Margarita Recipes

Now that the weather is starting to get nice (Boston), I'd like to make some refreshing margaritas. Every time someone makes me one however, they use the mix and it just tastes awful.

I'd like to here some favorite recipes for a cool, refreshing margarita. I'm also not much for the frozen pureed style either...just strained or maybe severed over ice.

Thanks.

[hawkeyeui93]

This is what I learned being exiled in Texas for 13 years (about making margaritas):

Salt the glass if so desired ...
2 parts Sauza Hornitos Tequila [or Sam's Club "Calle Azul" Tequila]
1 part Cointreau
Half of a fresh lime squeezed into a Highball Glass and filled with ice and topped off with any good limeade [such as Simply Limeade].

[steve h.]

I like the Rick Bayless Topolo Margarita.

http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/vie...

It's simple and tasty. I halve the sugar but that's just my personal preference. Patron Silver is the star ingredient because you can't go wobbly when you're drinking straight-up in a double martini glass. Cointreau can sub for Gran Torres.

As an aside, I enjoy the ritual of making a really good drink.

[magumpa]

At the moment I've been drinking my margaritas as follows:

45ml Sauza Hornitos
15ml Gran Marnier
10ml Bols Apricot Brandy
30ml Fresh Lime Juice

I find the Apricot Brandy adds a nice sweetness and balance to the drink and takes away any harshness you can find in Tahitian limes (the most readily available in Australia).

[phantomdoc]

2 parts Sauza Conmemorativo tequila. I know it's a mixto but it works the best to me.
1 part Cointreau.
1 part fresh lime juice.

Shake very well with lots of ice. Strain into chilled glasses.

Very Delish but not for the inexperienced. Goes down very smoothly but deceptively strong.

[fussycouple]

I've been mixing margaritas since this thread started.

I bought 4 kinds of tequila, plus some random triple sec, cointreau, grand marnier, blue curacao, and citronge.

I laid in a stock of fresh limes, various concentrated lime juices in a shocking price range, and printed out a stack of margarita recipes.

We have tasted the tequilas straight, the various orange liquors straight - we have made margaritas as simple as:

tequila, orange liquer, and lime juice

and so complicated that it was silly.

While the dry magarita crowd certainly has its afficianados (who tend to be raaather vocal), the majority clearly prefer sweeter juicier margaritas around here.

Favorite recipe so far is:

1.5 oz cabo wabo tequila
1.5 oz blue curacao
1/2 oz simply orange
2 oz simply limeade
1/2 tsp salt

over ice or blended.

It's a fun drink, and seems to be pretty much ubiquitously enjoyed (except by a vary narrow group of people who simply don't like "sweet cocktails").

[Bobfrmia]

That's almost 3-1 mix to tequila. I don't think it would work for me.
Can you really pick out the tequila, or would this work as well with vodka?

[fussycouple]

Well that's a good question. Of course you can up the volume of tequila or probably better, reduce the volume of juice / orange liquer.

The real answer to "can you pick out the tequila" is this:

If you use bad / cheap tequila you can tell it. If you use another liquor you can tell it. Once you get to a certain minimum level of quality it pretty much gets to be same.

The interesting thing is that even when you can't taste the specifics of a particular decent tequila, most people seem to prefer one to another without knowing why.

Example: I made one batch of margaritas with Heradura and one batch with Cabo Wabo, but otherwise they were the same (pitcher sized batch).
I then poured them out into smaller glasses and they were sampled by a dozen people. 9 out of 12 preferred the cabo wabo, none of them knew why and speculated a wide range of answers.

[AManHastoEat]

I enjoy tequila and usually drink gin, so I make mine on the stronger side.

3 jiggers tequila
1 jigger Cointreau or whatever you choose to mix with
1 jigger fresh lime (usually one lime around me)

Easy to measure and easier to enjoy

James

[sfumato]

We've made pitcherfuls of this one to rave reviews:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/dri...

It's subtly sweet and refreshingly tart. You can substitute Cointreau but I honestly thought the triple sec was just fine... I'll save the subtleties of Cointreau for my eggnog!

[jspear]

simple and easy to make...like the mixed dip on the rim

[sfumato]

The rim IS good, and I am not one to care much about dipped rims.

