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sizzling beef lettuce wraps
Lettuce belongs in more than just salad! This hands-on meal is packed with tender beef, tangy pickles, fresh herbs, spicy sauce, and—of course—crunchy lettuce.
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Prepare Ingredients
Gather Cooking Equipment
In small bowl, combine mayonnaise and sriracha. Use spoon to stir until well combined; set aside.
In second small bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and oil; set aside.
In medium bowl, combine beef, water, and baking soda. Use wooden spoon to mix until well combined. Let beef sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.
Add beef mixture to 12-inch nonstick skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes.
Carefully add soy sauce mixture to skillet (sauce will bubble up) and stir to combine (ask an adult for help). Cook until most of liquid evaporates, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off heat. Carefully transfer beef to 1 side of serving platter (ask an adult for help). Arrange lettuce leaves on other side of platter.
Place pickled cucumbers, cilantro, and scallions in individual serving bowls. To serve, fill lettuce leaves with beef mixture and top with pickled cucumbers, cilantro, scallions, and sriracha mayonnaise.
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Food for Thought
"Lettuce" Talk About Bibb Lettuce
The tender, naturally curved leaves of Bibb lettuce, also known as Boston lettuce or butter lettuce, are perfect for holding the fillings in these lettuce wraps. But did you know that your Bibb lettuce might have been grown using some cutting-edge techniques?
Bibb lettuce can grow in soil, like most plants. But there’s another way that farmers sometimes grow lettuce: hydroponically (“hi-druh-PAH-nick-ly”). That means the lettuce grows in water instead of soil (“hydro” means water). If your head of Bibb lettuce still has its roots attached when you buy it, it was probably grown hydroponically. Hydroponic lettuce usually grows indoors, sometimes in greenhouses and sometimes in big buildings such as warehouses. Farmers add nutrients for the lettuce directly to the water. There are some advantages to growing lettuce hydroponically: Farmers don’t have to worry about weeds and there are fewer pests and plant diseases that could damage the crops. Plus, hydroponic lettuce tastes the same as lettuce grown in soil, and it’s just as nutritious!
