Whether you’re enjoying a margarita alone or with friends, there is no excuse not to enjoy the best margarita. For a great margarita, you need the right ingredients: a good tequila and fresh citrus can really help you step up your cocktail game. The key to the best margarita I’ve ever had isn’t just a fresh, tart margarita. The secret is being able to customize the margarita to your tastes.
Once you have the bright, citrusy-filled margarita shaken up or stirred to perfection in the pitcher, you can get to work making it the best you (or your guests) have ever had. Giving yourself the option of a sweet, salty, or spicy rim means you can enjoy three different margaritas in the same glass or you can hand your guest something perfectly suited to them. Using crushed ice in the glass means that your guest can enjoy a cold, zesty cocktail or sip it as the ice melts, diluting the citrus-forward cocktail into an easy-to-drink, refreshing beverage. This flavor flexibility is what makes this recipe The Best Margarita I’ve Ever Had, every time.
The Best Margaritas I’ve Ever Had
Prep Time: 5 Minutes Glass & 10 Minutes Pitcher
Serves: 1 or 7
Ingredients- For a Glass
- 2 OZ BLANCO TEQUILA (LIKE HERRADURA SILVER)
- 0.5 OZ ORANGE LIQUEUR (LIKE DRY ORANGE CURACAO)
- 1 OZ FRESH LIME JUICE (ABOUT ONE LIME)
- 0.5 OZ FRESH LEMON JUICE (ABOUT HALF A LEMON)
- 0.5 OZ AGAVE NECTAR (OR 1 OZ AGAVE SYRUP, SEE PRO TIPS)
Ingredients – For a Pitcher
- 14 OZ BLANCO TEQUILA (ABOUT HALF A 750 ML BOTTLE)
- 3.5 OZ ORANGE LIQUEUR
- 6 OZ FRESH LIME JUICE (ABOUT 6 LIMES
- 3.5 OZ FRESH LEMON JUICE (ABOUT 3 LEMONS)
- 3.5 OZ AGAVE NECTAR (OR 7 OZ AGAVE SYRUP)
Garnish
- SALT RIM (OPTIONAL, SEE PRO TIPS) — FOR A SALTY MARGARITA
- SWEET RIM (OPTIONAL, SEE PRO TIPS) — FOR A SWEET MARGARITA
- TAJIN RIM (OPTIONAL, SEE PRO TIPS) — FOR A SPICY MARGARITA
Directions- For a Glass
Directions- For a Pitcher
Pro Tips
- Agave syrup is made by combining equal parts of agave nectar and hot water (½ cup of agave and ½ cup of hot water) and stirring frequently over medium heat. Once the two have blended together, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. (This is the recommended method for making a pitcher, as it will help the agave blend with the spirits and citrus without the aid of shaking.)
- How to rim a glass: using a glass with a flat rim (one that doesn’t curve in or out), run a lemon or lime wedge around the rim of the glass. If you want a wider rim (more flavor), cover more of the glass. For a thinner rim (more subtle) cover just the top of the glass. Then roll the glass in the desired flavor (sugar, salt, tajin) until the edge or rim of the glass is sufficiently coated.
SUSTAINABLE SPIRITS
Brown-Forman-owned, Casa Herradura, is the oldest tequila-producing hacienda in the world. Committed to producing their award-winning, traditional tequila sustainably, Herradura uses traditional sand, brick, and stone ovens that reduce the energy and water used to process agave into tequila. To reduce their energy consumption further, Herradura saves their spent agave fibers and uses the fibers as biofuel to power their operations. Through these traditional, sustainable operations, Herradura saves 950,000 gallons of water (about one-and-a-half Olympic-size swimming pools) and keeps 700 tons of carbon dioxide (the emissions equivalent of roughly 152 cars) out of the atmosphere every year.