It went over so well we brought pitchers and pitchers to the next night's event, and everyone there- the same people as the night before- were thrilled.

I know someone who takes the finished drink and puts it in a tupperware pitcher, then into the freezer it goes for a few hours (give it a good shake every now and then). The juice freezes a bit and the drink gets nice and slushy. Yummmm!

[liveloveat34]

Simplest and most delicious thing i've tried is Simply Limeade and any cheap brand of tequila. tried this with triple sec but it tastes better with just those two ingredients. i've tried all other recipes posted and this tastes best!

[jspear]

sounds simple and good, have to try it i agree with the cheap tequila, must be my untrained taste buds but i found the expensive stuff took away from the marg experience for me

[lizajt]

try adding fresh lime juice to make it less sweet and more tart - YUM!

[yfzcentral]

A margarita recipe is much like wine. Try many and drink what you like!

[jspear]

Hey, now that's the attitude....how open to others likes....how real....how lacking in superior attitude....

[jspear]

tried your sweet salty rim this weekend, huge hit, offered the blue to a few as a chilled layer at the bottom, also well received, maybe my friends are more of a Fridays crowd, how embarrassing!!! thanks for the post and suggestions

[yfzcentral]

Glad it went well! I'm thirsty now! haha.

[yfzcentral]

This one has won awards. I love it and my friends do as well.

For the rim salt, I mix 50% kosher salt and 50% sugar.
- 1.75 oz 100% agave blanco tequilla (I use Patron as I can find it anywhere) (Or Anejo or Reposado)
- 1 oz triple sec (can use cointreau but I feel it makes the drink too strong!) You can also replace the 1 oz triple sec with 1 oz of blue curacao. Makes it very pretty!
- 1/2 medium lime fresh squized
- 4 oz sweet and sour mix (Find one that has REAL lemon juice in it! This is key!)

- Mix with 1 to 2 ice cubs (anymore and it will dilute the drink). Enjoy!

[jspear]

gonna try the salt/sugar mix as I am usually sick of the salt by the end of the drink. What about using a little sour mix with straight lemon juice??

[white light]

You're worried about a few ice cubes diluting the drink but you put in 4oz of sour mix in it?

[jspear]

the mix is the suspension for the alcohol. Actually, diluting the mix will make it taste different, I chill all ingredients so that I don't have to use as much ice. Central seems justified in suggesting less ice. A stonger drink uses more alcohol to mix ratio, regardless of ice to chill

[invinotheresverde]

Yeah, sour mix and blue curacao? Why use pricey tequila when this is basically a margarita a la Friday's.

BTW, Cointreau IS triple sec. If it makes the drink taste too strong, your proportions are off or you need to add more than 1 or 2 ice cubes.

[jspear]

Cointreau is triple sec, exactly, same taste across the board, made from the same ingredients? It does not taste the same, it is not priced the same. I would say to each their own with the extras in a margarita, including some blue c. Jeez, cut the guy/gal a break! Good sour mix with real lemon is sometimes what is available. Enough with the anti-chain snobbery. Isn't all true tequilla made from the same ingredient as well, maybe pricey doesn't matter.

[invinotheresverde]

Hey, YOU can use as much sour mix as you like. The OP said he/she doesn't like mix (and neither do I, personally). Limes are available 99.9% of the time.

And sorry, no matter how you slice it, Friday's/most chains in general make crappy drinks.

[jspear]

Hey, read through the post, I expound fresh ingredients, including lime/lemon juice, but to each his/her own. Was responding to an alternative post, something that someone felt was award winning and sounded pretty good to me as well. Don't use mix is YOU don't want to but leave the ideas of others as just that ideas, suggestions. Lighten up

[invinotheresverde]

Again, the OP stated he/she doesn't like mix, so no, I won't "lighten up". I was commenting that central's cocktail didn't meet the requirements that the OP was looking for.

I was replying to central's post initially, not yours. I think that "margarita" sounds nasty. You're free to drink my share.

Sorry if I vocalize my dislike for things. This is a public forum. I don't have to say I like what sounds like a poorly made cocktail. My tastebuds are better than that.

