This is my Perfect Margarita Recipe for Pitchers & Parties. It’s an easy to scale batch recipe that you can make ahead of time and simply add ice about 10-15 minutes before your guests arrive. This recipe has a great balance between sweet and sour and is complimented by hints of orange peel. To make easy variations of this recipe, simply top off each drink as you pour them with your favorite Waterloo sparkling water! Pair these with Lauren’s fabulous Pork Carnitas Tacos and some Chips & Guacamole and you’ve got yourself a legit fiesta!
Intro
Quite possibly the most quintessential cocktail for every Texan to know how to make, the classic Margarita is one of those classic cocktails that can be made a thousand different ways. Just like a signature barbecue rub, we tweaked this recipe over and over and over again to get it just right. Most store bought margarita mixes are too sweet for our liking. There are some decent ones out there, but they never have the same freshness you’ll get when using freshly squeezed lime juice and a premium orange liqueur like Cointreau or Grand Marnier.
History
The Margarita, like many other classic cocktails, has several different stories swirling around its origin. The most widely accepted history of the Margarita is that it’s simply a tequila-based variation of a Daisy cocktail. Daisy cocktails originally came about in the late 19th century. This family of cocktails were all made using a base spirit, liqueur and fresh citrus. One of the first documented Daisy recipes came from Jerry Thomas’s book The Bartender’s Guide or How to Mix Drinks: The Bon Vivants Companion. It’s recipe included 3-4 dashes gum syrup (old-fashioned simple syrup), Orange Curacao, juice from half a lemon, brandy and a few dashes of of Jamaican rum. This book was released in 1876. Solidifying this theory, the word Margarita itself is Spanish for Daisy Flower.
Prohibition
During prohibition, it became very common for people to travel outside of the states and frequent bars in other countries. Even American bartenders relocated to other countries in order to keep advancing their craft. It’s during this time, and shortly thereafter, that a lot of riffs & variations of cocktails began to take shape. Substituting ingredients and swapping base spirits were done frequently. Sometimes it was out of necessity due to lack of availability, and other times it was purely experimental.
Other Notes
For this version, we use a classic 1:1 simple syrup, fresh lime juice, Cointreau and premium Silver Tequila. The quality of your tequila shouldn’t be taken lightly. Just like cooking, the best cocktails start with the best ingredients. For this recipe, we highly recommend using Teremana Blanco Tequila. Teremana is a relatively new brand that hit the market within the last year. Created by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Teremana is a tequila that pays serious respect to the entire process, from the earth to the bottle. And there respect for the land is readily apparent in the flavor of this excellent tequila!
Simple Syrup
Making Simple Syrup at home is so SIMPLE! We’ve experimented with sugar substitutes and natural sweeteners galore, but at the end of the day, a straight 1:1 simple syrup will always yield the most consistent results. To make Simple Syrup at home, just follow these easy steps:
- Heat 1 cup of water in the microwave for 2 1/2 Minutes in a 2-cup pyrex measuring cup or other microwave safe vessel.
- While the water is heating in the microwave, scoop 1 cup of pure granulated cane sugar into another 2-cup pyrex or heat-tolerant vessel. A french press without the lid works pretty well.
- Pour the hot water over the granulated sugar and stir well until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Let the syrup sit for at least 10 minutes before using.
- Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
PRO TIP: Simple Syrups can easily be infused with any number of herbs, spices, dried fruits, tea leaves and more. Just steep whatever botanicals you like in the syrup immediately after the sugar has dissolved. I recommend letting everything steep for at least 30 minutes to get maximum extraction. Some of our favorite ingredients to use are Pumpkin Spice, Fresh Lavender or Earl Grey Tea.
Equipment
For this cocktail, you’ll need the following items:
- Large Pitcher (or two!)
- Long Bar Spoon
- Preferred Glassware (we use large rocks glasses, but you could use Margarita glasses if you don’t want to serve over ice)
- Paring Knife
- Cutting Board
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Recipe
Perfect Margarita Pitchers
This is my Perfect Margarita Recipe for Pitchers & Parties. It's an easy to scale batch recipe that you can make ahead of time and simply add ice about 10-15 minutes before your guest arrive. This recipe has a great balance between sweet and sour and is complimented by hints of orange peel. To make easy variations of this recipe, simply top off each drink as you pour them with your favorite Waterloo soda!
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Teremana Silver Tequila (or preferred spirit)
- 1.5 Cups Fresh Lime Juice (about 16 limes)
- 1.5 Cups Cointreau
- 2 Cups Cold Water
- 3oz Simple Syrup (1:1 ratio)
- 3 Oranges, peeled into nice large peels for garnish
- 6 Additional Limes, sliced into wheels
- 1/2 Cup Kosher Salt (for rimming glasses)
Directions
- Step 1 In a large pitcher, combine Tequila, Cointreau, Lime Juice, Water and Simple Syrup.
- Step 2 Use a bar spoon to stir all ingredients thoroughly to combine.
- Step 3 Once combined, you may either divide the ingredients equally into two different pitchers or set half the batch aside as a refill if you only have one pitcher. The batch comes out to about 70 fluid ounces. You’ll also need room to add ice and some lime slices/orange peels.
- Step 4 Add ice, lime wheels and expressed orange peels to the pitcher(s) about 15-20 minutes prior to service. Stir once to combine ingredients and encourage ice dilution. Stir again to combine prior to service.
- Step 5 On a small side plate, pour kosher salt into a large pile.
- Step 6 Using a slit lime slice, run the flesh of the lime around the top of a single glass coating it with lots of juice. Spin the top of the glass around on the plate, coating it thoroughly with Kosher salt using the lime juice as an adhesive.
- Step 7 Repeat for desired number of glasses.
- Step 8 To serve, fill the glasses with fresh ice and pour margaritas over new ice. Use a barspoon to keep ice in the pitcher.
- Step 9 Garnish with a lime wheel and expressed orange peel.
- Step 10 Enjoy!
About the Author
Cameron is a co-founder of Whisk & Shake. His journey in the food & beverage world began as a delivery driver for a small mom & pop Italian restaurant in Dallas at the age of 18. He quickly became intrigued by the inner workings of restaurant life and enrolled in the culinary program at Johnson & Wales University. Since graduating with degrees in Foodservice Management and Culinary Arts, he’s held management position in both front and back of house ranging from Executive Chef to General Manager. In 2019, he successfully passed the Certified Sommelier exam administered by the Court of Master Sommeliers. He has been a professional wine buyer for over 10 years and picked up his craft cocktail knowledge while tending bar at one of the premier cocktail bars in DFW. In his free time, Cameron loves to golf, fish, paddle, hike and run.
