Your favorite “at home” Margarita recipe

Imbibing minds want to know . . .

Doesn’t this belong in the spirits thread? Unless you mean a pizza margherita. :slight_smile:

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Perhaps.
Yes, I AM talking about the “cocktail”, but I’m looking for a version that would be appreciated by an “epicurean”.

Well all the other cocktail threads are in the spirits sub forum, and they are pretty solid. So I suspect there are plenty of “epicureans” there, too.

I don’t have a recipe per say, but every January I get my hands on fresh bergamot oranges. Zest these with a microplane and dry half with salt and half with sugar (just on a plate on a counter. I suggest using more salt/sugar than you think is necessary since it sticks to the plate otherwise). I’ll grind up a pinch of salt or sugar with the drink instead of using a rimmer, whichever I’m feeling. Also add some of the juice, which I freeze in an ice cube tray. It’s far smokier than lime and it really amps up the flavor in the tequila.

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This is the base from where I start. If using non-concentrated lime juice from a bottle, I drop it own to 3/4 oz.

I might add 1/4 oz of Cointreau, half a blood orange per drink, and a pinch of salt to the shaker as one of my usual variations. Then, top with some Tajin.

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I like simple, fresh and minimal margaritas without other ingredients muting the star of the show (tequila), similar to making guacamole(mostly avo)and steaks(salt only). For me the ingredients, ratio and prep can make or kill it. I also generally don’t go beyond Reposado with margs. At that point it gets sipped neat.

Add lots of ice cubes to a shaker
1.5oz good silver or reposado 100% agave tequila
1.5oz good orange liqueur
.5-.75oz fresh lime juice
Shake (a lot)
Strain over ice or pour it all into a glass.
I’ve squeezed fresh lemon/lime/oj/grapefruit and while they’re good, the basic 3 ingredient one is my go-to.

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I was a bartender for many years, and worked in a very busy Mexican restaurant for several of those, so I have made literally over 10,000 Margaritas. Of course in a restaurant we used lime and lemon mixes, but a basic recipe is as follows:

2 pts. Tequila
1 pt. Orange liqueur (I like less of this than some others- I this 50/50 is too much for me, but tastes vary- just find the ratio you like best)
Fresh fruit juice
On this, again, portions should be to taste, but a standard restaurant Marg will probably be 2-3 pts. juice.
Now here I differ from most. At the place I worked, we used both lime and lemon juice, and then just a dash of Rose’s Lime.
I like the addition of lemon because I just like the balance of flavors better than just lime. And the dash of Rose’s adds a zing.

Of course, the liquors came be as expensive as you like, so I make no recommendations.

In the summer I like a frozen Marg. Lately I have been getting flavored syrups from Amoretti. Since I like spicy stuff, I love their Spicy Pineapple syrup as an addition.

When making frozen drinks you can add sweet products like syrups and still not have super sweet drinks due to the dilution by the ice. I also use some of their other syrups. They have a Yuzu syrup that adds a huge punch of acidity and flavor.

Just play around and see what works best for you!

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I’ve tried top shelf Margaritas but find them to be a waste of good liquor and money. For me, the key is fresh lime juice and orange liqueur of sufficient intensity and sweetness. Triple Sec works just find for me. You don’t need additional alcohol from the orange liqueur. A great Margarita has to have that twang to balance the flaccidness of the sweetness.

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2 parts Tequila
1 part Cointreau
1 part fresh lime juice

If in the mood for Mezcal-
Mezcal instead of tequila or 1/2 Mezcal, 1/2 Tequila.

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At home I usually do a Tommy’s margarita. The typical proportions are 3/2/1 tequila/lime/agave syrup, but I usually cut down the agave syrup to 3/4 or 1/2. Like Linda, I find subbing some of the lime with lemon helps — to my tastes it smooths out the citrus.

When making a more traditional margarita, the proportions I use are 2/2/1/1 — tequila/citrus/orange liquor/simple syrup. You can use agave syrup here too and I also do a lime and lemon split when it’s easily done.

I never rim with salt, occasionally a half rim with Tajin.

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That’s a good recipe. I used to like Patron Citroen because it wasn’t sugary like well triple sec, and still not as sweet but as orange-ee as Grand Marnier. Your 1/2 and 1/2 recipe is spot on for toning things down. Mezcal can be like adding single malt scotch to a cocktail. A good approach for introducing Mezcal to your marg would be to figure out and make your perfect margarita recipe first, and treat a decent bottle of Mezcal like bitters, ramping up the amount until you find your recipe.

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Like Corey, my house margarita is a Tommy’s with just tequila, fresh lime juice, and agave (the proportion of agave is highly variable because different brands of agave syrup/nectar are wildly different in how sweet they are). My usual tequila is Don Julio Añejo, which is probably overkill but not crazy expensive, and it makes a significant difference that can be clearly identified in blind tasting. I don’t know if they still have it, but for a while Costco had a Kirkland brand Añejo that was quite similar and a good cheaper substitute.

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I agree with those that have recommended the Tommy’s margarita. Good (doesn’t need to be super premium) blanco tequila, fresh lime juice, agave syrup, and I salt half the rim. One of my favorites.

This is what we do at home (with the addendum that I only use silver tequila) - it makes a potent and perfect margarita every time.

This is my go to recipe. I like to add dried lime (from our local halal market) to the sugar and water when making my simple syrup. Gives it a beefed up lime flavour. Also, a pinch of sea salt as well.

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The Costco Anejo is available and is what i use for Margarita’s. It is to me tasty and a good value for a drink where the other flavors tend to dominate.

I’m +1 on this recipe as well. For me, Cointreau>Grand Marnier>>>triple sec. The piece I’ll add to the conversation is that a barspoon of Ancho Reyes chile liquor adds a late complimentary smoky/spice note. Like Corey, I am really enjoying a tajin rim. And if you are feeling fancy, a spray of mezcal with a mister on top of the drink is a nice touch.

I’m a Tommy’s recipe guy. Don’t want any orange liqueur in my margarita. Bleh. My ratio is 2.5 parts tequila/1 part fresh lime juice/1 part agave nectar/water mixed together prior to putting it in the shaker (50/50 ratio on that). Sometimes I substitute the 0.5 part tequila with Mezcal.

Had some extra lemongrass simple syrup that I’m using for a different cocktail, so I used that today. Refreshing and added a little bitter complexity.

As far as tequila goes, I usually use blanco. For a while, when I could get one easily, a joven. But, I suppose I can blend a blanco and resposado myself and get the same effect.