Jalapeño Margaritas

This jalapeno margarita is one of my favorite cocktails. It’s so simple to make – just be sure to adjust the ingredient amounts to suit your own tastes, and enjoy! A little warning though, beware the choices you make today as they may burn your ass tomorrow.

Choosing your Poison 

When it comes to tequila, do your liver a favor, don’t drink the cheap shit. It’s filled with cogeners, which incidentally is what causes hangovers to be more severe. In the event that you tend to drink cheaper liquor or dark liquors, you might want to keep some of these awesome hangover drops on hand. Yes, they do work, like a charm.

Anyway, I digress.. here, my friend, is how to make the most awesome jalapeno margarita that’s ever graced your lips.

Jalapeño Margaritas

¾ cup Patron Silver Tequila 
¼ to ½ fresh jalapeño pepper, sliced thinly plus extra slices for garnish
¼ cup Grand Marnier
½ cup fresh lime juice, plus lime slices for garnish
¼ cup simple syrup or freshly squeezed orange juice
a few splashes of sparkling water (optional)
handful of ice

Simple Syrup

1 cup water
1 cup sugar

Chili Salt Rimmer

1/4 cup sea salt
2 tablespoons chile powder
2 teaspoons lime zest

Prepare the simple syrup first by combining the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a boil stirring only until the sugar dissolves. Cook two minutes, then remove from heat and cool completely. (This can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge until needed, up to 3 weeks).

Next, prepare the chili salt by mixing the sea salt and chili powder together, then transfer to a shallow dish. Rub the rim of a clean glass with lime, dip into the chili salt.

Prepare the Jalapeno Margarita

In a shaker with ice combine the tequila and the sliced jalapeno. The amount of jalapeno you choose to use is based on your taste preferences. Personally, I use a whole small jalapeno, but then again, I munch on ghost peppers and add hot sauce to just about everything. So go with what works for you.

Let it rest a minute or two for the jalapeno to infuse.

To the jalapeño-infused tequila, add Grand Marnier, lime juice and ¼ cup of simple syrup. Shake well. Taste.

Pour into Chili salt rimmed glasses over fresh ice and additional jalapeno slices. Add a slice of lime for garnish. For a slightly lighter margarita, fill the glasses ½ full of the jalapeno margarita mixture, then fill the remainder of the glass with sparkling water.

Technically speaking this makes two drinks, but, it depends on the person.