Hellp! Can I make a margarita with no mixes?!

[Yooper]

I just got a call- neighborhood friends are stopping over in a few. I have my kegerator up and running, so that's great for beer. But the lady guest drinks mostly vodka/soda pop type things.

I have tequila, limes, lemons, oranges, and various other things in the kitchen. No club soda, soda pop, or juices (except some tomato juice). Does anybody have any good ideas what I can offer her for a drink? Sort of a poor-man's margarita? That would be appreciated!

 

[neovox]

A friend of mine makes them with just tequila, lime juice, Cointreau, and salt (on the rim). Shake in a shaker with ice and serve. I'm not big on margaritas but I like hers.

 

[Pennsyltucky]

There's a couple simple recipes here... http://www.artofdrink.com/archive/popular-cocktails/the-margarita-recipe/ and it sounds like you have everything you need.

The "poor man's margarita" I make in the summer (makes a pitcher full) is a 12 oz can of sprite, 12 oz Jose Cuervo SilverTequila, a tube of Minute Maid Limeade frozen concentrate, and a 12 oz Mexican lager (Model Especial).

 

[Yooper]

No cointreau (but I have oranges!). And no soda (don't drink it).

Could I quickly make a mix? I'm sure I don't have sugar. But I do have some honey that I keep on hand.

 

[Pennsyltucky]

You can sub simple syrup for contreau... I'm sure watered down honey would do the job... shot of orange juice probably wouldn't hurt.

 

[luke2080]

If you have enough lemons and limes, I would think you could squeeze some of those to combine with the tequila. Even better if you can throw it all in a blender with ice to make a frozen lemon/lime margarita. You are really just missing the triple sec. I think you could get by with a bit of orange squeezed in to replace.

A creative use of fruit on hand.
http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Real-Margaritas-Recipezaar

 

[Yuri_Rage]

This.

http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Real-Margaritas-Recipezaar

Use simple syrup as suggested above if you don't have triple sec or cointreau. I try to avoid using store bought margarita mix - it's usually way too sweet and tastes fake to me.

 

[neovox]

No cointreau (but I have oranges!). And no soda (don't drink it).

Could I quickly make a mix? I'm sure I don't have sugar. But I do have some honey that I keep on hand.

I'd be inclined to try a simple syrup with a bit of orange as a substitute.

 

[cricky101]

There's a couple simple recipes here... http://www.artofdrink.com/archive/popular-cocktails/the-margarita-recipe/ and it sounds like you have everything you need.

The "poor man's margarita" I make in the summer (makes a pitcher full) is a 12 oz can of sprite, 12 oz Jose Cuervo SilverTequila, a tube of Minute Maid Limeade frozen concentrate, and a 12 oz Mexican lager (Model Especial).

I've got the poor man's margaritas on tap for my girlfriend right now. Very refreshing!

 

[Homercidal]

Limes and tequila... Any salt??

 

[bob1852]

This.

Use simple syrup as suggested above if you don't have triple sec or cointreau. I try to avoid using store bought margarita mix - it's usually way too sweet and tastes fake to me.

+1 million. If you're using mix, it isn't a margarita IMO. Tequila, lime juice and Orange juice and a little sugar (if you dont have triple sec)

 

[dataz722]

Best margaritas I have ever had were very simple. Normally, I am strongly against using anything but cheap tequila in margarita, but these needs something at least decent to good. Pint glass filled with ice. Fall glass about 2/3 with tequila, take it to about 3/4 full with grand marnier, a small splash of simple syrup, and fill the rest with fresh lime juice.

 

[Hang Glider]

How'd it turn out?

 

[neovox]

How'd it turn out?

?

 

[Yooper]

Limes and tequila... Any salt??

Yep, plenty of salt!

How'd it turn out?

I hadn't seen these friends (Texas neighbors) in nearly a year, and they brought their own tubs of cocktails, knowing that I'm usually without any hard stuff. They looked at the kegerator set up in the second fridge in the kitchen, and promised to come back for a beer soon.

I never drink soda or use sugar, so there isn't any in the house at all. But now I'm thinking that I will be using some of my citrus fruit and making tequila cocktails!

 

[Hermit]

No cointreau (but I have oranges!). And no soda (don't drink it).

Could I quickly make a mix? I'm sure I don't have sugar. But I do have some honey that I keep on hand.

Soda? How long you been in MEEESHIGUN anyhow?

 

[Hellfish76]

Triple Sec is a good cheap substitution for Cointreau. Fresh squeezed limes + orange juice + triple sec + lots of tequila = quality margarita.

That's my favorite recipe anyways...

 

[Homercidal]

Soda? How long you been in MEEESHIGUN anyhow?

