How to Make Mince Beef Lettuce Wraps
Before using flour tortillas as a wrap for mince meat dishes, consider wrapping the meat in iceberg lettuce leaves. The crispness of iceberg lettuce gives meals plenty of texture when using the lettuce as a bread substitute. Iceberg lettuce has several health benefits, which makes mince meat lettuce wraps a healthy meal choice. The lettuce wraps require very little preparation, and you can make them in less than 30 minutes. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- 1 pound ground beef
- Potato masher
- 1/4 tsp. cumin
- 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- Colander
- 8 large iceberg lettuce leaves
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Paper towels
- Serving tray
Instructions
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1
Place 1 pound of ground beef in a skillet. Set the stove-top temperature to medium high.
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2
Brown the beef until it is no longer pink. Use a potato masher to mince the ground beef while it is cooking. Remove the mince ground beef from the stove top and strain it in a colander.
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3
Add cumin, minced onions, soy sauce, salt and ground black pepper to ground beef. Mix the seasoning ingredients into the ground beef.
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4
Simmer the beef for 10 minutes. Continue to stir the mince ground beef.
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5
Prepare the lettuce. Remove the iceberg lettuce leaves carefully. Once you have eight large lettuce leaves, rinse them under warm water to remove dirt and debris. Pat leaves dry with paper towels, and place them on a serving tray.
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Allow the mince ground beef to cool for 10 minutes. This will prevent the lettuce leaves from wilting and becoming too soggy.
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Lay a lettuce leaf lengthwise. Spoon out the ground beef onto the middle of one lettuce wrap, leaving room on the sides, top and bottom of the lettuce. Too much beef will cause the lettuce to rip. Add 4 to 6 tablespoons of ground beef.
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8
Sprinkle the desired amount of cheddar cheese over the ground beef.
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9
Starting from the top end of the lettuce, begin rolling the wraps. Take one end of the lettuce and roll it down and toward the mince beef. Continue rolling the wrap until all the beef and cheese stays inside the lettuce wrap.
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10
Secure the lettuce wrap. Place water on the bottom of the lettuce leaf, and seal the wrap like you would a rolled cigarette. You can also place a toothpick through the lettuce leaf to ensure that the wrap stays secure.
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Serve the wraps while they are still warm. Store the leftover beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for two to three days or in the freezer for up to six months.
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Tips & Warnings
Try other large lettuce leaves, such as romaine, when making these mince beef lettuce wraps.
Add rice to the ground beef for additional texture.
Wash your hands before and after handling the ground beef.
