Cocktail & Other Recipes By Spirit Tequila & Mezcal Cocktails

Blood Orange Margarita

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Liquor.com
Liquor.com

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Published 02/3/14
Blood Orange Margarita

Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

The classic Margarita is one of the most popular cocktails of all time. Made from the refreshing combination of tequila, fresh lime juice, orange liqueur and sometimes agave nectar, the ingredients in a Margarita come together to create a refreshing, citrus-forward cocktail perfect for sipping on a hot summer day. The harmonious blend of ingredients also makes an ideal base for which to layer in new seasonal flavors: Think spicy, strawberry or pineapple margaritas.

This Margarita variation from Australian bartender Ben Davidson takes the classic Margarita from summer to winter by integrating blood orange juice. Blood oranges are deep-red oranges that are sweeter, less tart and more floral than navel oranges. They are in season from winter to early spring in Mediterranean climates. Using blood orange juice and Campari, Davidson transforms the classic Margarita into a tart, pleasantly bitter and vividly hot pink cocktail.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces blanco tequila

  • 3/4 ounce Combier triple sec

  • 1/4 ounce Campari

  • 3/4 ounce blood orange juice

  • 3/4 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed

  • 1/4 ounce simple syrup

  • Garnish: blood orange slice

  • Garnish: salt rim

Steps

  1. Wet the rim of a rocks glass lightly with lime juice, then roll in kosher salt, fill the glass with ice and set aside.

  2. Add the tequila, orange liqueur, Campari, blood orange juice, lime juice and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.

  3. Strain into the prepared glass.

  4. Garnish with a blood orange slice.

Type of Salt To Use for a Margarita Rim

Kosher salt is the preferred type of salt for a salt rim. Avoid iodized table salt, which is much too salty for a salt rim and often contains anti-caking ingredients that can give the salt a metallic taste.

What Is the Orange Salt on Margarita Rim?

A commercial spice blend called Tajín, made with chili peppers, lime and sea salt, produces a bright orange rim on a Margarita glass. To give your Blood Orange Margarita an extra layer of spiciness, consider using Tajín instead of regular kosher salt for the rim.