The Best Margarita Recipe

I've been a bartender in NYC for three years now. Three years feels like I've made the right of passage (most places require two years experience when hiring, if not five!) now that I've hit three years! Obviously with COVID my industry shut down for the most part. Even still, dining out is back but there is no bar service. So I've decided to take my skills and knowledge and share it with the world, starting with the BEST margarita recipe you'll ever need.

Usually, you have three ingredients in your classic margarita: a silver tequila, lime juice, and an orange liqueur, usually Triple Sec.

Now for the tequila: that's personal choice. There are a ton of great options out there, so choose what you like! The only thing I will say is, sometimes the quality of liquor matters in a cocktail. When you have a spirit forward drink, I think it is worth the money to use a higher end liquor. When you have a one and one, such as a vodka soda or whiskey coke, I don't think the liquor is as important because there is so much mixer. A margarita falls somewhere in the middle to me; cheap tequila can be especially bad, but any well tequila at most bars is going to be just fine in a margarita. And that is because of the lime juice.

Citrus has the biggest taste effect on a cocktail. Any accidental over or under pour of a juice can drastically change the flavor profile of a drink. Acidity is vital in balancing food, and just as vital in balancing a cocktail. And for that reason, when a drink has a citrus in it, I don't often spring for a high end liquor (a low end to mid-level is just fine) because the citrus is going to have such an effect on taste. It's for this reason that most people ask for fresh squeezed lemon or lime in a cocktail. If you don't have that capability, then it's totally fine to have bottled lime juice! The only thing I would avoid is concentrated mixes, more common on soda gun lines at dive bars - they usually taste artificial because they are made to last a long time at a very cheap price (hence why they are most common at dive bars.)

Finally, you need your triple sec. Triple sec is a clear orange liqueur, drier than Curaçao, another category of orange liqueurs. Triple sec is both a brand name and type of orange liqueur; usually the brand Triple Sec is a low-end, well orange liqueur. Higher end triple secs, like Cointreau or Combier, are really tasty, as their orange flavor is a little more pronounced and full bodied, and can make a margarita especially delicious. But personally I feel a higher end liqueur like that is wasted in a mixed drink like a margarita (unless you plan on sipping one all evening). Otherwise, Triple Sec is the best bang for you buck for a party or a happy hour.

But did you know Triple Sec is one of the highest caloric liqueurs, and contains nearly 11 grams of sugar per shot? Truly, that is what is giving you a hangover after Taco Tuesday.

The invention of the skinnygirl margarita came about for this reason. It was the bane of every bartender's existence, especially since people didn't seem to understand what exactly they were and were not drinking. The brand itself has died down in popularity, but still most people ordering a margarita at the bar ask for it "skinny". I tell them I don't make my margaritas with triple sec but agave, and there is always a panic:

"No! No sugar, I want it skinny!"

Agave is a natural sweetener, and yes, therefore it is a sugar. But at less than 50 calories a shot versus over 200 calories in Triple Sec - it's a no brainer for me. Tequila is made from the agave plant already, so I feel like using an agave syrup ties together really well. Besides, when you think margarita, do you think orange? No, because triple sec is a low-end brand with a very faint orange taste! So you won't even notice a major taste difference besides it tastes fresher and less sweet - allowing you to enjoy another round at happy hour without regretting it in the morning. Plus agave syrup is easy to make - it's equal parts agave and water, boiled together until the agave becomes a thinner syrup easy to pour and mix!

So give this recipe a try, and don't ever look back on your old ways to make a margarita.

HOW TO MAKE A MARGARITA

2 ounces silver tequila of choice

0.75 ounces of lime juice

0.75 ounces of agave syrup

1. Using a lime wedge, wet the rim of your glass and dip into your rim of choice (salt, sugar, and spicy salt are great options!).

2. Combine all three ingredients into your shaker.

3. Shake until your shaker has a nice frost around the outside.

4. Add to your salted glass with fresh ice.

5. Garnish with a lime wedge and enjoy!

*If you miss the orange taste, you can always garnish with an orange slice or peel instead. For an extra orange taste, add a splash of orange juice to your mixture before shaking.