How to Core Lettuce

Co-authored by Hannah Madden

Iceberg lettuce is great for salads, toppings, and condiments—but cutting out the core before you start chopping can be a pain. With this TikTok hack, you won’t even need a knife! Once you’ve got the right technique, you can remove the core from your lettuce in seconds using only your hands and a flat surface.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:
Hold the lettuce in 2 hands over a hard surface.

1
Find a table or a countertop nearby. Make sure the surface is clean, then grab the head of lettuce with both hands to get a firm grip on it.
- Try to do this trick standing up—you’ll get more leverage than you would sitting down.
- If you don’t want to slam your lettuce directly onto the table or countertop, put a cutting board down and use that instead.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:
Flip the lettuce over so the core faces down.

1
You can find the core near the bottom of your lettuce. It’s the hard, brown circle on the bottom of the lettuce that you’re trying to remove.
- The core is usually a little tougher and harder to chop than the rest of the lettuce, which is why you probably want to get rid of it.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:
Hit the lettuce against a flat surface.

1
Hold the lettuce up to about shoulder height. Then, slam it down onto the table or countertop in front of you.
- Make sure you slam it down quickly! The faster and harder you go, the easier the core will come out.
- You might hear a slight thud as the core dislodges from the rest of the lettuce.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:
Flip the lettuce over and grab the dislodged core.

1
Grab the core as it falls out on its own. If you slammed the lettuce hard enough, this should be no problem at all.
- You can throw the core away in the garbage or your compost bin.
- If the core isn’t loose enough, try slamming the lettuce down again 2 to 3 times.
- Once you take the core out, you can wash and chop your lettuce to make salad or a yummy topping for burgers and tacos.