Equipment
Ingredients
Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing
- 120 g blue cheese, crumbled
- 120 ml buttermilk, chilled
- 60 g sour cream
- 60 g mayonnaise
- 15 ml apple cider vinegar
- 1 garlic, minced
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
- salt
Bacon Croutons
- 150 g thick-cut bacon, diced into 1cm pieces
- 100 g sourdough bread, cubed into 1.5cm pieces
Salad Base & Garnish
- 1 iceberg lettuce, chilled
- 150 g cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 10 g fresh chives, finely sliced
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 494 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbohydrates
- 22 g
- Fat
- 38 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 1256 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 14 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Cholesterol
- 64 mg
- Potassium
- 538 mg
- Calcium
- 249 mg
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 34 mg
- Phosphorus
- 262 mg
- Zinc
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 143 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 12 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 62 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.19 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.26 mg
- Niacin
- 2.0 mg
- Folate
- 58 mcg
- Water
- 216 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the diced thick-cut bacon in a cold large skillet. Place over medium heat and cook until the bacon is crispy and the fat has thoroughly rendered, stirring occasionally. This takes about 8 to 10 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the crispy bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave the liquid bacon fat in the skillet. Add the sourdough bread cubes to the hot fat, tossing immediately to coat them evenly.
Toast the bread cubes in the bacon fat over medium heat until they are golden brown and crispy on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and toss the croutons with the cooked bacon pieces.
In a mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously until the base is completely smooth.
Fold the crumbled blue cheese into the dressing base. Use the back of a spoon to gently mash some of the larger crumbles against the side of the bowl to incorporate the flavor, while leaving plenty of chunks for texture. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
Transfer the dressing to a sealed container and chill in the refrigerator at 4 C / 39 F for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the dressing to thicken.
Prepare the lettuce by removing any bruised outer leaves. Slam the core end of the iceberg lettuce head firmly down on the cutting board to break the stalk, then pull the core out with your hands. Cut the hollowed head into four equal wedges.
Place each chilled iceberg wedge on an individual serving plate. Generously spoon the thickened blue cheese dressing over the peak of each wedge, allowing it to naturally cascade down the sides.
Scatter the bacon crouton mixture, quartered cherry tomatoes, and finely sliced chives evenly over the dressed wedges. Serve immediately while the lettuce is crisp.
Chef's Notes
- For the absolute best sensory experience, place your serving plates in the refrigerator for an hour before plating. A chilled plate keeps the lettuce crisper for longer at the table.
- Starting bacon in a cold pan is crucial. It allows the fat to render slowly and thoroughly, resulting in evenly crispy bacon and cleaner rendered fat for toasting the sourdough croutons.
- When cutting the iceberg head, avoid using carbon steel knives if possible, as they can cause the cut edges of the lettuce to oxidize and turn brown very quickly. Stainless steel is preferred.
- Always taste your blue cheese crumbles before seasoning the dressing. Different brands have wildly varying salt levels, and combined with the savory bacon, it is easy to over-salt this dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Dressing can be stored up to 5 days in an airtight container. Keep components separate until serving.
Troubleshooting
Dressing is too thin and runs off the lettuce immediately
Cause: Inaccurate ratio of liquids to fats, or insufficient chilling time
Fix: Whisk in an additional 30g of sour cream or mayonnaise, or aggressively mash more blue cheese into the dressing to thicken it
Prevention: Measure buttermilk precisely and ensure the dressing chills for a full 30 minutes to set the mayonnaise and sour cream
Bacon burns before rendering enough fat
Cause: Starting the bacon in a hot pan or using too high heat
Fix: Cannot be fixed if burnt. If only browning too quickly, immediately turn heat down and add a tablespoon of water to slow the cooking
Prevention: Always start bacon in a cold pan and use moderate heat to gently coax out the fat
Cultural Context
The iceberg wedge salad became a hallmark of classic American steakhouses in the 1950s and 1960s, celebrated for its dramatic, towering presentation. Its enduring popularity lies in the stark, satisfying contrast of textures: the crisp, watery crunch of the chilled lettuce serves as the perfect palate-cleansing foil for rich, pungent blue cheese and heavy grilled meats.
