I grew up with a different version of this recipe and we still enjoy it. First of all it's much easier to cut the bacon into small pieces before you fry it. It takes less time and cooks evenly. I don't toss my onions in the bacon grease just sprinkle them over the salad before adding the hot dressing. I only use about 2 Tbsp. of the bacon fat and add about 1/4 apple cider vinegar ground black pepper and sugar (to taste we like it pretty sweet). Heat until the sugar dissolves in the vinegar and bacon fat. Pour hot mixture over the greens and enjoy. It's less fat and gives it a little bite from the vinegar although it does add sugar to the mix. It's delicious.
'Wilted Lettuce" as I know it, has has been a family favorite for as long as I can remmeber( i'm 46 now). My grand mother who has now long passed away, could not wait til "leaf Lettuce" was in season to make this, I can still Smell the bacon,onions,vinager.. Every time I make this, it takes me back to her kitchen...Oh how I miss her.. She was a wonderful cook and a wonderful person. How I wished I had written down all her personal recipes! I can't give measurement bc she/we cook my sight and feel, sorry....(Just go with it). A few things she did different....Leaf Lettuce, cut up(schedded by hand)green onions, fry bacon,drain grease keep warm(hot), Mix lettuce,crumbled bacon. green onion,vinegar, salt ,pepper to taste in a bowl. Make sure your bacon grease is very warm(hot) pour over mixture until"wilted". Its kinda like a oil, vinegar spinach salad BUT SO MUCH better. My family moved from West Virgina to Flordia in 1956, So where did the recipe come from I don't know. But I do rememmber my Great Aunts( Grandmothers sisiters) talking about eating this when they were childern in WV, early 1900's. I wished I knew the full history behind this dish, And oh how I miss my gradmother........
Similar to a brussel sprout recipe I found on here a while back but this is just bland. It got considerably better with the addition of salt pepper & hot sauce.
I grew up in Southern Missouri where we always ate "Wilted" lettuce...had the same ingredients but you heat the bacon grease to a very hot temperature in the skillet and add about 1/4 cup water with a little sugar and some vinegar to the hot grease then pour over the lettuce and onion. The liquid makes it more like a hot bacon salad dressing! Yummy!
I'm from WV and we also called it killed lettuce it must be a regional thing lol...it's wonderful with Pinto beans cornbread and fried potatoes.....
I also grew up eating this. Many people hear how its made and cringe.....then they try it and love it. It is my favorite side ever!!!
I'm from eastern Kentucky and this is exactly how my mom always made this the only difference is we called it wilted greens I'm gonna make this for my wife tonight she has never had it so she is in for a treat!
I grew up in Tenn and my grandmother made this all the time. We ate ours with white bread. You definitely have to add salt and pepper. I just cut up the bacon fry it and pour directly over the lettuce and onions. Its so good.
I have made this recipe but used dandelion greens in the spring before the flower blooms. After the flower blooms the greens are bitter. I got go to the country where there are no dogs and look for the greens.
