Tearing Vs. Cutting Lettuce

Lettuce can add nutrition to a deli sandwich.

Lettuce forms the foundation of most green salads. As a leafy vegetable with a neutral taste, it can add heft and nutrition to any meal without adding a significant amount of calories. Once you've washed and dried your lettuce, however, you may be faced with deciding whether to cut it with a knife or tear it by hand. The answer to this problem depends on what you plan on doing with it, and when.

Instructions

1. Cut lettuce only if you plan to use it right away. Cutting tends to split lettuce in the middle of cells, which releases acid and can cause the lettuce to brown more quickly. Use a sharp knife and cut the lettuce to the size you want it. One advantage to cutting is that it can be less laborious than tearing.

2. Cut lettuce for aesthetic purposes, depending on the dish you are preparing. If you are making tacos, for example, cut lettuce into neat strips that can be added on top of ground beef and other ingredients. Use a knife to cut lettuce if you want neat strips to garnish a sandwich platter or to put in salad rolls, as long as you serve them right away.

3. Tear lettuce for meals that you want to keep for later. Tearing lettuce tends to break it along the natural cell walls, which causes less damage and will not lead to browning as quickly. Tear lettuce into larger chunks for a salad that you want to prepare in advance. Use your hands to tear lettuce into pieces for a dish that you will bake in the oven, such as enchiladas.

References

• The Pragmatic Chef: Quick Tips - Lettuce
• University of Illinois Extension: Lettuce
• University of Arizona Cooperative Extension: Lettuce for the Cool Season