mmmmmargaritas!

April 24, 2007 10:34 AM

It's margarita season and I need help making the perfect one...

My wife likes her margaritas frozen. I like mine on the rocks, so I don't have tons of experience with making them frozen - and I never get the frozen part right. They usually end up too runny and melt very quickly. What are your tricks? I've been using pre-made margarita mix so far but would love to start making my own, as long as it's a simple recipe. Thx for your help!

posted by widdershins to Food & Drink (24 answers total)

I really like this recipe myself.
posted by nola at 10:39 AM on April 24, 2007 [1 favorite]

It serves a bunch of people but the essence of the drink is what you should be looking for, namely- silver tequila, triple sec and fresh lime juice. I just played around with the proportions till the flavors were balanced to my taste.
posted by nola at 10:45 AM on April 24, 2007

I hate to say it, as an ex-bartender, but those Margarita Buckets you see in supermarkets and liquor stores are actually pretty cool. Just add tequila (and sometimes water) and freeze, and you have the absolutely perfect slushie of a drink. Actually trying to dice up ice leads to little melting ice chunks. You want the ice chunks to be pure margarita, and thus not make the drink watery as it melts.
posted by nursegracer at 10:48 AM on April 24, 2007 [1 favorite]

The key to a good margarita is to use two types of tequila, one dark and one clear. Try to start with smaller ice cubes and that will give you a better consistancy with frozen margaritas. Nola's recipe is great, I am a fan of the pre-made stuff.
As for the runniness, you could see if they make frozen margarita glasses like the frozen beer mugs? Or just try to get her to drink faster...good luck in your noble quest.
posted by thetenthstory at 10:49 AM on April 24, 2007

For a good thick blend, you probably need to invest in a "professional" grade blender, like the ones they use at Jamba Juice and Peet's. I think Costco has them for ~$300. I like my ritas with Amaretto and fresh orange juice in lieu of Triple Sec. ymmv.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 10:51 AM on April 24, 2007

I second Amrosia Voyeur-- the Amaretto and o.j. is delish. And, in my opinion, fresh limes are a must. It is labor intensive but in my mind makes or breaks a margarita.
posted by sneakin at 11:11 AM on April 24, 2007

I believe the basic margarita is a 3-2-1 rule: 3 parts tequila, 2 parts lime juice, 1 part triple sec. Get a small hand juicer with a little tray and some fresh limes. You can usually squeeze those 2 parts lime out of half of a good sized ripe lime. This will produce a concoction a little on the tart side and fairly strong, so you might want to cut it with something.
posted by backseatpilot at 11:23 AM on April 24, 2007

My bartending marg. Works both blended and rocks

1 part tequila
2/3 part triple sec.
1.5 part lime
1.5 part sweet and sour (optional)

The sweet and sour is the non-traditional part take it out for the traditional marg. With the sweet and sour this is a good porch sipping marg, little alcohol flavor or bite and you can use a cheaper tequila. Without the sweet and sour its a more "pure" marg but you should use better booze because you're going to taste it more


Generally if you sub "part" for "ounce" and fill up a pint glass with ice this should fill it (maybe a little light) and be the right amount of ice for blended as well.
posted by bitdamaged at 11:27 AM on April 24, 2007

I make mine with frozen limeade. This blender makes excellent frozen drinks. The basic recipe is a 6-ounce can of limeade concentrate, a can of tequilla, 1/3 of a can (2 ounces) of triple sec, then ice to the top of the blender. Instead of triple sec, you can use Grand Marnier, Midori or even Hypnotiq. Sometimes I'll leave the liqeuer out of the blender and add a tablespoon to each drink instead. That way, everyone can have their own favorite flavor.
posted by found dog one eye at 11:31 AM on April 24, 2007

Gotta use fresh juice, for sure.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 11:33 AM on April 24, 2007

oh 1.5 part lime is "lime juice"

When I make this on the rocks in a pint glass I usually throw about 4 wedges of lime (6 wedges in a normal lime) in the glass with the ice. Makes for a nice effect and flavor.
posted by bitdamaged at 11:37 AM on April 24, 2007

Some people like their margaritas somewhat sweet, and they depend on the orange liqueur for the sweetness. But that amount of alcohol can melt the ice too much. If that's happening for you, use less liqueur and add some sugar. I usually mix the liquid ingredients and sugar in the blender before adding the ice. For one Margarita, I do 2 oz tequila, about a half ounce of grand marnier, a heaping teaspoon of sugar, and the juice of a whole lime. For the ice, I fill up a ten-ounce glass.
posted by wryly at 11:38 AM on April 24, 2007

In addition to silver tequila, fresh lime juice (a must), and triple sec (or other orange liqueur), a friend of mine adds a little corona beer - or a whole bottle if making a big batch. It nicely rounds the flavors. Don't know how this would freeze though.
posted by CaptApollo at 11:50 AM on April 24, 2007 [1 favorite]

If you have the chance to pick up this month's issue of Martha Stewart Living there are several AMAZING recipes for summer margaritas. Red grapefruit, watermelon basil, ginger lime and kiwi.
posted by MayNicholas at 12:07 PM on April 24, 2007

Fresh juice is the most important thing.

