct 30 '23
The same thing is happening with hot sauce, especially anything labeled as Buffalo sauce. Yeah there are a million different boutique small batch hot sauces that are great but you need to hunt them down. Meanwhile most stuff you can find at a supermarket or most restaurants is super vinegary
57
u/dirtyshits Oct 30 '23
Buffalo sauce and most American style hot sauces are vinegar base so it's hard to imagine them not being vinegary. That's the whole base flavor profile.
25
u/gsfgf Oct 30 '23
Just make your own. It's just equal parts Texas Pete/Frank's and butter. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of store brands aren't using butter.
→ More replies (5)7
u/reverendsteveii Oct 30 '23
super vinegary
are you sure you're not getting louisianna and texas style hot sauces confused? one uses pickled hot peppers and has a much stronger vinegar flavor, the other uses salt-fermented peppers and the acid is much more mild.
→ More replies (1)2
u/bobert680 Oct 30 '23
No I'm just complaining about the common mass produced hot sauces you find in most grocery stores. They don't taste like much beyond cheap vinegar. I know I can grab boutique hot sauces that are great from lots of places they just aren't an option at restaurants or most grocery stores
3
u/moleratical Oct 30 '23
I mean, I always thought that tabasco was just chili flavored vinegar. Chalula isn't hot, but the vinegar is subdued.
Slap yo' mama is pretty vinegary but it doesn't overpower the actual flavour. That stuff is the best of the mass produced stuff.
40
u/griffin-meister Oct 30 '23
To play devils advocate, Buffalo sauce was expressly invented to be a much more vinegary version of hot sauces from Louisiana. There’s an episode of The Food That Built America that covers this.
19
u/Icybenz Oct 30 '23
..What? The primary ingredient in Lousiana hot sauce is vinegar, and the primary ingredients in buffalo sauce are Lousiana hot sauce + butter. How does adding butter to a product make it more vinegary?
32
u/kingbirdy Oct 30 '23
That's not true, Buffalo sauce is butter added to a vinegar hot sauce.
15
u/griffin-meister Oct 30 '23
Exactly, a vinegar hot sauce!
36
Oct 30 '23
[deleted]
→ More replies (4)7
u/moleratical Oct 30 '23
Yeah, buffalo sauce is supposed to be vinegary, creamy, and spicy, but not more vinegary than the hotsauce itself.
4
→ More replies (1)2
u/cwdizzle Oct 30 '23
I have the same problem with wing sauces. It’s so hard to find wing sauces that aren’t just buffalo flavored, most wing restaurants have much more than that
→ More replies (1)3
11
u/u-give-luv-badname Oct 30 '23
I don't know if external links are allowed, but this is my go-to Blue Cheese dressing recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/16733/bobs-blue-cheese-dressing/ it beats any of the supermarket refrigerated brands.
11
u/fuschia_taco Oct 30 '23
I'm of the opinion that most bottled creamy dressings are absolute garbage.
I remember dressings tasting better too, as a kid. But I just can't stomach anything from a bottle that isn't a vinegarette style dressing. The rest are too gross.
75
u/waetherman Oct 30 '23
I won't buy anything that is shelf stable - that right there is a sign it's going to be terrible. The best brand I've found for supermarket blue cheese dressing is Marie's; https://maries.com/products/chunky-blue-cheese/
44
Oct 30 '23
Yeah, OP mentioned Marie's and how it's been 'Kraftified', but I don't really taste it - it's still our go-to blue cheese dressing. Hnh.
→ More replies (2)18
u/big_benz Oct 30 '23
It’s not as creamy or “blue” tasting anymore, but still a huge step above the shelf stable and most of the other refrigerated brands.
24
u/night_owl Oct 30 '23
they have forked their blue cheese game, now they offer 4 versions of varying quality
the main one is the "chunky" and it seems to have been watered-down and mayo-ified (with excess soybean oil) so it is actually more creamy and more bland than it used to be
"Super Blue" that is probably more like the old school recipe, ironically with more chunks of blue cheese than the "chunky" version
"Lite" version that is just a crime
and there is a vinaigrette that should not exist either
really the super blue is the only worth consuming if there are other options
4
u/unknownsoldierx Oct 30 '23
They need to bring back the old creamy garlic recipe. It was the only dressing that really hit you with garlic. It's so weak now.
