I am a social drinker. I love good times with good friends in a bar or at home. Cookouts with beers and buddies are great. A night out with the wife is all the more wonderful if there is wine.
Back in my younger days I did all types of tequila shots. Over and over. For the past 15 or 20 years the thougth of tequila brought back memories of puking out the passenger window of a moving car or waking up in a strange house with no pants. Good time for sure, but not what I am looking for at this stage of life.
So two weeks ago I was at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville in Las Vegas. Going with the theme I had a “Cheeseburger in Paradise” and a 'Rita on the Rocks.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…yummy margaritas!!
I really enjoyed the margarita and it was my staple drink for the week of drinking and debauchery that ensued.
Last weekend the weather was sunny and warm so we finally cranked up the grill. We had several friends over, set the PC to Pandora, and I made Margaritas.
They were fine. Everyone enjoyed them. I even had one of those salt-the-rim thingamajiggies. I got a mix of the traditional lime and another that was strawberry. One part tequila, three parts mixer. Blend or pour over ice into a salted glass. Add lime wedge.
I don’t even know what kind of tequila it was. I just got a mid-priced one.
Here is where I need help. I am assuming tequila=tequila=tequila is not right. What are the differences? I don’t really want to become a connoiseur, but I want to make a delicious margarita.
Also, what are your margarita recipes? Is using a mix from a bottle frowned upon? Can you make better ones from scratch?
What say you pursuers of potent potables? Help a brotha’ out!
The trick to a good margarita is just following a basic recipe but with fresh ingredients. The key ingredient is you, making it among friends. Seriously, your margaritas will always taste better that way. It’s very much a social drink, and everyone should watch you making it.
I perfected my margarita recipe a few summers ago, (quality tequila of your choice, Cointreau and fresh-squeezed lime juice with a bit of lime zest thrown in) and everyone raved about it. Made by the pitcher, it’s 1.5 tequila to 1 part juice to .5 Cointreau, and coarse salt for rimming naturally.
Then I realized I simply couldn’t afford to spend over a hundred to make great drinks for one night. So I’m back to mix and mid-quality tequila. Best of luck!
Salt rim of rocks glass (or margarita glass)
Add ice to glass
A shot of Patron Silver* from the large end of the jigger (1.3 some odd ounces) plus a little
Add Simply Limeade juice (I have even used frozen concentrated Limeade before)
Stir and serve
*I have found that the clear tequilas are better tasting. I currently use the Patron, but Cazadores, Milagro (in the blue bottle) or even Cuervo Silver all work well.
Here’s a great party Marg receipe. Never fails, and is really tasty.
Tequila (you can use cuervo if you’re on a budget, I’d use Sauza or Hornitos or something like that)
Jose Cuervo Marg. Mix
Cointreau
Orange Juice
Limes
Mix equal parts tequila and marg. mix.
Add pretty good measure of Conintreau (about 2 shots per liter of mixed tequila and marg mix)
Add about the same amount of OJ.
Squeeze in as many limes as you can deal with (about 4 whole limes per liter)
Stir, pour over ice.
So easy, a child could do it.
And tasty!
Then, after you’ve served your guests, go pour yourself some Don Juilo over the rocks, and squeeze in 1/2 of one of your left over limes.
My roommate is a tequila snob, and he said Cuervo is worthless for drinking, and only worthy for making sauces and marinades. He swears by Cabo Wabo (endorsed by rocker Sammy Hagar) and Patron, both of which are higher-end tequilas. Apparently if you go cheap on tequila, you’ll get really nasty, painful hangovers.
A good basic recipe is 3-2-1 proportions (3 parts silver tequila, 2 parts Cointreau, 1 part fresh lime juice). Shake & strain.
If you like 'em citrusy, you can move closer to a 1-1-1 ratio.
For an interesting alternative, try adding a dash or two of angostura bitters.
For tequila, I tend to go with either Chinaco (spicy) or Don Eduardo (smooth), though there are plenty of other good tequilas out there.
Incidentally, if you make a 3-2-1 margarita with gin instead of tequila and add a dash of angostura bitters and a dash of orange bitters, that’s called a “Pegu Club cocktail”; it’s really quite good.
I like 2-1-1 decent tequila (not rot gut, not Patron Anejo)- Cointreau- fresh squeezed lime juice. Sauza Hornitos or Heradura Silver is plenty good for me. Mix over ice, serve without ice. Dip the rim in the drink and lightly salt, good ol’ Kosher salt is fine if not over done.
The drawback, as noted, is that they are still expensive. The 32oz Margarita you get at a Tex-Mex chain ain’t the same thing, not even in the same league. That thing would cost $75 and kill a room of frat boys mixed like this.
No, you’re not the only one. I prefer the sweetness of a margarita without salt. My local spot serves them out of a slurpy machine–quite common in Houston. And fine if the ingredients are good.
At home, I use silver tequila, fresh lime (or lemon) & good orange liqueur. I like Patron Citronge. Shake with ice, serve “up.” This is a very strong drink.
Preferably, the tequila should be 100% agave. Reposado is a bit pricier than silver. And using anejo in cocktails is insane. But the cheaper silver tequilas–say, Sauza Silver–are OK.
There is no excuse to drink Cuervo Gold. Ever. For any reason.
My boyfriend’s family has the best frozen margarita recipe ever. I’ve quite literally never had a margarita that even came close to being as tasty:
1 small can of limeade (this can becomes the “measuring cup” for the rest of the recipe)
3/4 can of tequila
1/2 can triple sec
1/4 can mixed amaretto and water
ice
Blend blend blend blend. The consistency should be totally smooth with no ice chunks, and the blender should still be pulling the center down, but it should not be soupy. If you mix a spoon around in it the surface should not settle back to flat, for example.
I’m not a fan of sweet drinks, so my “margarita” is just a shot of nice reposado tequila with a splash of lime juice. If you’re looking for something a bit different, give it a try.
This is the way I mix them at home… shaken and strained into a (salt-rimmed) martini glass. Now that I know how good this simple recipe is, the typical bar/restaurant margarita (with its mixer and triple sec) seems cloyingly oversweet.
They are rather expensive to make, but they sure pack a punch. My friends whom I’ve made them for now prefer them the same way.
The basics have already been covered–fresh ingredients, a decent silver tequila (it doesn’t have to be top shelf for a mixer*), Cointreau (or Curaçao, if you prefer), and good company.
My personal touch is honey–I dissolve a teaspoon of honey in the warm liquor before adding cold juice and ice. It add a nicely smooth, sweet taste.
*For sipping, on the other hand, I have Reserva del Señor Premium Almendrado, a delicious almond tequila.
When making 'ritas for a party in a blender here is a recipe that has never failed to get raves. I have been told many many times that I make the best 'ritas that people have ever had.
In a blender combine:
1/3 cup Triple Sec or Cointreau
2/3 cup gold tequila (for a blender drink, good tequila is a waste, you cannot taste the difference. For sipping, I agree with using a better grade of tequila)
1-1/3 cup of liquid mix (I use La Paz, but if that brand is not available use what is)
Fill with ice and blend.
Enjoy
You will note that the proportions are 1:2:4 Triple Sec to Tequila to Mix. This allows you to scale the recipe up or down as needed. (1 quart of Triple Sec to 2 quarts of Tequila…)
