Is there an easier way to clean lettuce?
Question:I grew my own for the first time. Mostly loose leaf lettuce instead of head lettuce, and although we are truely injoying home grown I have found it a pain to wash and dry it.
I put it in a sink of cold water and rinse of all the dirt/sand (I used alot of sand mixed into to the top 2 inches of my garden soil for the lettuce area) then lay it on a towel and blot with another towel. ANYONE KNOW AN EASIER WAY???
Thanks in advance! <3
Answers:
Definitely! The sink full of cold water is a good step...I wouldn't omit that. Submersing greens in water is really the only way to get all the grit out. Instead of laying it out on a towel, pile it all into a cotton pillowcase. Then you have two options: one: go outside and swing it around and around and around for a minute or so, or until the lettuce is as dry as you like it, or two: but the pillowcase in your washing machine on the "spin" cycle (if you turn the dial to spin, it shouldn't fill up with water) and let the washing machine to the spinning for you! I use both of these techniques regularly (I also grow my own lettuce), and you get very clean, very dry end products. And swinging the pillowcase yourself is a good outlet for anxious energy. :) Good luck!
The way I clean it, and you might try it!
I have a waterhose with a changeable head on the nozzle, you know, like, mist, stream, fan, gush, shower etc, etc.
I just spread the lettuce out on an old window screen, but you can use any type that will suffice, and use the "shower" setting first, and then the "mist" setting second to wash it, the fine mist will take all of the little particles of sand out invariably, and the shower setting, will take the bulk of it when used before the mist!
Hope this helps!
I soak mine in cold salt water (to kill the bugs.) then I put it in a salad spinner, rinse it & spin it dry. before I bought a salad spinner, I just put the lettuce in the center of a t-towel, gathered up the edges then took it outside & swung it around
After the cold water bath and rinse..buy a salad spinner and rinse and spin a couple times after that...heres a link of what one looks like..but dont pay out 25 bucks for one..walmart ya can get one for 7 to 10 bucks
Get a large bowl, put the lettuce in it. Add water so that it just about covers the lettuce. Pretend your lettuce is delicate hand washables, and turn and fluff it in the water, thoroughly but gently. When done, drain it, put it in the dishstrainer for a half hour, or run it through a salad spinner.
A cold water bath first and then into the salad spinner. Works well.
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