Heaven on Earth

Heaven on Earth

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Ranch Rolls

My Dad is turning 80 this week and the extended family is going to Maddox Ranch House to celebrate.  Your eyes are not playing tricks on you; this is not a birthday cake.  It is a roll, specifically a roll like the ones they make at Maddox Ranch House, a Utah icon.  

My Mom and Dad married in September on my maternal Grandfather's birthday and we always celebrated both occasions at Maddox, which was located halfway between our homes.  Mr. Maddox raised beef in a pasture out back and ran a butcher shop off to the side of the restaurant.  When our family visited for Grandpa's birthday, Wilma Maddox (the hostess) alerted Irv in the butcher shop that Orval had arrived.  Just as we were finishing up dinner, Irv would come out in his whites (minus the butcher apron) with Wilma,  bearing one perfect slice of house-made fresh peach pie from local peaches, whereupon a chorus of wait-staff would sing "Happy Birthday".  Grandpa and Irv were old friends from way back and Grandpa and Grandma would never think of going anywhere else for a special occasion.

The restaurant is still run by younger generations of the Maddox family and still serves steaks (now purchased from a local rancher), fried chicken, and house made pies and rolls.  The food is not upscale or gourmet; it's stick-to-your-ribs country fare and the menu hasn't changed much in 70 years.  When Wilma and Irv opened Maddox in this out of the way spot, they built a small log cabin on skids, just in case they had to move it into town.  It still stands in the same spot 70 or so years later, the original cabin being added onto many, many times.



The food is good (especially the steaks), but it's the rolls that that my family loves.  The wait staff brings them out in baskets and they just keep coming, and coming, as long as you want more.  Light and fluffy; just look at the crumb.  Slather them with honey or raspberry butter like they serve at Maddox. 
If you can't get to Maddox Ranch House, these rolls are the next best thing to being there.

Maddox Ranch House Rolls
2 Tablespoons of yeast (not rapid rise)
1/2 cup of warm water
1 1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup (or 4 ounces) of  butter
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
3 large eggs
5 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the milk and salt.  Scald but do not boil.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

In a measuring cup, mix the yeast and warm water.  Add a pinch of sugar from the 1/2 cup measure and stir.  Let the yeast sit and proof for a few minutes (to be sure your yeast is active.  Mine WAS VERY ACTIVE).
In a large bowl, mix the yeast mixture, eggs, sugar, milk mixture and flour just until blended and no lumps of flour remain.  Do not overmix.  The dough will be sticky and very loose.
Let the batter/dough raise until double (about 90 minutes).  Mine took only 50 minutes to double in size;  I live at high altitude so my dough raises quickly.  
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Spoon it into greased muffin tins and let it raise again until doubled in size. 
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown.
Cool on a wire rack.  Serve with honey or raspberry butter.
This recipe makes about 30 dinner sized rolls.

29 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh, I can almost smell the yeast! Raspberry butter sounds amazing!

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  2. Oh my goodness Bonnie they look to die for! I pinned it this very moment. And it makes enough for the entire family if we are all together. I just gave some unofficial awards on my blog. For some reason I thought you had more than 200 followers. So here is to you Bonnie one of my favorite bloggy friends an unofficial Liebster award, because I did not follow the rules! I may just go back and revise my post!

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  3. These look so delicious Bonnie! I'm adding this recipe to my list of ones to try. I bet they would be delicious for breakfast with some coffee. : )

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  4. The rolls are always my favorite too! Happy Birthday to you dad!

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  5. What fabulous rolls! I can smell the baking yeast rolls just looking at your pics! Pass me the butter!

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  6. Yum yum yum! And the raspberry butter? OMG -- delicious!
    Thanks for linking up to Friday Potluck.

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  7. Wow... what a great post! You sold me on making this recipe. It looks amazing.

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  8. Just made out bi-yearly sojurn to Maddox last month on the way to Idaho. My family loves these rolls so I can't wait to recreate them.

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  9. Hi Debra, So good to hear from you. I hope you like this recipe.

    Thanks everyone,
    for all of your comments.

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  10. Those are beautiful! I can't wait to try them. I love learning about your grandparents and family's tradition!

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  11. What a wonderful story! I have been to Maddox several times. Love the rolls and the pies are one of the few in the state that are like home made. I have never heard about the cabin on wheels! and I've never seen this recipe in print, I'm going to try it soon. Thanks Bonnie!

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  12. How do you make raspberry butter?

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  13. I Love Maddox! My favorite is the skinless fried chicken, shrimp coctail appetizer and the raspberry sour cream pie. Ooh la la! Happy Birthday to me, I think I will take a trip South next month!

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  14. Um, is it just me, or is there no where in the recipe that says to use the milk and butter mixture? I assume I'm supposed to put it in when I mix the yeast mixture, eggs, etc. together? Hope so, because that's what I'm going to do.

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  15. Heather, Thanks for pointing out the omission in the recipe. You are exactly right in assuming you put the milk and egg mixture in with all of the other ingredients before mixing. I have added that instruction.

    Thanks again.

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  16. Amazing, I'm so happy to have found this recipe. I grew up in Brigham City and now live in Southern California, you just made my whole month, thank you!

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  17. How many rolls does this recipe yield? Did I miss that somewhere in your recipe?

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  18. To my last reader who commented:

    The yield is posted just above the last photo. Sorry it wasn't obvious. My recipe made about 30 dinner rolls but you could mound the dough higher and you wouldn't get quite as many but they would be larger. It just depends on how large you want your portion size to be.

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  19. I made these, and everyone had a consensus that they tasted like yeast. Are you sure it is 2 Tbsp of yeast, not 2 tsp or 1 Tbsp. I love Maddox rolls, and would love to be able to copy them.

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  20. The recipe definitely calls for 2 Tabs. of yeast. We did not have a problem with them tasting like yeast (other than most rolls taste) so I am not sure why this happened to you. You might want to try decreasing your yeast and see if they will raise and if you like them.

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  21. Oh heavenly! Just made these. I have never made rolls before (I don't even own a Kitchenaid!). I did have to start over because the packets of yeast I used were only 1 tablespoon and I didn't measure first, so my yeast didn't poof up. And then I was too impatient to let them fully rise a second time - ha. But they rose in the oven and taste heavenly. Thank you!!!! My raspberry butter, however, separated and didn't look great, but tasted fine. Maybe I didn't whip it enough. I had to use my cheapy hand mixer. Love this recipe - so easy, even for a non-baker :)

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  22. Could you post the recipe for raspberry butter??? I love that!

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  23. Hi when you say not rapid rise yeast will active dry yeast work? or instant yeast work? Sorry I have no idea about different kind of yeast. Is fresh yeast what you are referring to? Is there an equivalent with instant yeast?

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  24. When you say not rapid rise yeast, will active dry yeast or instant yeast work? Sorry I'm not that familiar with using yeast. If active dry yeast is okay do i need to use fewer? Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. Use regular not rapid rise. Rapid rise has more yeast cells making the dough rise faster. It tastes different and the texture is affected. Use instant dry.

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  25. please tell me you have the corn pone recipe from Maddox!

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  26. These rolls are making me drool. I will definitely be pinning them to make. It was so wonderful to hear about your family traditions. It is so important in this day and age.

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  27. This is a great recipe, and even better if you stir down the dough and let the rise a second time. It just does something magical to the flavor and lightness of the dough and they are even closer to the real thing. :)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Beckie. I'll try a second rise. Mine aren't as light and fluffy as Maddox's. wish I knew their secret! Thanks for stopping by.

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