Cinco de mayo is a few days away and I have the perfect cocktail for you to ring in your celebrations with…my husband’s smoked margarita…I am normally not a huge margarita fan but these are delicious!!
Let me preface this margarita post with the fact that we got a smoker a few weeks ago and now all my hubby and I do is think of things that we can smoke…well besides meat, that is.
One of the things we came up with is these smoked margaritas (obviously).
To make them we cut the lemons in half and put them on the top level of the smoker (we used Meyer lemons but regular lemons would work too). Please note, if you do not have a smoker, you could always skip this step of smoking the lemons and just use a smoked whiskey and the smoked sea salt but if you do have a smoker…I strongly recommend smoking the lemons!
While your lemons are smoking, make your simple syrup inside on your stove and let it cool.
After approximately 2 1/2 hours (we took them off after 2 hours and 20 minutes) take the lemons off the smoker…you will know the lemons are done when the rims of the lemon have a nice brown shade to them.
Next, let the smoked lemons cool for approximately 30 minutes or so before juicing them in your juicer.
Then take your cooled simple syrup, fresh squeezed lemon juice, tequila, grand mariner and smoked whiskey and mix them altogether in pitcher filled with ice. Rim your glasses with a nice Applewood Smoked Sea Salt and pour in the margaritas!
This recipe makes 4 4oz drinks. We used rocks glasses. If you have more than 4 people double or triple this recipe as necessary.
These smoked margaritas are hands down my new favorite drink and I want to make them anytime someone comes over. Just be warned… these bad boys are STRONG! Perfect for cinco de mayo in my opinion or anytime you want a special beverage this spring or summer ;).
- 2 oz of lemon juice (However I made extra so I could make multiple batches and got 11 Meyer lemons which made 12 oz of juice)
- 2 oz of simple syrup (I made extra on this too and made 1 cup of simple syrup - 1 cup of water and 1 cup of granulated sugar)
- 3 - 4 oz of Grand Marnier
- 1 1/2 oz of Balcones Brimstone Whiskey (Many Texas whiskies capture that smokey flavor, if you can’t find Balcones...adds a nice smokey flavor)
- 7 to 9 oz of Tequila (We used Corzo...Also, if you like a stronger drink, use 9 oz...I personally prefer 7 oz)
- Applewood Smoked Sea Salt (to rim drinks with)
- 1. Cut the lemons in half and put on the top level or your smoker for 2 to 2 1/2 hours (I took mine off at 2 hours 20 minutes). Make sure to keep the temperature of your smoker under 225 degrees so the lemons don't boil off.
- 2. While you are smoking your lemons, make your simple syrup and let it cool.
- 3. Once lemons are done, let them cool for 30 minutes or so then juice them. Please note, if you do not have a smoker, you could just juice the lemons as is...the whiskey and salt should still help you give a nice smokey flavor to your drink.
- 4. Add the simple syrup, lemon juice, grand mariner, whiskey and tequila to a pitcher and fill with ice.
- 5. Rim your glasses with the salt. I like to use rocks glasses.
- 6. Serve and enjoy...cheers!
- This recipe will make 4 4oz drinks.
- Please note even if you use 7oz of tequila instead of 9oz, they are deceivingly strong drinks so drink accordingly:).
- Depending on how many people you have you may want to double or triple the recipe.