[jspear]

invino, you are truly are entitled to your opinions, my comments were concerning the narrowness of them. Again, to each their own.

[invinotheresverde]

Narrow-minded because I don't drink subpar cocktails? Um, yeah, okay.

Anyhow, before the mods yank this, we'll have to (yet again) agree that we have very, VERY different palates.

[jspear]

You know, that's true. I have to keep that in mind more often, perhaps my own breadth of patience and tolerance. We do seen to disagree an awful lot!

[chocchipcookie]

Hi-we just made your recipe and think it is fantastic!! We only had Jose Cuervo but they are great. And instead of sweet and sour we had Old El Paso Chile Company margarita mix-(it has real juice and no HFCS-worked fine.) Very perfect in my book. I love the combo of kosher salt and sugar. Perfect. Never thought to do that!! Thank you so much!!

[jspear]

the key to a good marg is to use fresh everything and stay on the lemon side. I prefer cointreau to triple sec as well. Key Limes are a nice addition, especially as a garnish

[hungry100]

Does anyone have a recipe or insight into how I could make a pomegranate margarita? Do the traditional proportions of tequila, etc. need to be adjusted? I'm looking for a refeshing cocktail for a garden party this weekend (so other suggestions are welcome). I'm also thinking throwing it all into a blender with ice for a slushy treat (sacrilege, I know, but yummy).

[JK Grence the Cosmic Jester]

Piece of cake, just switch out the triple sec for Pama pomegranate liqueur. You can do all kinds of fruit margaritas the same way, i.e. Chambord for raspberry, Midori for melon, et cetera. If the fruit is something not loaded with seeds like pomegranates, you can just throw in a handful of fruit and blend. If you want to do fresh fruit ones on the rocks, just blend everything without ice, then shake the blend over ice.

[jspear]

add the pom juice and a bit of vodka, use the seeds in the bottom of any glass for garnish. Pom liquors are a bit sweet for me to add directly but I do use them in a pinch.

[bgermain]

Aunt Jean's Margarita: 2 parts platinum or silver tequila, 1 part fresh lime juice, 1 part Grand Marnier. You can use regular old limes. Tried and true and you can do whatever you want regarding ice.

[Cookanddog]

My family has a recipe they make year round down in Mexico and always goes over pretty well. We do equal parts lime juice, orange juice, cointreau or the like, and tequila. Taste and add a bit of sugar to taste.

A new tequila drink I found in Food and Wine this year that I just love though is called the "Punta Pomelo" and is just as refreshing as a margariat. First make a simple syrup with 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water and steep 1/3 a cinnamon stick, 3 cloves and 1/4 tsp nutmeg in it for about 20 minutes. Cool the simple syrup down. To make the drink mix 2 TB lime juice, 2 TB grapefruit juice, 2 TB of the spiced simple syrup and a 1/2 a cup of tequila. Shake with ice and pour over ice. Amazing

[invinotheresverde]

Wow, that sounds fantastic! Thanks for my new summertime cocktail!

[DaKing]

Use CHEAP tequila! Otherwise it'll go down like juice in this recipe.
3 parts Triple Sec
3 parts fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 parts cheap tequila(for the 'bite' that makes you sip, not chug)
Pour over ice in a tub

[ChefBoyAreMe]

See "My current drink of choice" in profile, but here it is again...

4/3/2 straight up Margarita:

4 parts Centennario Plata or other quality silver tequila, 3 parts Cointreau, 2 parts fresh squeezed lime juice, shaken vigorously, and served straight up in a martini glass, no salt, please

[caviar_and_chitlins]

I know this may be a sacriledge, but I'm posting it anyway...

One CT fall after apple picking, I put a couple of fresh apples through the juicer, and used the apple juice instead of the simple syrup (Other ingredients- tequila, triple sec, fresh lime juice).

Was the best margarita I ever had, and I've done it that way ever since. I've tried bottled juice, and it doesn't work, only fresh through the juicer.

[Bobfrmia]

Reading Chowhound has made many differences in what I use in many things.
One, is Margaritas. I have recently been trying 100 % Agave (a must) Blancos. I love them for Margaritas. Resposados, Anejo's, great for sipping, but I really like the Blanco for mixing.
Usually just 2 oz tequila, 2 oz fresh sqeezed lime juice, 1/2 oz orange juice. Shake with lots of ice, and enjoy.

