How To Store Iceberg Lettuce So It Lasts Longer

Iceberg lettuce is one of the longer-lasting varieties. Unlike delicate leaf lettuce, its sturdy, round shape with tightly wrapped leaves can last up to two weeks in the refrigerator. To make sure it lasts as long as possible, though, start by picking the right head of lettuce. Choose one with a light green base and avoid any browning around the edges of the leaves as this may indicate that the lettuce is already past its prime.

Once you've brought your iceberg lettuce home, don't wash it until you're ready to use it since surface moisture may cause it to wilt prematurely. Keep it in your fridge's crisper drawer — that's what it's there for — and set the humidity on high. (This may seem contradictory since we just told you not to let the lettuce get wet, but lettuce, like Goldilocks, needs things to be "just right.")

It's also best to keep the lettuce separate from any fruit in the fridge, as fruits may give off a gas that accelerates the ripening process for any produce in the vicinity. You should also wrap the iceberg in plastic as another layer of protection. If you're using a plastic bag (perhaps even the one it came in), blow into the bag first, then seal it with a twist tie. This may seem weird, but the carbon dioxide in human breath has the opposite effect from the ethylene released by fruit: Instead of speeding up ripening, it slows it down.

Once your iceberg starts heading south, that doesn't mean it's ready for the compost bin. If the outer leaves are brown, peel them off and discard them, then check the inside of the lettuce. Chances are, it's still perfectly fine. Even if the leaves are limp, there are still a few ways to revive them. One involves separating them from the head and soaking them in ice water for about half an hour. The ice bath will restore moisture and crispness but needs to be followed up by drying the lettuce thoroughly. You might also want to wrap the leaves in paper towels to absorb excess moisture.

Another way to revive less-than-crisp lettuce is by doing the exact opposite: Soak it in hot water. Not boiling, since that would cook it — 122 F seems to be the optimal temperature. The lettuce only needs to stay in the hot bath for a minute or two for the heat shock to firm it up and slow down the wilting. Whether you opt for the cold water method or the hot water one,  you've only bought your lettuce a temporary reprieve, so you'll need to eat it ASAP. A BLT would be one way to use a leaf or two, but a BLT salad would take more lettuce. Other out-of-the-salad bowl recipes include Chicago's hard-to-forget meatball salad and Pittsburgh's fry-topped salad, while you could create your own recipe for a cheeseburger salad using our sweet pickle salad dressing.