In some Midwest diners, ranch comes standard with every meal, even steak. It's less about the meat and more about the creamy texture cutting through a charred outside. I knew a guy who would only eat well-done steak drowned in ranch, saying it reminded him of school cafeteria food. That might be Dan's deal, a nostalgic fix for overcooked beef. Ranch can mask a lot of sins, like a cheap cut or a heavy hand with the salt. So maybe it's not weird, just a very specific way to deal with bad cooking.