For ground beef that’s moist and tender instead of tough, we turn to an ingredient that’s more common in cookie and cake recipes: baking soda. Mixing the raw ground beef with baking soda changes the meat’s pH (how acidic it is), making it harder for proteins to link up as the beef cooks. (Too many linked-up proteins create tough meat.) The result: a tender filling that’s a perfect match for crunchy lettuce, tangy pickles, and a spicy sauce.
Sizzling Beef Lettuce Wraps
Serves 4Ingredients
- 1 cup (8 ounces) unseasoned rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 Persian cucumbers, sliced into half-moons
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 pound 85% lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 head Bibb lettuce (8 ounces), leaves separated
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 4 scallions, dark green parts only, sliced thin