LOL! I sometimes use Soda online just so people in other parts of the the country know what I'm talking about.

 

[Yooper]

There's a couple simple recipes here... http://www.artofdrink.com/archive/popular-cocktails/the-margarita-recipe/ and it sounds like you have everything you need.

The "poor man's margarita" I make in the summer (makes a pitcher full) is a 12 oz can of sprite, 12 oz Jose Cuervo SilverTequila, a tube of Minute Maid Limeade frozen concentrate, and a 12 oz Mexican lager (Model Especial).

I ended up picking up some triple sec today, and am having a margarita with just freshly squeezed lime, good tequila, and a bit of triple sec. The rim is salted with sea salt, and this margarita is VERY drinkable. It's about 75 degrees but much hotter in the sun, and this margarita disappeared way too fast!!!!!

 

[Yooper]

Triple Sec is a good cheap substitution for Cointreau. Fresh squeezed limes + orange juice + triple sec + lots of tequila = quality margarita.

That's my favorite recipe anyways...

I am wondering if I should do exactly this for the next one- but in the blender with some ice? Maybe it would slow me down a bit. That first margarita disappeared in about 3 minutes. I'll be trashed before dinner.

 

[Hang Glider]

Go Bob...Go Bob!

 

[mightynintendo]

this takes a little time but if you're lacking mixers but have fruit (particularly citrus) and some form of sugar on hand you can make an ad hoc Granita by zesting a few limes or lemons and making a syrup by boiling the fruit with sugar and water until it become somewhat gelatenous. put it in a wide baking dish and freeze.

this becomes the tart/sweet flavor base of your drink. add it frozen to a shaker with your liquor and some lime juice. shake and serve. usually pretty good and a lot better than drinking cheap liquor straight.

 

[beerkrump]

Minute maid frozen Lime juice concentrate + triple sec + tequila

I can't remember the exact proportions, but I think it's about two cans of tequila, half a can of triple sec(this might be high) to a can of lime juice. You can add OJ, pineapple juice,frozen strawberries, or frozen blueberries for variety.

Every 4th of July, I set the margaritaville gizmo out next to a bucket of ice and a pitcher filled with this concoction. Every year it all disappears and people fall down.

 

[thepartsmancometh]

1 can coco Lopez.
1/2 cup plus 1tbsp tequila
1/4 cup plus 1tbsp Cointreau
1/2 cup lime juice
Crapload of ice.

Mix In blender. Stolen from Martha Stewart, made it so many times I can do it by memory

 

[mightynintendo]

did martha stewart refer to the amount of ice as a "crapload" of ice?

 

[thepartsmancometh]

Must be prison jargon!

 

[voltin]

I love Margaritas on the rocks and frozen. I suck at making frozen drinks so I almost always have them on the rocks.

My favorite recipe is:

3 parts good Tequila (usually 1.5 ounces. I LOVE Patron.)
2 parts fresh squeezed lime
1 part Grand Mariner
Agave Nectar to taste (usually no more than .5 oz)

Give it a nice good shake with ice and serve it in a rocks glass over ice.

If you are planning on making a lot of Margaritas or other mixed drinks you can make your own sweet and sour mix for use in all sorts of drinks (like Long Islands ). I juice both limes and lemons (2 to 1 ratio) and add simple syrup to taste, probably about 2 limes, 1 lemon to 1 cup of simple syrup (I honestly cant remember because I don't usually measure.)

 

[bstacy1974]

There's a couple simple recipes here... http://www.artofdrink.com/archive/popular-cocktails/the-margarita-recipe/ and it sounds like you have everything you need.

The "poor man's margarita" I make in the summer (makes a pitcher full) is a 12 oz can of sprite, 12 oz Jose Cuervo SilverTequila, a tube of Minute Maid Limeade frozen concentrate, and a 12 oz Mexican lager (Model Especial).

We call these "Beer-garitas". My SWMBO found the recipe, but left out the Sprite. Last summer we mixed three pitchers using different beers and had a family taste test. The beers were Corona, Miller Lite, and a Scottish Brown Ale from the Kenai River Brewing Co. Brown Ale Beer-garita won! (Alaskan Amber makes a good one too.)

 

[scubasteve03]

There's a couple simple recipes here... http://www.artofdrink.com/archive/popular-cocktails/the-margarita-recipe/ and it sounds like you have everything you need.

The "poor man's margarita" I make in the summer (makes a pitcher full) is a 12 oz can of sprite, 12 oz Jose Cuervo SilverTequila, a tube of Minute Maid Limeade frozen concentrate, and a 12 oz Mexican lager (Model Especial).

I make a 2 beer margarita with 2 cans of frozen limeaid, 2 12oz bottles corona, and 1 bottle tequila. Its pretty strong and will catch up to you quick, but it tastes great!

