The Original Perfect Margarita Recipe
By
Jill Santopietro
An internal struggle has erupted at CHOW HQ. We are of two margarita camps: Lessley Anderson has claimed her margarita to be perfect. Here you’ll find my perfect margarita: three parts tequila, two parts good triple sec (like Luxardo Triplum, Cointreau, or Combier), and one part lime juice. On the rocks and with salt, of course. You can make it sweeter with Simple Syrup. Like it sour? Go with the other Perfect Margarita. Now we face off.
What to buy: Make sure to use a good-tasting triple sec. My favorite is Luxardo Triplum, available online. For some background on triple sec, see our drinks correspondent Jordan Mackay’s column on the orange liqueur.
INGREDIENTS
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 thin lime wedge
- Ice
- 1 1/2 ounces silver (blanco), 100 percent agave tequila
- 1 ounce triple sec orange liqueur, preferably Luxardo Triplum or Cointreau
- 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 1 lime)
- 1 very thin lime slice, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pour enough salt on a small plate to cover it.
- Rub the lime wedge on the outside rim of a 4-ounce cocktail glass. Holding the glass at a 45-degree angle, dip the outside rim in the salt, rotating as you do, so the entire rim is coated with salt. (Avoid getting any salt inside the glass.) Fill the glass with ice.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the tequila, triple sec, and lime juice. Shake vigorously until the shaker turns frosty. Strain into the glass and garnish with a lime slice.
I make mine with silver tequila, lime juice, soda water and agave nectar. Tastes great!
Really simple Margarita (only 3 essential ingredients). You know what to do with these:
2 parts tequila
1 part fresh squeezed lime juice
.5 part organic blue agave nectar
(salt glass and add lime wedge to taste)
From Tommy's Kitchen in San Francisco: the very best margarita ever, anywhere, period!
As long as it isn't frozen. How often do you need to explain to the waitress that you want ice as in rocks.
By the way, I love key lime and use it in my mojitos, too.
The only time to drink..."Green Margies"...is when a crowd is coming over and you use this receipe:
(Like at a rent party...'cause your funds$$ are low)
1- 6oz can of frozen limeade
2- cans of 7-up or any like item (24 oz total please)
1- cup h2o
1- cup very cheap tri-sec
3- cups very cheap tequila
Garnish with or without the usual fruit & salt
Serve glass of your choice & lots of...+READ
The only time to drink..."Green Margies"...is when a crowd is coming over and you use this receipe:
(Like at a rent party...'cause your funds$$ are low)
1- 6oz can of frozen limeade
2- cans of 7-up or any like item (24 oz total please)
1- cup h2o
1- cup very cheap tri-sec
3- cups very cheap tequila
Garnish with or without the usual fruit & salt
Serve glass of your choice & lots of crushed ice.-COLLAPSE
Original???
Here's how it really is:
Tquila
Fresh lime juice
Agave syrup
Straight-up
Yep, this is very close to mine, too. 2 oz blanco tequila (simple, nothing fancy), 1.5 oz triple sec, 1 oz lime juice. If it's hot outside, I strain and let a little ice into the glass or add fresh ice. I second jnawricki... people work so hard to ruin this perfectly simple drink.
If I see a green one at a restaurant, I know not to order one.
Such a simple drink to make and yet people go to great lengths to mess it up. The worst - Roses lime.
I guess I like mine straight from the trailer park.Blender filled with ice,1/3 PBR,1/3 Sauza Gold and 1/3 frozen limeaid.Blend repeat.
How does salt ruin a margarita? What ruins a margarita is adding all this sweet crap like simple syrup or OJ and reducing the lime to the smallest ingredient so that you might as well be drinking green gatorade with tequila in it.
Patron Silver!
This is good but I also add a bit of non-pulp OJ to mine.
DON'T ruin your margarita by adding salt to the rim! This was originally done to "sanitize" the glass as water was in short supply. And PLEASE use a good tequila (not Cuervo) that is complemented by the lime and triple sec. Ask your trusted local retailer or favorite bartender for advice on the aforementioned
I like this one, but in the face off I come down firmly on the side of the other, more sour version.
I'm with JanRan - I prefer mine a bit tarter and less sweet. I do 3:2:1 Tequila:Lime:Cointreau. Perfect for my taste buds.
Right on target, Jill! Pass the guacamole (and in my book, that's avocado, lemon and salt)...
Too much triple sec. I'd reverse the proportion of triple sec and lime juice. Like jscrow I also add a bit of agave nectar.
My margaritas are tequila, lime juice and a squirt or 2 of agave nectar. That's it.