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In Search of: Margarita perfection

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    In Search of: Margarita perfection

    During dinner last night at Frontera Grill, wife suggested that we spend the rest of the summer working on perfecting the margarita, first with the traditional flavors, and then maybe branching out...

    The margs that we were drinking at the time are supposedly these:


    What do you got?

    And seriously, just looking for lime-orange-tequila/mezcal recipes, none of this exotic pepper or mango-passionfruit stuff. Want to master the basic before I start going exploratory.

    Also, any equipment I need?

    #2
    Shot of Tequila, splash of triplesec, fresh lime juice to balance the flavors, ice, salt. Done. Some margarita recipes I’ve seen - even for a basic cocktail - have a truckload of ingredients. That muddies the water, in my opinion. The fewer ingredients the better is my motto for cocktails.

    Comment


    • Pobeque
      Pobeque commented
      Editing a comment
      I'd say the same thing.....fresh lime juice, orange liqueur (triple sec, grand marnier, cointreau), silver tequila. Keep it basic, fresh and use decent booze

    • TheWizardKnows
      TheWizardKnows commented
      Editing a comment
      My wife likes this recipe but with grand marne...

    #3
    As with cooking a basic recipe, it's about the ingredients. Cheap tequila, bottled lime juice? Mediocre drink.

    So, my first take is to get very good tequila and fresh squeezed lime juice. Then experiment. Do you like a blanco or a reposado or even an anejo? Try a mezcal too, perhaps something like this https://www.wine.com/product/union-u...-mezcal/530896.

    Start with the classic proportions... too much lime? Alter. Not enough? Adjust.

    Serve them up. Not over ice, not whipped with ice... up. Which means you'd want a cocktail shaker so you can fill IT with ice, pour in things, shake, then strain into an up glass.
    Last edited by rickgregory; June 30, 2021, 09:12 AM.

    Comment


    #4
    I've never been a triple sec fan, to me it gets lost. I like a splash of Cointreau myself. I'm hardly a whiz at them though, I just dabble.

    Comment


    • Attjack
      Attjack commented
      Editing a comment
      Cointreau for sure.

    • smokin fool
      smokin fool commented
      Editing a comment
      +3 on Cointreau

    #5
    Here’s a simple margarita recipe I make - my wife thinks its one of the better margaritas she has had. Simple and a good base to go off of perhaps. Like mentioned above, the cocktail shaker is key, changes the drink quite a bit.

    https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-pur...-kitchn-188010
    Last edited by barelfly; June 30, 2021, 09:49 AM.

    Comment


    #6
    I find myself less and less likely to make margaritas at home. I prefer Palomas and Tequila Soda. Also, the Caipirinha is an amazing summer cocktail if you have some cachaça.

    Comment


    • Dewesq55
      Dewesq55 commented
      Editing a comment
      I love caipirinhas. My niece first turned me into them at my surprise 40th birthday party over a quarter century ago! I always have cachaça in the liquor cabinet!

    • Attjack
      Attjack commented
      Editing a comment
      Dewesq55 what brand of cachaça do you like? I've only tried a couple and stock Leblon in my bar.

    • Dewesq55
      Dewesq55 commented
      Editing a comment
      Attjack - I have Leblon at home. It's good. Here in Virginia I have Pitu, which is also fine. I think it's a bit cheaper to buy.

    #7
    For a change of pace we use an organic mix (cane sugar not corn syrup) with silver tequila and add chunks of watermelon or blueberries. Blend with ice and serve frosty.

    Very refreshing

    Click image for larger version

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    Comment


    • Huskee
      Huskee commented
      Editing a comment
      Want!

    • bbqLuv
      bbqLuv commented
      Editing a comment
      No salt on rim, ok it is not a real margarita. But sure sounds good.

    #8
    My wife cannot mix cocktails for her life and a margarita is the only drink I taught her that she remembers how to make

    2 parts tequila - she's partial to Casamigos reposado
    1 part Cointreau
    1 part fresh lime juice

    Depending on your lime or taste, a little hit of agave syrup (say .25 or .5 part) might be warranted.

    She always uses taijin to rim her margarita glass.

    Comment


    • Potkettleblack
      Potkettleblack commented
      Editing a comment
      The Tajin seems to be coming up lately... I got a bottle for a pulled pork I want to try... use the Harry Soo LA Brisket technique, only for pork shoulder...

    • Attjack
      Attjack commented
      Editing a comment
      Use some tajin on your watermelon and serve it with a margarita.