[JK Grence the Cosmic Jester]

I'm a fan of the classic proportions... 1-1/2 ounces tequila, 1 ounce triple sec, 1/2 ounce lime juice, shaken well with ice and served either up or on the rocks. Añejo tequila doesn't work well; I'm a fan of Sauza Hornitos reposado at home for its very serviceable quality and terrific price point. As for triple sec, save your money and get a decent cheap one (I use DeKuyper at home, Marie Brizard rocks if you can get it). I find that Cointreau really doesn't taste all that orange-y.

[chocchipcookie]

We are forever trying to come up with a recipe that is cost effective and tastes good. We also want something we can just pour and drink. I think I'll try to make sprout's version first. I bought the new wms-sonoma mix and my DH declared it horrid. It is not bad but margarita it is not. They have added something called velvet falernum which adds a clovey almond flavor. I think they have separated themselves right out of the Margarita race. I also like the simplicity of Adrian's recipe but sqeezing fresh limes for each drink for a crowd it is not what I want to be doing.

[ElsieB]

4 oz Don Julio white tequila, 1 oz grand marnier, 2-3 limes squeezed and 4 oz Newmans Limeade, over lots of ice. Very simple and the limeade makes it a little less strong if you are serving at a party and people are 'thirsty'.

[IrishTiger]

I have my favorite recipe for Margarita's and I know you'll love it as much as I do!
I simply use the juice from 2 fresh limes (no mix, too much acid burns your throat), an excellent quality tequila (makes all the difference!!) I use Milagro, Don Juilo or Patron (2 shots), 1 shot of agave necter (NO SIMPLE SYRUP!), plenty of ice in your shaker, shake well amd serve over ice or well chilled. I purchase agave necter at Table & Vine which is a high end liquor store, I live in Western Mass but I'm sure if you request it they will either have it or order it for you!

Enjoy the awesome weather & a delicious Margarita!! I know I have been!!

[jspear]

where in western mass, i'm eastern ny and would love to find the agave nectar

My favorite margaritas are a twist on the traditional-grapefruit margaritas. The recipe is from Sunset Magazine. It makes 1 1/2 qts-6-8 servings.
In a pitcher (at least 2 qt capacity), combine 3 cups ruby grapefruit juice,2 cups tequila, and 1 cup triple sec or other orange flavored liqueur. Chill until cold, at least 1 hour or up to 1 day. Pour about 1/4 cup sugar on a rimmed plate. Cut a ruby grapefruit in half and rub rims in sugar to caost. Pour grapefruit margaritas over ice.
I find the receipe is pretty strong and I usually cut the tequila down by 1/2 a cup. The chilling is also very important-it really doesn't taste as good immediately after it's made. This is great for a party and it lasts well in the fridge. I may have to make this for Cinqo De Mayo this week-yummy!

Try this simple recipe. These are considered the classic proportions: equal parts tequila, triple sec and fresh squeezed lime juice. Pour into a ice-filled shaker and strain into martini or margarita glasses rimmed with coarse salt.

I usually add about a teaspoon of powdered sugar to cut the tartness of the limes (this is for a recipe using 2 oz of each ingredient).

[rlh]

Better late than never, eh? My understanding of the classic proportions for a margarita is 3-2-1 parts of blanco tequila, orange liqueur (Cointreau or Clement Shrubb for me or Citronge for a more budget-friendly choice), and lime juice, respectively. It's not my favorite recipe but has been touted as classic in several publications....

[tommy]

I'm not sure there is really a "classic" proportion. These fellas suggest the following, 100% agave/Cointreau/fresh lime juice, and they've done some historical research on the subject (not to mention lots of field testing, I'm sure):

Dale degroff
1.5
1
.75

ted haigh
1.5
1.5
1.5

Robert Hess
2
1 1/3
2/3

The one thing is common is to use 100% agave tequila, Cointreau (or at least a premium triple sec), and fresh lime juice. The rest depends on taste, and of course on how sweet/tart the limes are.

