This Smokey Margarita is a deliciously different take on a margarita! Tequila and mezcal work wonderfully with lime, triple sec, and simple syrup. It's the perfect margarita to drink by a campfire!
Ingredients
- Garnish
- 1 slice lime
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- Smoked sea salt (can use regular sea salt)
- Cocktail
- 1-ounce tequila
- 3/4 ounce mezcal (can substitute tequila for this)
- 3/4 ounce smoked simple syrup
- 3/4 ounce lime juice
- 1/2 ounce Cointreau
- Wood chips for the cocktail smoker
Notes on Ingredients
- Tequila - Reposado tequila works well in this recipe since it brings a subtle oaky flavor from being aged. You can also use blanco for a cleaner flavor or añejo for an even deeper oak flavor.
- Cointreau - you could use any triple-sec liqueur, but Cointreau has less sugar than most.
- Smoked simple syrup - make your own using my smoked simple syrup recipe, or try out Traeger vanilla smoked syrup.
- Lime juice - preferably freshly squeezed.
- Smoked (or regular) sea salt for the glass rim
- (Optional) Slice of fresh lime and granulated sugar to make a brûléed lime garnish. See the instructions below on how to make a brûléed lime.
Substitutions
Mezcal - most mezcal has a naturally smoky flavor from its manufacturing process. It has some similarities to tequila since they are both made from agave.
Simple Syrup - you can use plain simple syrup or agave nectar instead of smoked simple syrup if needed.
Instructions
Brûléed Lime
Start out by sprinkling sugar onto the lime. Then, use your kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar and char the lime. It will take a minute or two of concentrated heat to get it to color up nicely. Keep the torch's heat low so you have more control over the charring.
Make sure you have something fireproof under the lime!
Salt the Rim
- Add smoked sea salt (or regular salt) to a small dish.
- Using a cut lime or other liquid, wet the rim of the serving glass.
- Dip the rim of the glass into the salt, turning after each dip until you've coated the entire rim.
The Cocktail
- Add the tequila, mezcal, Cointreau, lime juice, and smoked simple syrup to a cocktail shaker.
- Fill the shaker with ice and give the mixture about 15-20 good shakes.
- Fill the prepared serving glass with fresh ice and strain the drink into the glass.
- Set the cocktail smoker on top of the glass, careful not to disturb the salt rim too much. Add the wood chips to the smoker.
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Use the kitchen torch to light the wood chips, add the desired amount of smoke, and slide the smoker over to seal the glass.
- Allow the smoke inside the glass until the desired smokiness is reached.
- Remove the smoker from the serving glass, add the brûléed lime to the rim, and serve.