    #9
    My favorite over the last few years is a simple ratio:

    3 parts tequila
    2 parts fresh citrus juice
    2 parts orange liqueur

    if you like St. Germain this is pretty good too:

    2.5 parts tequila
    2 parts fresh lime juice
    1.5 parts St. Germain

    You can use all lime juice or any combination of lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, etc. to your liking. Shake with ice and then pour over fresh ice for the best result.

    Comment


      #10
      Good basic margarita

      2 Don Julio blanco
      1 Cointreau
      1 lime juice
      ice
      shake
      i like a salted rim at s restaurant but at home I never bother.

      The tequila you pick makes a world of difference

      Comment


      • BarbecueBob
        BarbecueBob commented
        Editing a comment
        This is my kind of Margarita. Back in the day, the only tequila that was around in student circles was the one that doubled up as paint stripper and you really needed the salt and lime to get rid of the taste. Until I was introduced to Don Julio by a Mexican friend working in the UK. A good tequila in Margaritas is essential and really makes a world of difference. Simple is best, none of that sugary syrup or other mixers to poison my drinks

      • Old Glory
        Old Glory commented
        Editing a comment
        BarbecueBob agreed. When I was younger the only tequila we had tasted like sweat sock juice mixed with lighter fluid. These shots were taken with a shudder, salt, and lime. While on vacation in Cabo we met a couple from Texas. He bought a round of tequila shots. I braced myself for the usual punch in the mouth but this stuff was amazingly smooth. I was just introduced to a whole new world.

      #11
      We're partial to frozen Margarita's up here, this recipe is from my sister in Texas and is very non-traditional
      6oz limeade
      6oz beer
      6oz tequila
      6oz crushed or cubed ice
      2-3 tbsps concentrated orange juice
      Blend it smooth and enjoy
      I don't have a favorite Tequila but have gone to Gold Tequila's when buying.
      I use limeade because the limes we get up here aren't that juicy by the time they're trucked up here, it would take 12-15 limes to get the required juice.
      I pass on the salted rim....not good for the blood pressure.

      Comment


        #12
        We used this almost every weekend last summer: https://www.margaritavillecargo.com/key-west.html

        Sounds cheesy but it's awesome. Incredibly foolproof way to make frozen margaritas.
        Good lime juice makes big difference for me. If you're not into squeezing limes yourself then recommend this: https://lakewoodorganic.com/collecti...unce-pack-of-6

        I also like to substitute this for cointreau/triple sec, but obviously less traditional: https://anchoreyes.com/

        Comment


        • lostclusters
          lostclusters commented
          Editing a comment
          I have two of these machines, one at my residence and one where I vacation. I even took one to Yosemite when I spent a week there. Awesome machine, very durable. Makes the process of making frozen drinks painless.

        • smokin fool
          smokin fool commented
          Editing a comment
          May have to look that machine up, it looks like the way to go rather than tieing up freezer space.
          Just read an article about Margarita's in a food and drink magazine, another sub for Cointreau/Triple sec would be Blue Curacao.
          In this article it was added as a skim on top of the drink and allowed to infuse dropping down into/thru the drink

        • Potkettleblack
          Potkettleblack commented
          Editing a comment
          Yeah, Blue Curacao is a fun orange liqueur... brought some back from the island once... I'd be concerned about the final color of the beverage, though.

        #13
        Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville | Official Site

        If the truth-be-told, I have never met a margarita I didn't like.
        Last edited by bbqLuv; June 30, 2021, 08:05 PM.

        Comment


        • Potkettleblack
          Potkettleblack commented
          Editing a comment
          I have met very few that I didn't find great... the last not great one was one I made at home :_(

        #14
        I like both an Anejo or Reposado, Gran Marnier (orange liqueur) fresh lime juice, a splash of fresh orange juice. Shaken with ice until super frothy, salted rim. No slurpees for me.

        I like Patron, Cazadores, Sauza Hornitos. I need to broaden my tequila knowledge. Bottom line, if you will sip it straight, use it for a margarita. Don’t use paint thinner like Cuervo, etc.

        when I do get all "hipster" like, I will steep prickly pears in a Reposado and use that for the margarita. Don’t knock it until you try it!

        Comment


          #15
          3..2..1! 3 shot tequila, 2 shots fresh lime juice (if limes are too expensive or not really ripe I go with the organic lime juice at my supermarket) 1 shot Cointreau. A splash of agave syrup shake and done. This will give you a perfect 8 oz rocks glass of zippy doda! Making it for a large group change the measurements to cups it works great

          Comment


          • Potkettleblack
            Potkettleblack commented
            Editing a comment
            Ratio cooking... you sir are a gentleman of advanced learning.

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