[rlh]

Good illustration of the wide variance in margarita preferences - personally, my completely non-classic favorite is (note it fills a contemporary margarita glass vs. a smaller classic cocktail saucer - that's another thing I like about it...):

2 oz. blanco tequila (Milagro, Cazadores, etc.)
2 oz homemade sour mix (2 parts lime juice, 1 part lemon, 1 part agave simple syrup, and sometimes a tiny splash of fresh OJ...) *(I credit this mix to Keith of Il Casale, Belmont, MA)
1 oz. Cointreau, Citronge, or Clement Creole Shrubb

Shake with ice cubes and serve in glass rimmed with fresh lime juice and kosher or other coarse (not sea) salt - garnish with lime wheel.

[tommy]

I'm strictly a 3-1-1 guy. No extra sweetener.

If you don't mind putting a bit more time and effort into it, I think the Cook's Illustrated margarita recipe is fantastic. Here are the ingredients and paraphrased instructions:

4 teaspoons grated lime zest
1/2 cup lime juice from 2 to 3 medium limes
4 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/2 cup lemon juice from 2 to 3 medium lemons
1/4 cup superfine sugar
pinch table salt
crushed ice
1 cup 100 percent agave tequila preferably Reposado
1 cup Triple Sec or Cointreau or Grand Marnier

Combine zests, juices, sugar, and salt in large glass bowl or measuring cup; cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, 24 is best.

Strain the juice mixture. Combine juice with equal parts tequila and triple sec (so 1 part juice to 1 part tequila to 1 part triple sec), shake with crushed ice and pour over more crushed ice to serve.

If serving to guests, make sure they realize that these are much stronger than those horrid margarita mix drinks. This amount should make 4 - 6 drinks. If I'm making them for myself, I freeze leftover juice mix for later. Or you could probably keep it in the fridge for a week (or two?).

[chocchipcookie]

We made these. They were good to me but my friends wanted more sugar added. Seems like they are so used to the commercial sweet sh*t that the traditional margarita is going by the wayside. squeezing so many lemons and limes is way to much work for me only to get a couple cups of juice ( I doubled the recipe) I wish there was an easier solution.

[hot breath]

This is the closest recipe to what I would make at home (with the lime and lemon zest), though I would use less orange liqueur and more tequila. Key is the ICE. Use small ice cubes, or crushed ice. Lots of it.

The best margarita I've ever had was at Tonto Bar & Grill in Carefree, AZ. The bartender shared the recipe with me. I haven't used the recipe yet, but here it is.

2 jiggers Sweet n Sour Mix
1 jigger orange juice
1 splash Rose's Lime Juice
1 splash Sprite
1/2 oz. Triple Sec
1 to 1-1/2 oz. tequila

That sounds really sweet to me -- four of the six ingredients have some kind of sugar/sweetener in them.

I use a recipe similar to the one Adrian gave. IMHO Margaritas should be refreshing, with the elements of tartness/acidity from the lime and the bitterness of the tequila. It just needs a hint of sweetness to balance them out.

I'm not a fan of triple sec or sweet and sour mix in a margarita. And Sprite? That just seems wrong. If you're using good tequila, this recipe will totally mask the flavor of the spirit (which is not inexpensive).

That said, I can't make a margarita from scratch to save my life. I always screw it up. Instead I like simple mixes, that are readily available, and still taste great.

Tommy's Heavenly Margarita Mix is fairly available in the Bay Area. It's fresh lime juice, water, and a tiny bit of natural sweetener. You mix it one-to-one with tequila, for perfect margaritas every time.

Even easier to find is Odwalla's Limeade, which is pretty similar, but half the cost of Tommy's Mix. It's a little sweet, and not quite as limey, so I find I need to squeeze in half a lime to each drink to make up the difference. Still mixes one-to-one with good tequila, for very good margaritas.

Recently we discovered that Trader Joe's has a great new juice, Strawberry Limeade, which makes incredible strawberry margaritas. Again one-to-one with tequila, again a little sweet, again a bit of fresh lime fixes it.

You can sense a theme here, I'm sure. Finding something I can mix one-to-one makes it so much easier to make consistent drinks over the course of an evening...no matter how many of them I've had.

