Should one cut or tear lettuce when making a salad. Especially does it matter when using homegrown lettuce?

Question

My wife is a "cutter". She says tearing lettuce bruises the leaves. I always thought "tearing" lettuce was the commonly accepted proper way to make lettuce for a salad. What is right? I am especially interested in the answer regarding homegrown organic lettuce; as perhaps the grocery store lettuce is bred to be a bit more bruise proof (my speculation)...

Answer 1

Romain or iceberg cut with a serated knife, leafy you can rip.

Answer 2

Here's what I've always thought: Cutting lettuce with a metal knife will cause the edges (where you cut) to brown before they would if you tore them. Tearing is the proper way. Although I bought a 'lettuce knife' that's made of plastic and works very well at keeping the leaves from going brown soon. I think it seems to cut through the lettuce but actually tears it. Between cutting with a metal knife or tearing, you should tear, especially if all the lettuce will not be consumed right away.

Answer 3

You can serve lettuce in many ways. You can tear the lettuce leaves leaving the stalk for the trash if you purchase the long leaf lettuce. If you purchase the "standard" lettuce that we all grew up with...iceberg...you can cut the lettuce. You can als o leave the "heart of the lettuce" for the lucky guest that can eat it with plenty of dressing. The heart of the lettuce is the core where the leaves are still folded together.
You should also check out the William Sonoma Salad book for more ideas.
Happy eating!

Answer 4

Tearing lettuce to keep it from bruising is more of a myth than fact. Ask any restaurant. If the lettuce is cold, it will not bruise nor will it lose any nutrients (another myth). The only lettuce that will bruise is bib lettuce, which is a type of leaf lettuce used to color a tossed salad for presentation. It is always best to chill you lettuce before preparing. This will keep your salad crisp for a longer period of time. Don't forget to always wash your salad before you eat the to wash away any dirt or peservatives.

Answer 5

Most salad lovers will tell you that a torn leaf lasts
longer, while a cut lettuce leaf turns brown faster.
The rationale behind this is that, when torn, the leaf
breaks along the natural boundaries between cells,
whereas a knife cuts right through cells causing
more damage and quicker browning.

Despite this theory, there doesn't really appear to be much difference in browning between the two styles.

Answer 6

Tearing lettuce leaves is better than cutting them. Cutting lettuce leaves causes bruising at the edges.

Answer 7

if your wife has to cut, have her use a plastic knife. they make salad knives made of plastic. metal knives cause it the leaves to get brown faster, in my past experience. when i worked in a restaurant, we were told to tear the lettuce. hope that helps.

Answer 8

tearing is usually better to keep the leaves from bruising and to hold some of the juices which have all the nutrients

Answer 9

If you make it right before eating either is fine. If it will sit for a while, cutting will cause it to brown on the edges.

Answer 10

im a tearer if ur gonna eat it right way its fine but if its gonna be stored cutting it ever so nicly would help it stay fresher cuz the edges would be ..........fresher