Killed Lettuce
Quick answer
- Total time
- 20 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 7
About this dish
Hot bacon fat poured over leaf lettuce wilts it on contact, and that wilting gives this Appalachian salad its 'killed' name, the opposite of a crisp, cold wedge.
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Cider vinegar goes on the leaves first, then the fat a spoonful at a time. Bacon renders different amounts, and the pouring stops once the leaves look lightly glossy. Any water left on the lettuce makes the fat spatter and dilutes the flavor. Served right away, the leaves slump a little while the stems still have some bite.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Wash and thoroughly dry the lettuce with a spinner or clean towel.
Tear into bite-size pieces in a large heatproof bowl. Thinly slice the radishes and snip the chives.
- 2
Cook the bacon in a single layer over medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the fat has rendered and both sides are crisp.
Transfer the bacon to paper, keeping the drippings in the pan.
- 3
Toss the lettuce with the radishes, chives and vinegar.
Break the bacon into small pieces.
- 4
Drizzle the hot drippings over the leaves a tablespoon at a time, tossing promptly with tongs.
Use up to 4 tablespoons, just enough to coat the leaves lightly. Add bacon, salt and pepper and serve at once.
References checked
These references were consulted when this page was prepared or corrected. A source check does not mean the recipe was independently kitchen-tested.
- Killed Lettuce with Bacon and Radishes
Brooklyn Supper, Elizabeth Stark · Checked: 2026-09-26
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