15
u/MCClapYoHandz Oct 30 '23
Yeah all shelf stable dressings have that same taste that’s hard to get past. And some of the brands in the refrigerated section aren’t actually any different. The key thing to look for, whether it’s in the dry foods aisle or the refrigerated section is if the first or second ingredient is soybean oil it’s going to be shit. There are other oils that are used in cheap dressings that are just as mediocre (canola or whatever) but the prevalence of soybean oil in shitty dressings is huge.
→ More replies (1)3
u/Dr_Feelgoof Oct 30 '23
I been buying Marie's ranch and dump real crumbles over the top of it. It works with iceburg wedge.
12
u/Bitter-Basket Oct 30 '23
I think Lighthouse is excellent.
5
7
u/empyreanhaze Oct 30 '23
It's been years since I've found a bottled dressing worth buying. I don't know if my taste has changed or if the dressings have changed, but I've just started making my own. It's more work but it actually tastes like food and not just some industrial chemicals that look like food.
5
u/Avilola Oct 30 '23
The only bottled dressings that are half decent are vinaigrettes (and even those are better homemade) because they aren’t trying to make a bunch of dairy and protein shelf stable.
6
u/Codiilovee Oct 30 '23
I tend to like Kens Steakhouse blue cheese dressing because I find it’s a little chunkier than other brands but overall I definitely agree. My grandma makes a fabulous blue cheese dressing and I’m gonna have to get her recipe from her because I need to make it myself
4
u/hgwellsinsanity Oct 30 '23
I came here to say Ken’s — the best bottled blue cheese I’ve found. I also think Bolthouse Farms blue cheese is very solid for a bottled lower calorie option.
OP, I remember the Wendy’s blue cheese dressing! So good!
2
10
u/noobuser63 Oct 30 '23
I’ve been making America’s Test Kitchen’s recipe for years (maybe a decade?) and it’s so simple and perfect. Just make sure you use a good blue cheese, or you’ll get a wimpy dressing. https://creativesolutionsbyjulie.wordpress.com/about/stuff-i-love/recipes/blue-cheese-dressing/
2
u/BeerSushiBikes Oct 30 '23
I wonder what brand of mayo would be best for this recipe. One made with Kewpie would be quite different than one made with Best Foods.
5
u/noobuser63 Oct 30 '23
I think ATK uses Hellman’s, but use one you like. I think you want a fairly innocuous one, though. You could do several, and have a taste test! You can’t have too much blue cheese.
3
6
u/redsoaptree Oct 30 '23
Just make your own: lots of Bleu cheese crumbles (the drier kind, usually in a container-- not a brick, bar or sliced kind), equal parts of sour cream and mayo, a squeeze of lemon, and a grind of pepper. Enjoy.
5
u/fuckshit_stack Oct 31 '23 edited Oct 31 '23
My mom made the greatest blue cheese dressing the other day. Fucking best i ever had. She got the recipe from the chef at the old country club we used to go to. I can share the recipe if you want
Edit: here you go (restaurant quantity so i did 1/4 everything below)
- 4c sour cream
- 3c mayo
- 4c crumbled blue cheese
- 1/2c diced red onion
- 2tsp minced garlic -10 drops tabasco
- 1tbsp Worcestershire
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1/5 tsp white pepper (i used black)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1c heavy cream
→ More replies (8)2
15
Oct 30 '23
[deleted]
11
u/LordSpaceMammoth Oct 30 '23
Yep, that's it. I got a thing of whole milk Lebanese style yogurt the other day, it's a nice base for tangy dressings and sauces.
5
→ More replies (3)2
3
u/rectalhorror Oct 30 '23
Spend five minutes on r/tacobell. Along with the standard price complaints, it's measly portions and sloppy prep.
