Welcome to Cinco de Mayo week on Ally’s Cooking! My ultimate comfort food is some chips and queso with a good, strong margarita, so naturally I love me some Cinco de Mayo. To kick off the week I’m going to teach you how to make the perfect margarita on the rocks every single time. Bonus points for the fun rim. Let’s go!
Let’s clear the air on one thing first: I’m a margarita purist. I’m not into orange liquor, I don’t need the hangover. My margaritas are simple and perfect:
- 2 oz. silver tequila
- 1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice, (about 1-2 limes)
- 1 oz. orange juice, (fresh squeezed or a good bottle preferred here).
Pour everything into a measuring cup to get the perfect ratio, and then pour over a small glass full of ice.
Crisp, clean, strong, and not overly sweet.
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Taylor prefers his a little stronger and a little sweeter:
- 2 oz. silver tequila
- 1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice, (about 1-2 limes)
- 0.5 oz. orange juice, (fresh squeezed or a good bottle preferred here).
- 1 tsp. agave
Try both, and see what you like!
Second thing to make clear: salt rims are THE WORST. Blech. However, since the perfect margarita is not overly artificially sweet, a variation on a sugar rim is a nice touch every now and then.
I kicked mine up a notch and mixed equal parts sugar and chili powder to create a sweet and smoky rim that complements the margarita perfectly.
If you want to do a rim, just run a cut lime across the whole rim of an empty glass to get it sticky. Mix the sugar and chili powder on a small plate, then flip the glass over, sticky side down, and press into the mixture. Flip the cup back over and voila! Fill with ice and the marg.
I love these margaritas because they are made from simple, pure ingredients. No weird mixers or liqueurs or sugar hangovers, just pure deliciousness. Now, where’s my queso?
- 2 oz. silver tequila
- 1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice, (about 1.5 limes)
- 1 oz. orange juice
- Optional: 1 tsp. agave nectar, for sweetness
- Optional: equal parts sugar and chili powder for the rim
- Add the tequila, lime juice, and orange juice to a measuring cup one at a time to make sure your ratios are right. Stir, and serve in a glass full of ice. Top with a lime wedge.
- If you want the special rim, mix equal parts sugar and chili powder on a small plate. Run the inside of a cut lime around the rim of an empty glass to get it sticky. Turn the glass upside down and press the sticky rim into the plate with the sugar and chili powder. Flip back over, and pour the ice and drink in the glass.