By ShowMeStepByStepPublished Updated
Based on a video by Howcast.
A bad margarita is a sour syrup mess. A good one is one of the best cocktails you can put in a glass. The difference comes down to three things: real tequila, real lime juice, and not using the mix.
Howcast's bartender walks through the classic recipe at a 2 / 0.75 / 0.75 ratio, with a small splash of agave to take the edge off. He also shares a smart trick for the salt rim: chill the glass in the freezer first, let condensation form, and the salt sticks on its own. No sticky lime wedge required.
You'll need a cocktail shaker, a jigger, a citrus juicer or hand press, a strainer, and a rocks glass. Start to finish, this takes about five minutes.
Tequila is almost half the drink, so quality matters. Look for a bottle that says 100% agave on the label. The cheap stuff is only 51% agave with neutral grain alcohol filling the rest, and you'll taste the difference.
Measure 2 ounces with a jigger and pour it into the cocktail shaker.
Tip
Blanco or reposado both work for a margarita. Reposado adds a little oak warmth; blanco keeps it bright and citrusy.
Cointreau is the classic orange liqueur for a margarita, but any quality orange liqueur will do. Avoid the cheap syrupy triple sec - it'll throw the whole drink off balance.
Pour three-quarters of an ounce into the same shaker.
Tip
Skip any pre-made margarita mix. The whole point of doing this yourself is to taste real ingredients instead of corn syrup and food coloring.
This is the part most home margaritas get wrong. Bottled lime juice tastes nothing like the real thing - it's flat and bitter where fresh juice is bright and tart.
Roll a couple of limes hard against the cutting board to break the cells, cut them in half, and squeeze them through a hand juicer into a measuring cup. Pour three-quarters of an ounce into the shaker.
Tip
One medium lime gives you about an ounce of juice. Two will cover one cocktail with a little to spare.
A small pour of agave nectar rounds the sharp edges off the Cointreau and lime. Simple syrup works the same way if that's what you have on hand.
Start with about a quarter ounce. If you like a sweeter margarita, add a touch more agave or bump the Cointreau up to a full ounce. Make it to taste.
Tip
Agave nectar is thicker than simple syrup, so give the shaker an extra second or two of shaking to incorporate it fully.
Any cocktail with citrus needs a real shake, not a stir. The shaking chills the drink, dilutes it slightly, and aerates the lime juice so it tastes lighter on the palate.
Fill the small half of the shaker with ice, cap it with the larger tin, and shake hard for about ten to fifteen seconds. You'll know it's ready when the shaker is too cold to comfortably hold.
Most people rub a lime wedge around the rim to make salt stick. Skip that. Instead, put your rocks glass in the freezer ahead of time. When you pull it out, condensation forms on the cold glass within seconds.
While that thin film of moisture is fresh, dip the rim straight into a dish of coarse salt. The salt sticks evenly without any sticky lime residue, and you can do half the rim so guests have a salt-free side to sip from.
Tip
Use kosher or flaky sea salt rather than table salt. The bigger crystals look better and cling to the glass better.
Drop one large ice cube into the salt-rimmed glass. A big cube melts slowly so the drink stays cold without watering down, and it just looks better than a pile of small cubes.
Pop the strainer onto the shaker tin and pour the margarita in over the ice. Aim toward the middle of the glass to keep salt off the bartender's side of the rim.
Cut a thin wheel from a fresh lime. Notch it once from the edge to the center so it slides onto the rim, or just balance it on top.
That's the whole drink. Three real ingredients, a cold salted glass, and a lime wheel. Serve immediately while it's still cold.
Tip
A wheel looks a little prettier than a wedge, but a wedge gives the drinker the option to squeeze in extra lime if they want.
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