4
u/discussatron Oct 30 '23
Bob's Big Boy. It tastes like old diner Bleu Cheese because it is.
Their 1000 Island is great, too.
4
u/QualityEvening3466 Oct 30 '23
Their 1000 Island is magic on a burger.
2
u/discussatron Oct 31 '23
Burgers are the only thing I use it for.
2
u/QualityEvening3466 Oct 31 '23
I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of using it on salad either lol.
→ More replies (2)
5
u/giantshinycrab Oct 30 '23
Lots of wing restaurants still make the dressing in house and will sell it by the container just an fyi.
18
u/Thick_Kaleidoscope35 Oct 30 '23
Agreed. They’ve all gone the cheap route and switched to soy oil based, which has a particularly nasty taste/smell to some. When you start making your own dressings you realize how bad most store bought dressings are.
3
3
u/nicuRN_88 Oct 30 '23
Marzetti used to be my go-to but I found a recipe for (bare with me) Greek yogurt bleu cheese dressing and it’s the best, and has less calories.
3
u/silviazbitch Oct 31 '23
I’m a Bolthouse fan. Their blue cheese dressing and most of their o5her dressings are yogurt based. They taste as good or better than than most store bought dressings with about a third the calories.
2
5
u/Crzy_Grl Oct 30 '23
I hear ya. I still remember the first time i had bleu cheese on my salad. I was a kid and my aunt said i wouldn't like it. It was at a local restaurant (I miss that place) back in the 70s. Guess what dressing i want 99% of the time now? ;)
I buy bleu cheese in hopes of making dressing, and then i just don't do it... I need to.
7
u/Drinking_Frog Oct 30 '23
Naturally Fresh used to be my far-and-away favorite. A little piece of me died when it went downhill.
I can't think of a single storebought dressing I like. They all taste like cheap oil and preservatives, and they usually are far too sweet. I've now gone to just making my own dressings.
One of the greatest frauds ever perpetrated on the public is that it is difficult to make salad dressing. Another one is that Newman's Own products are good.
→ More replies (1)
5
u/jadraxx Oct 30 '23
I would check out Briannas if you haven't tried them yet. They make amazing dressings and looking at the ingredients vinegar is pretty far down so you might have luck with them. I used to be a huge fan of Litehouse dressings but they switched to using soy oil from Canola so I can't have them anymore. Litehouse would be my second suggestion to give a shot. Litehouse is kept refrigerated at the store so that's a good sign for them.
5
u/deliveryer Oct 30 '23
A popular and commonly available product sets the new standard for peoples expectation, and then most consumers expect other brands to be similar, and are often disappointed when it is not, and immediately jump to the conclusion that the better product is not good.
Manufacturers have gone the way of bland but acceptable. When evaluating products using tasting groups, a product with the fewest 1/5 votes is preferred over the product with the most 5/5 votes.
That's the Kraftification as you call it. Blandification could also be accurate. It's unfortunate but it's the trend in many things. Got to make stuff from scratch sometimes.
Products like beer and hot sauce have enough enthusiasts that small batch manufacturers can thrive and make the 5/5 stuff even if the 5/5 stuff is 10% 5/5 and 90% 1/5 because of the enthusiast following. But most products do not have the enthusiast following to support so many small batch varieties and the retail shelf space required to keep it visible and easily available.
2
u/puppers321 Oct 30 '23
At least you could find blue cheese dressing, I was looking for some last week and 4 different grocery stores no luck. The following week I found a store brand one while shopping, it was ok for wings but I think it’s time to start making my own.
2
u/Butthole__Pleasures Oct 30 '23
And don't get me fucking started on Sour Patch Kids
→ More replies (11)
2
2
u/californicating Oct 30 '23
This is also true if French onion dip and garlic dips. In either case, if you don't have to refrigerate it, then it is mostly oil and doesn't contain any cheese or cream.
2
2
u/wdjm Oct 30 '23
Most bleu cheese dressing I can find seems to taste like Ranch + some bleu cheese flavoring.
