Making a Superior Margarita From Scratch: A Surprising Secret
Few things are more pleasant on a hot day (or night) for tequila enthusiasts than an icy, acidic, salt-dusted classic margarita. Name-brand margarita mixes with boasts like “simply add tequila!” adorn the shelves of supermarkets and liquor outlets. However, a margarita is more than just tequila and a dash of neon yellow deliciousness.
The juice is the key to a superior margarita recipe. That means freshly squeezed lime juice (not bottled lime juice) and a splash of fresh orange juice (the true secret). That’s correct. The secret to a cleaner tasting, more refreshing margarita is fresh-squeezed juice from an *actual* orange, not orange-flavored liquor.
This is why:
Triple Sec is an orange-flavored liqueur prepared by macerating orange peels with sugar and alcohol. It’s widely used in margaritas. If you make your cocktail with a sweetened liqueur like this one, you won’t be able to change the sweetness or booziness without adding more orange flavor and/or alcohol on top.
- It should start with a mixture of equal parts tequila and freshly squeezed lime juice, around 2 ounces each for a single dose, instead of using Tequila Triple Sec or something similar.
- Then add sweetness in the form of simple syrup. Agave is a good substitution for simple syrup in most dishes, not just cocktails, because its neutral sweetness doesn’t overshadow the citrus and tequila flavors.
- Start with a tablespoon of sweet stuff per cocktail (you can always add more, but you can’t take it away), a splash (or two) of fresh orange juice and/or lemon juice, and plenty of ice cubes.
- After that, give it a good shake. Is this something you created in a cocktail shaker? If you didn’t, that’s fine; just give it a confident stir. Alternatively, a mason jar can be used.
- Run a lime wedge over the rim of a rocks glass and, if desired, dip in coarse salt. Fill the margarita glass with a salted rim with ice until it’s completely full, then pour your perfect bespoke margarita on top.
- Serve with a lime wedge for squeezing on the side.
All you need now is a bag of limes, a couple of oranges, and a sunny area to enjoy your beverage.
Margarita Sunrise Recipe
The Tequila Sunrise cocktail, with its vibrant hue striations, is reminiscent of a summer sunrise. This famous cocktail contains only three ingredients: tequila, grenadine, and orange juice, and it is served unmixed to maintain the color of each layer.
Two traditional tequila drinks combine in a drink that’s acidic and sweet, and almost as lovely as a true sunrise. Pour the grenadine into the bottom of your glasses for this magnificent display, then gently pour the tequila mixture on top.
Ingredients
- a slice of fresh lime (optional)
- Margarita salt (optional)
- ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 teaspoons orange liqueur
- three tbsp orange juice
- 2 tbsp. tequila
- ⅓ to ½ cup powdered sugar
- Ice
- 3 tbsp club soda (or lemon-lime soft drink)
- 2 grenadine tablespoons
Directions
- Order your favorite tequila at J&J Alcohol Delivery!
- Rub the rim of a cold margarita glass with a lime slice then, if preferred, dip in salt to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the lime juice, liqueur, orange juice, tequila, and powdered sugar. Shake until well cooled, then cover with a lid. Pour into a prepared glass. If desired, add club soda or lemon-lime soft drink for a little fizz. Decorate with grenadine. Serve right away.
- Fresh lime juice can be substituted with 1/3 cup thawed frozen limeade concentrate. Omit the powdered sugar and continue with the recipe as written.
- Enjoy!