BTW, all three of these mixes are found in the refrigerated section of the store.

[invinotheresverde]

Wow, that goes against everything a good Margarita is all about! Sprite? Sour mix? Ewwwwwww.

One site you may want to check out is www.webtender.com -- some recipes are winners, some are losers, but there are so many variations you can't help but find one that you like...

1 1/2 oz. Tequila
3/4 oz. Triple Sec (or a 1/2 oz if you prefer)
1 oz. lemon or lime juice (fresh)
Shake with ice, serve on the rocks or straight up in a salt-rimmed glass.

Simple, delicious. I love margaritas too and I never get them at bars because it's so often mix. Ick.

That's the recipe I use as well, though w/ 1/2 oz Triple Sec. You might also want to try other orange flavored liqueurs, to see if you prefer them. I've had a trusted bar tender tell me that using Cointreau or Grand Marnier is preferable. Also, a good tequila (Herradura Reposada sp? is my preferred) is not wasted on such a Margarita. Also, I like to use key limes. And, lastly, I've had friends say that this recipe is not sweet enough, so I try to have some simple syrup on hand for them.

Enjoy!

I do the same pretty much the same . In fact, just this afternoon, I was at Bed, Bath and Beyond and spotted the giant Bucket O' Margarita Mix (blech!) while waiting on line, which set me right in to craving mode. So, I made my first margarita of the season when I got home with 1 oz tequila, 1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice and 2/3 oz of triple sec (cointreau would be nice, but I worked with what I had and it was juuuust fine). I, too, prefer margaritas on the rocks and never from mix.

You've nailed it IMO, MMRuth. I always use key limes instead of persians; I think it's the "key" to an authentic 'rita. Also, I prefer Sauza Hornitos and Cointreau (better yet, the Mexican orange liquer Controy) but I never add any sugar or syrup. Shake 'em and serve them striaght up in a salt rimmed glass.

Controy! Yes! It's nearly as good as Cointreau, more authentic, and -- happily -- generally pretty cheap.

FWIW, Tommy's uses Mexican limes from Veracruz, which are a little sweeter than ordinary limes, and usually available (though a bit more expensive) through all four seasons, in the right produce stores.

Your bartender is definitely right, Cointreau and Grand Marnier are far better than Triple Sec. More expensive, worth it.

Same deal with your tequila. When Rochelle and I were first studying tequila, I couldn't drink it straight. She would order hers neat, and I would get the same in a margarita. Obviously the flavor of the tequila is more distinct when neat, but we were surprised to find that you definitely could taste all those same flavors in the mixed drink.

In a quality drink, you can definitely taste the difference between tequilas. So using a quality tequila is not a waste. Herradura is an outstanding option, one of my favorites!

The first time I ever drank tequila was in Mexico City. Every where we went, including in people's homes, one would be served a small glass of tequila and a small glass of sangrita, the recipe for which would vary from establishment to establishment. Usually some combination of orange juice, tomato juice, a little chicken stock, some lime juice, maybe a little tabasco or some kind of chile pepper. Lovely to sip a little bit of each.

[JK Grence the Cosmic Jester]

Cointreau *is* triple sec, just a high-end brand of it.

[larspeart]

Incorrect. Triple sec is a low-end version of Cointreau, at best. you are backwards. There is no subbing Cointreau in a marg, or any other drink calling for Cointreau. Ever.

[tommy]

Would you provide a citation for the claim that Cointreau is not a triple sec?

This is how I make margaritas as well. A bartender I know calls it a "flat" margarita, has anyone else ever heard that?

A 'hound after my own heart. My recipe is similar as well, 1 part each lemon/lime juice and resposado tequila, 1/2 part Triple Sec and just enough simple syrup to give it a hint of sweetness. Always on the rocks.

Mmmmm...now you've got my thinking...

How long until happy hour?

My recipe is
4 parts fresh squeezed lime juice
3 parts tequila
1 part triple sec or grand marnier

shaken with ice until very cold & strained.

Usually 1 part = 1 oz. and this makes a hearty double
for The Bride & myself.

Sometimes (deep winter) the limes may be a little too tart, and I up the amount of triple sec to add more sweetness.

-=$>Dave<$=-