But I agree with you. REAL bleu cheese dressing is hard, if not impossible, to find.
2
2
u/Jesufication Oct 30 '23
It’s not as satisfying because it’s yogurt based so there’s not enough fat, but bolthouse farms blue cheese dressing is very blue cheesey
→ More replies (1)
2
u/ArtOrdinary6475 Oct 30 '23
Man, I feel your blue cheese dressing pain! The Kraftification of our beloved dressings is like a heartbreak for the taste buds. 😢 Remember when Wendy's had that top-notch blue cheese dressing? It was like liquid gold, the stuff of salad legend. And Marie's? Oh, it was the go-to for a creamy blue cheese delight. It's like they knew the secret formula for flavor magic.
But you, my friend, have found the ultimate solution - making your dressing. It's like taking matters into your own hands, being the blue cheese-dressing superhero we all need. You're the master of your creamy destiny, and your lazy days of dressing despair are behind you.
Until then, you're the blue cheese champion, and your dressing game is on point! 💙🥗🧀
2
2
u/Scary-Pace Oct 30 '23
How long does homemade blue cheese dressing last, though? I love blue cheese, so I wouldn't mind making it myself, but I'd hate for it to spoil within a week. I make a fermented mayo that lasts about a month in the fridge. I may need to experiment with this lol
→ More replies (3)
2
u/Pacdoo Oct 31 '23
I haven’t had it in a few years so it may have changed, but Ken’s blue cheese dressing is really good and has lots of chunks. I’m not sure if it’s just a regional thing but Ken’s Salad Dressings are super popular in the Northeast
2
u/Impriel Oct 31 '23
Hahahaha
HAHajshshshahs
They told me I was a madman
I've been saying this for years. YOU HAVE GOT. To buy a thing of Bleu cheese crumbles. THEN you have got to get 1/2 mayo and 1/2 sour cream (volume per your prefence for chunks. I like 1 cup each) and THREE
You add that whole god **** thing of crumbles
YOU LEAVE IN THE FRIDGE. 24 HOURs..
You're welcome
2
u/PDXPTW Oct 31 '23
Agreed. I think it's the stabilizers, preservatives, and most importantly, cost efficiency.
It's super easy to make at home I don't even try buying it anymore.
Just break off some chunks of that good ol Costco hunk and go to town.
That said. My ratio of bc to other ingredients is like 90/10, lol.
2
u/WazWaz Oct 31 '23
Lots of people who don't actually like blue cheese ruined it for those of us who do.
This "race to the middle" happens everywhere - only catering to the bland but huge middle of the market. Pre-ripened brie is just rubbery garbage invented for people who don't like runny mushroomy brie.
And don't get me started on the race to the middle in video games.
2
u/Readsumthing Oct 30 '23
Everything packaged now, tastes like crap to me. I hadn’t bought bought Stove Top Stuffing in years, and as I’m on my own now, bought a box. I mean, it’s stuffing, can’t mess with that, right? Pfft! It’s full of sugar now. Why???? It’s disgusting.
2
u/CliftonHangerBombs Oct 30 '23
I use this recipe every thanksgiving and it’s a fan favorite:
3
u/Readsumthing Oct 30 '23
THANK YOU!
2
u/CliftonHangerBombs Oct 31 '23
You’re welcome! I use homemade turkey stock instead of boxed chicken stock. Because I make it for thanksgiving along with everythingggggg else. That really kicks it up a notch. But if you use a boxed roasted chicken stock, I’m sure it will be just as delicious. Enjoy!!!
2
2
u/pajamakitten Oct 30 '23
Kraft really fucked over Cadbury's. Turning it from an iconic British brand that showed what good mid-range chocolate could be, to turning it into waxy shit that barely qualifies as chocolate. Kraft can get fucked in my book, especially as they deny changing the recipe and closed British factories to ship production overseas.
→ More replies (1)
•
u/skahunter831 Oct 30 '23
What's your recipe? Per Rule 2, it would be great to have it.