Here’s the thing about me and margaritas: I love a well-made one. Same with a good paloma. Fresh lime juice, real grapefruit juice, decent tequila, none of that bottled neon-green stuff sweetened with corn syrup. Our local Mexican restaurant in Alpharetta makes them properly: fresh-squeezed citrus, balanced sweetness, no shortcuts. When I’m out and the bar can do it right, I’m in.
But neither Zach nor I love tequila enough to keep it stocked at home. So while I’m extremely particular about margaritas when I do drink one, I rarely make them for just us. They’re not a Tuesday-night drink in this house. They’re an occasion drink, and the occasion is almost always that we’re having people over.
Which is what this recipe is for.
When we host, I want to do margaritas the way I want them in a bar: fresh ingredients, no shortcuts, no corn syrup. This mix is what I make ahead so that when guests arrive, I’m not standing at the counter squeezing twelve limes while everyone watches. It scales easily. It keeps in the fridge for a week or two and in the freezer indefinitely (it never freezes hard because of the sugar; it just stays slushy and scoopable). And it’s tarter than most commercial mixes, which I prefer, and which seems to be what most of my friends prefer too once they’ve tried it.
The thing that makes this Texas-style is the lime AND orange juice. A classic margarita is entirely lime, getting just a hint of sweetness from orange liqueur. It’s a tarter, more acidic drink. The Texas way is to put both juices in the mix, which gives you complexity without needing as much added sweetener and produces a drink that tastes balanced from the first sip.
I do 1.5 parts lime to 1 part orange. That ratio matters. If you go even, you lose the bright sharpness; if you go even more lime-heavy, the drink gets aggressive. The 1.5-to-1 hits the spot for me.
The other thing that matters: real juice. Squeeze it. Don’t use the bottled lime juice from the produce section. I’ve tried; it tastes like sadness. The whole point of making your own mix is the fresh citrus. If you don’t have time to squeeze, this isn’t the recipe for you, and that’s fine.
Notes
A note on the juicing process: If you’re getting serious about citrus (margarita mix, lemonade, lemon cake, fresh orange juice, anything that requires more than a couple of fruits) a manual, counter-top citrus press is worth the money. I have one. It was a gift, and I genuinely didn’t think I’d get much use out of it. Reader, I was wrong. It makes easy work of a job that’s otherwise tedious. The handheld pliers-style juicer still has its place for one or two pieces of fruit; the press comes out when I’m getting serious. For this recipe, the press will save your hands and probably your back.
The 1.5-to-1 lime-to-orange ratio is my preference. If you like sweeter drinks, bump the orange up to 1.25 cups and the simple syrup up to 2/3 cup. If you like even tarter drinks, drop the simple syrup to 1/3 cup. This recipe is forgiving. Adjust to your crowd.
For a spicier margarita, slice a jalapeño and let it sit in the mix for a few hours before serving (taste periodically; the heat builds quickly). Strain the jalapeño out before serving or leave it in if your friends are heat tolerant. This is excellent.
Don’t use Mexican Coca-Cola or Squirt or Topo Chico in this; that’s a different drink (the Mexican Paloma, which is also delicious, but is its own thing).
Don’t skimp on the tequila. You don’t need top shelf for a mixed drink, but the cheapest stuff will give your guests a hangover that lingers for two days. A mid-range silver/blanco tequila ($25-35 a bottle range) is the sweet spot for parties.
Texas-Style Margarita Mix
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups fresh lime juice about 10-12 limes
- 1 cup fresh orange juice about 2-3 oranges
- ½ cup simple syrup
Instructions
- Make the simple syrup. If you don’t already have some on hand: combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer, stir until the sugar is fully dissolved, and let cool. That’s it. Store any extra in the fridge; it keeps for weeks.
- Juice the citrus. Roll the limes and oranges firmly on the counter before juicing; it breaks down the membranes and gets you more juice. For one or two limes or lemons, a handheld citrus juicer (the kind that looks like giant pliers) is fine. For this volume of citrus, see the note below about the manual press. Strain out the seeds and most of the pulp either way.
- Combine. Mix the lime juice, orange juice, and simple syrup together. Stir well or shake in a sealed jar.
- Store. Keep in the fridge in a sealed jar or pitcher for up to two weeks. For longer storage, freeze. The mix will not freeze hard because of the sugar content; it will be slushy and scoopable, which is actually convenient.
Notes
- 3 oz margarita mix
- 2 oz tequila (a decent silver/blanco; you don’t need top shelf, but don’t use the bottom shelf either)
- A splash of orange liqueur (Cointreau or Grand Marnier preferred; triple sec will do in a pinch)
P.S. The frozen-mix-into-blender move genuinely is the best frozen margarita technique I’ve ever used. The mix is already at the right concentration; you don’t need to add anything but tequila, orange liqueur, and a little extra ice. People will think you bought a fancy machine. You did not. You have a regular blender and a freezer.
P.P.S. If you’re making these for a crowd, label the pitcher. I cannot stress this enough. At a party, a pitcher of homemade margarita mix and a pitcher of homemade limeade look identical, and the consequences of confusing them range from “minor disappointment” to “we had to call an Uber.” Label everything.