Here's the basic recipe for one short and strong Margarita:

Juice of 1 whole lime at least.
1.5 shots of quality (but not outrageous) Tequila Blanca*
.75-1 shot of Grand Marnier/Triple Sec

My current favorite Margarita uses fresh orange and lime juice, Grand Marnier and a few shakes of cayenne pepper. Rim the glass with sugar, salt and a touch of cayenne. If you dig the spicy, another thing to do is muddle a small amount of fresh jalepeño pepper.

Alternative: Use Chambord in place of Triple Sec.

Alternative 2: If you like it sweeter, use a touch of Rose's lime juice or just toss some simple syrup in.

Alternative 3: 1/2 lime juice, 1/2 Tamarind juice

Alternative 4: Ginger liqueur, a slice of candied ginger.

Etc, etc, etc.

Frozen: The above recipes are highly alcoholic and tough to freeze in the "slushee" style. Not sure how to deal with that apart from cutting them with more juice or giving them a good long while in the freezer before blending.
posted by kosem at 12:15 PM on April 24, 2007 [1 favorite]

The simple* Margarita:

3 parts white** tequila
1 to 2 parts triple sec
1 to 2 parts lime juice
simple syrup (optional)

*It's all about the quality of ingredients. Use a decent tequila (you don't need a very expensive one), like Sauza or 1800, and use fresh lime juice. Add simple syrup only if you have to, i.e., if you're used to sweet Margaritas.

**The aged stuff can be great straight, but those woody flavors have no place in a mixed drink.
posted by stance at 12:20 PM on April 24, 2007

...Toss in a fresh strawberry, for color and added sweetness... this DOESN'T make it a sickly-sweet Strawberry Margarita, just adds a little fresh sugar to the mix. And the light pink color looks nice.
posted by valkane at 12:23 PM on April 24, 2007

If you want something drinkable, that's one thing. If you want a great margarita, you've gotta do a two things: squeeze juice fresh-you'll need a ton of juicy limes, (they don't need to be dark green, pick them by how heavy they are--try a produce market or Mexican grocer) and use decent tequila. Fresh juice is key to really good margarita--squeeze the limes ahead of time so you don't have to bother with them during the party. The basic proportion I use is 1:1:1, tequila, lime, Cointreau, then chill with loads of ice. Adjust proportions to taste after it's diluted a while. Cointreau has a more complex orange/citrus flavor and more alcohol that plain triple sec, which is sweeter and less interesting. The fresh juice is sour as hell and is the perfect mixer with tequila, the drinks will be tart and fruity and won't seem strong, but they will be. Run lime along rim of glass, salt with chunky salt, pour and drink, and for chrissake resist involving a blender.
posted by tula at 12:41 PM on April 24, 2007 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Great - thx for the responses so far! I will try the frozen limeade for the frozen margaritas - sounds like that might help keep the drink frozen longer. For the on-the-rocks version for me, I'm salivating at the thought of an Amaretto and OJ margarita...
posted by widdershins at 1:32 PM on April 24, 2007

here is a secret ingredient I use in my margaritas (not frozen kind though)..... lime marmalade.
posted by mrmarley at 4:38 PM on April 24, 2007

When I make frozen margaritas, I blend:

1 can frozen lemonade
1 can frozen limeade
half can tequila
fill almost rest of way with ice cubes

This gives a Slurpee-like consistency that holds up well. They're strong and sweet, great for parties.

For margaritas on the rocks, I use the Sweet Potato Queens recipe. Mix in a pitcher:

1 can frozen limeade
1 bottle Corona beer
12 oz. 7-Up
12 oz. tequila

Also strong, not as sweet. The beer is a very good touch.
posted by Melinika at 5:17 PM on April 24, 2007 [1 favorite]

Oh, and I use a cheap blender no problem.
And - don't try to make frozen margs out of that rocks recipe. Heh.
posted by Melinika at 5:21 PM on April 24, 2007

I like frozen too...
Instead of ice like you would use for on the rocks, I use a bit of water and add it all to my ice cream machine. mmmm. Yummy.
posted by nimsey lou at 5:42 PM on April 24, 2007

I'm with tula on this one. 1:1:1 tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice. Or Rose's sweetened lime (if you're my parents), or lemon juice. Lemons are so much more consistent than limes, and it is a nice variation. Oh yeah, and only on the rocks for this.
posted by janell at 7:48 PM on April 24, 2007