 

[Hellfish76]

I am wondering if I should do exactly this for the next one- but in the blender with some ice? Maybe it would slow me down a bit. That first margarita disappeared in about 3 minutes. I'll be trashed before dinner.

I prefer on the rocks, but each to their own! Let me know how it turns out.

 

[Yooper]

I prefer on the rocks, but each to their own! Let me know how it turns out.

Well, I downed 3 ounces of tequila in about 15 minutes, so I had to stop and give up the margaritas for the night. It went down WAY too well.

For tonight's fish, I think I'll make a "margarita marinade" sauce because the combination of flavors was beyond great. Lime, tequila, sea salt, and a shot of triple sec. That was all, but oh, wow was it great! On a warm day, it was just way too easy to suck it down.

 

[midfielder5]

Here we call some margies w/o mix a "skinny" margarita: just ice, good tequila, fresh lime juice, salt on rim and sometimes a small splash of agave sugar or the orange liquor (optional, to cut tartness).

I will be having a few during SuperBowl as we are going to a mexican bar.

 

[Yooper]

Here we call some margies w/o mix a "skinny" margarita: just ice, good tequila, fresh lime juice, salt on rim and sometimes a small splash of agave sugar or the orange liquor (optional, to cut tartness).

I will be having a few during SuperBowl as we are going to a mexican bar.

Ah, I like that! A skinny margarita is what I had. Well, more than one. The problem is that it went down SOOOOOOOOOO smoothly that it could be very dangerous. I don't normally use sugar or even have it in the house, so the triple sec was nice to cut some of the tartness. I'll use less in the next one. I really like tart drinks.

We had Mexican for lunch, but it was easier to take beer to our picnic spot than margaritas. But next time I have tamales and gorditas, the margaritas will be pouring!

 

[aiptasia]

Well, I downed 3 ounces of tequila in about 15 minutes, so I had to stop and give up the margaritas for the night. It went down WAY too well.

For tonight's fish, I think I'll make a "margarita marinade" sauce because the combination of flavors was beyond great. Lime, tequila, sea salt, and a shot of triple sec. That was all, but oh, wow was it great! On a warm day, it was just way too easy to suck it down.

I've done similar marinade for grilled fish recipes. Zesty italian dressing also makes a great grilled fish marindade.

 

[Fusorfodder]

Here's a great frozen margarita in a pinch:

1 small can of minute maid limeade concentrate
Using that now empty can:
1 can of triple sec
1 can of tequila

Toss in a blender with lots of ice to get the frozen consistency you want. We keep a can or two in the freezer since it's easy to whip up when we've got guests.

 

[Yooper]

I'm almost out of tequila.

I've had that bottle about 10 years. So I dragged it down to Texas to use it in marinades. I never yet made a marinade, but I am nearly out of tequila.

Now I have to go buy some, especially if I can figure out the ice maker in this house.

 

[Airborneguy]

I've had that bottle about 10 years.

I'm lucky if a bottle of tequila lasts me 2 weeks!

 

[Yooper]

I'm lucky if a bottle of tequila lasts me 2 weeks!

I'm a beer girl, and never drink hard stuff.

But this $50 bottle has been hanging around a long long time since it was a gift and I never really drank tequila before.

I can't believe that it could disappear in 4 days. And we didn't even have company. I think my dog has figured out how to open cabinets and bottles since I can't have possibly drank a bottle of tequila in 4 days.

But........in my defense, I made Bob a margarita last night so I wasn't drinking alone. He said something about "needing it" if American Idol was on TV and I was watching it while he was in the room. We had gone out for dinner for our anniversary, and got home early. He fished for a few minutes off of the pier, but came inside and I made up a few margaritas.

I also need more limes.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

2 oz. blanco tequila (something nice and bright, avoid the bottom shelf, Herradura is great for margaritas)
3/4 oz Cointreau (This is a big component of a quality margarita for me, I do not prefer Grand Marnier and the quality of Cointreau really shines in a classic drink like this)
1/4-1/2 oz simple syrup (1.5:1 sugar to water) or 1/4 oz agave syrup (preferred)
1 oz fresh lime juice, do not use processed lime juice (not only in this drink but in cocktails in general).

Shaken hard over cracked ice, fine strained into a ice filled, salted lowball. Garnish with lime wedge.

One of the truly great classic cocktails when done right. Here is a good video of how to make one. I use this recipe if I am making margaritas with represado or anejo tequila, but prefer my above recipe for a lighter more refreshing drink with blanco.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otHrJT2cvKk&feature=player_embedded#!

 

[mightynintendo]

I am of the opinion that tequila should be consumed straight up by the shot. no need for all this syrupy sweet nastiness.